My Summer At King’s- Pablo Nolla

Untitled design (17)

Summer was arriving and I still hadn’t envisioned what I wanted to do after graduating. I kept thinking maybe university was not for me and I could get my own food truck and become a chef. After all, I still hadn’t found a subject to dedicate three years of my life to. UCAS applications were going to open in early September and I had to make the choice for the summer. I suddenly came to the realisation the best way to decide would be to attend a summer course.

I kept frantically searching and after trying to find the ideal summer camp I finally stumbled on the Pre-University Summer School at King’s. I had never studied politics but being given the opportunity to learn about what moves the world seemed like an amazing opportunity.

Summer came and before I could realise, I was on my way to Waterloo station. When getting to the Stamford Street Apartments I was greeted by a mass of bright orange shirted people, these were the ambassador, KCL students who would be our guides the two following weeks. I was taken to my room where I met my four other flat mates and Spencer, my ambassador. The room had a single bed, a wooden desk, a wardrobe and an inbuilt bathroom. Opposite to my room was the kitchen, which had all the basics and a table with 5 chairs. Aside from keeping some food in the fridge the only utility the kitchen had was to host our daily rendezvous.

Throughout the two weeks, the summer camp organised several activities which were all enjoyable. The first and most memorable was the icebreaker event where we went on a treasure hunt and had to take pictures around the city. Two and a half hours later we were lost somewhere around Borough looking for the London Dungeons. It came to us as a surprise when they announced we hadn’t won (everyone knew we took the best pictures) but the experience of learning about all my flatmates and Spencer was more than enough.

The politics course was taught in the building opposite our accommodation which made travelling easier. The course itself was extremely complete and interesting. We wrote an essay on “The tragedy of the Commons” and created a presentation on the sustainability of New Delhi. It was also during the course where I met students from all over the world such as two friends from New York and who I still keep in contact with. The course was also complemented with several lectures. One of them taught by a postgraduate philosophy student from Kings ended with the whole class arguing about Kant’s philosophy and the “trolley problem”. During this time, we also visited the “Imperial War Museum” where we saw the breath-taking WW1 exhibition which complemented the lecture on the “centenary of the Somme” by professor Spence.

Being fascinated by history and being able to attend the lecture finally made me settle to study War Studies and History at Kings. Since then, I have made KCL my firm choice and hope to meet my offer.

What truly made the experience memorable was the people. Living together and going to class with people you’ve never met before help create a strong friendship bond. Up to today I keep in contact with most of my friends from the summer course and we are trying to organise a trip for this summer. I urge everyone I know (who is in doubt or who wants to see what university life is like) to attend the King’s College summer camp as I believe it’s truly an amazing experience.

Pre-University Summer School in the USA

Untitled design (12)

New for summer 2017 is our Pre-University Summer School in the USA. This commuter programme is a unique experience designed for 16-17 year old students (typically in their last two years of study), which aims to provide higher education experience in a senior high school environment.

Teaching will take place in our partner school, Brooklyn Friends School in New York and will run from 7-18 August 2017. Students will have the opportunity to study one of two exciting modules- Into Space: Exploring Space Through Science and Politics and International Relations: From Grassroots to Global Impact.

The Into Space course will provide students with an overview of the physics and astronomy behind manned spaceflight, as well as the science needed to make leaving Earth possible. And the Politics and International Relations course will focus on the core aspects of studying Politics at this level, whilst examining political challenges when responding to current global issues.

The fee for the programme will be £1660 which is approximately $2000. This fee includes tuition, relevant course excursions and a certificate of attendance. There will also be scholarships available for this programme and more details will be announced on our website soon.

You can submit an application for the Pre-University Summer School in the USA now and you will have until 23 June 2017 to do so. If you have any questions about the programme please email us. Alternatively follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for up to date information about the Summer Programmes Team.

Summer Study Visits- Berlin: City of Reinvention

Berlin

New for the King’s Summer Programmes Team this year is our first Summer Study Visit to World Cities. This July spend five days with us in Berlin to explore this ‘city of reinvention’.

Undergraduate students from any subject area are welcome to apply for this programme and will become immersed in the unique history, culture and economy of the city. Through museum visits, excursions and discussions with local Berliners, students will receive expert insight into the past, present and future of Berlin.

One such discussion will take place in the 1936 Olympic Stadium, where you’ll discover the architectural and structural changes that Hitler had planned in order to redevelop Germany during the Third Reich. During this study visit you’ll also focus on Berlin’s 21st Century reinvention as a creative start-up hub- with a trip to an exciting collaborative working space.

