Summer schools

Academic development: 91.6% of students who undertake international opportunities graduate with a first-class or upper second-class degree (UUKI). Summer schools enable you to learn about areas of your subject not covered at Keele, explore different academic fields to complement your subject knowledge and post-graduate ambitions, or test and develop your language ability. By learning with students from accross the world in a different educational system, you will benefit from valuable new perspectives and teaching styles which you can encorporate into your Keele degree programme.

Boost your employability: Just 7.4% of UK undergraduates undertake a period of studies overseas making this a great way to stand out to employers (UUKI). Summer schools offer the chance to build an international network of contacts, develop cultural awareness and a global perspective. Watch this short video from the Careers Team at Keele for more details of how international experiences can benefit your employability Link to Video.

Personal benefits: Summer schools allow you to meet new people, learn from new perspectives and teaching styles. The unique experiences you will gain allow you to develop new skills such as self-confidence and independence. You can read about how summer schools have contributed to the personal development of other Keele students on our student-led blog.

Develop you language skills: This is a fantastic opportunity to gain intensive practice and maybe even skip a language level (or two) when you return to Keele! Find out more about why the Language Centre think you should consider an intensive language course here.

You will follow a pre-determined study programme which usually focuses on a specifc topic within a subject area, language or the development of specific soft skills. You can choose to enrol on a programme that covers topics from within your current subject or language, or you may decide to delve into a new subject area or take a beginner course in a new language.

There are opportunities for most subject areas, interests and abilities. Exact requirements vary by programme and usually outlined on the webpage for each individual summer school. You are welcome to choose any programme that will accept you and are not limited to Keele's partner universities.

If you are applying for a programme through the langauge centre at Keele, please contact languages@keele.ac.uk to find out the eligiblity requirements that apply to you.

Summer Schools may be subject to change, postponement or cancellation due to the current pandemic. These decisions are made by the institution running the programme and can happen at any point before the proposed start date of the programme. Many programmes have been converted to remote experiences which students engage with virtually from home. Some are scheduled to take place in-person but will be converted to an online programme if travel isn’t possible.

Students are responsible for making all arrangements and payments associated with their chosen programme, and do so at their own risk. Therefore it is advised that you are aware of any implications before making any payments you can’t afford to lose as these may not be recoverable if the programme is cancelled:

• Check the status of the summer school with the host institution
• Continually check the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice for your destination country
• Check with your insurer what you will be covered for
• Check the cancellation policies and withdrawal options for your chosen programme
• If you take a virtual programme, check if this requires live engagement and whether this is feasible if you will be in a different time-zone.

All questions about programmes should go directly to partner universities and their websites.

Students are responsible for all costs and arrangements relating to summer programmes. The exact total depends entirely on where you go, the length of the programme and what you do whilst you are there. Most costs are usually outlined in the promotional literature and websites for each summer programme, but in-person programmes usually include the following costs:

• Programme Fee and Aplication Fee
• Visas and travel docs (if applicable)
• Health insurance and immunisations
• Travel Insurance (Please note that students who undertake in-person summer schools in 2021 are not eligible for the Keele Travel Insurance and will be required to take out their own policy)
• Travel and airport transfers
• Accommodation
• Food
• Activities and excursions when you are there

Please consider the implications of coronavirus outlined in the previous section before making any financial outlay towards a summer programme.

Some partner universities offer scholarships and discounts for students from partner universities. You should check the specific partner university information. Some countries have funds avaialble for students to take summer programmes, but it is your responsibility to find these.

Global Opportunities Summer 2021 Bursaries
The Global Opportunities Team has 15 scholarships of upto £500 for students who are looking to take part in online international summer programmes in 2021. The programme does not need to be related to your degree but should be an international programme run by a university not based in the UK. It can also be used towards the cost of attending an intensive language course outside of the UK. The programme must run 100% online and not involve overseas travel

• You must be an Undergraduate or Postgraduate studenty currently enrolled at Keele.
• Graduates or students due to graduate in 2021 will not be eligible.
• To apply, Complete the Summer 2021 Bursaries Application Form. This includes a 250-500 word statement outlining the activities you have/will apply for and specifically how you think atteding the course will impact your personal and future career development.
• The deadline to apply is Monday 17th May 2021 at Midday.
• You will be informed of the outcome of your application on Monday 31st May 2021 once all applications have been reviewed after the application deadline. Payment will not be made until proof of a place on the programme is obtained.

For further questions please contact global.opportunities@keele.ac.uk.

Summer schools are applied for independently. When you have found a programme you wish to apply for, simply follow the instructions on the website for that programme and ensure you meet any deadlines. Documents commonly asked for include:

• Basic personal information
• Proof of English Language Ability/Academic Transcript (speak to GOT)
• Statement of Interest
• Passport