The fee for the programme will be £750, which includes tuition and course-related excursions. There is also a one-off application fee of £40 when applying to this programme. Information and costs for accommodation will soon be available, so please do check the website for this.

You can submit an application for this Summer Study Visit now, and you will have until 31 May 2017 to do so. If you have any questions about the programme please email us. Alternatively follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for up to date information about the Summer Programmes Team.

 

 

 

Undergraduate Social Programme 2017

Untitled design (1)

We are excited to announce the details of the Undergraduate Summer School Social Programme for this year. Our team works with the King’s College London Student Union to create a programme that give students the chance to explore London in their free time, whilst making friends from all around the world.

On the first day we are holding a new event for this summer. Our Instahunt is a free event to attend and is a great opportunity to meet new people, explore the city around campus and win prizes. Discover awesome locations around King’s and London, take a photo, upload to Instagram and possibly win a prize. Following on from the Instahunt is our welcome drinks at the Knights Templar, where you can grab a drink and a bite to eat, find out who the winners of the Instahunt are and mingle with fellow Summer Schools students.

Untitled design (2)We have a number of activities that take place during the weekends of the Summer School. For both sessions we have a Saturday day trip to Oxford and Windsor. Explore the beautiful architecture of the city, which is of course  home to the world famous Oxford University. If you wish to attend in Session One you can book your tickets here. For those wishing to attend in Session Two please book your tickets here.

Another full day trip we are holding for this summer is a trip to the fantastic Harry Potter Studio Tour. Explore Leavesden which the film series made it’s home for almost ten years. Take a walk along Diagon Alley, visit Privet Drive and (new for this year) explore the Forbidden Forest. Purchase your ticket for Session One here and Session Two here. Tickets for this event will sell fast so do get in quick.

For those interested in learning more about the city our London walking tours would be a great social programme activity for you. Our Session One walks, which are new for this year, are a Street Art Walking Tour and a Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour. In Session Two we are holding a set of fantastic tours, which were extremely popular with our students last year. The tours for this session are a Harry Potter Walking Tour and a Theatreland Walking Tour.

Untitled design (1)

As well as weekend activities we also have a number of events taking place during the evenings that you can get involved in. Each session of the Summer School will have a Boat Party on the Thames. Take in the spectacular views as you cruise along the river, with sights such as Tower Bridge, Big Ben and the Shard making an appearance. For students wishing to attend in Session One please book here and Session Two students here.

In addition to this we have tickets to a number of different shows throughout the programme. For those interested in comedy, our night out to the Top Secret Comedy Club is a must see. If you’re interested in these events book your tickets for Session One or Session Two now. This year we are offering students tickets to a West End show and a performance at the Globe Theatre. Details for our West End shows are yet to be announced but you can purchase tickets to the shows at the Globe Theatre already. Session One students will be going to see Romeo & Juliet and Session Two students will be off to watch Much Ado About Nothing.

If you have any questions about any of these events please email us. We also want to see you having a great time at these events, so please do tag and share with us pictures on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #SummeratKings.

Summer@King’s Scholarships

Untitled design (16)

King’s College London Summer Programmes team have announced new scholarships for King’s popular, academically rich and rigorous Undergraduate Summer School. Eight successful candidates from around the globe will be given a tuition fee scholarship to study a course of their choice in London this summer.

Dr Sarah Williamson, Director of Summer Programmes at King’s, said: “At King’s great minds are studying together to serve society globally. I am delighted to offer for the first time in 2017 Summer@King’s scholarships to academically gifted students with great communication skills from all around the world. At the core of our ethos is our summer Education Programme, through which we are expanding the King’s community, increasing the diversity of our university in the summer months and inviting inquisitive and able students to join us. We are much looking forward to receiving applications.”

In times of seemingly drastic change, applicants interested in applying are asked to argue why London still “matters to the world in 2017” in a 1,000 word essay. Apart from original, well-structured thinking and classic academic writing skills, students will also produce a three minute video explaining the key points in their essay – a great opportunity to show how to communicate complex arguments effectively in little time.

The Summer@King’s scholarship covers the £1500 tuition fee. Students have until 1 April 2017 to submit an application and need to apply for the Summer School in the usual way meeting the standard academic criteria for the programme. Successful applicants will be contacted by 15 April 2017.

Interested in applying? Find out for detailed information about how to make a scholarship application online.

Happy New Year from the Summer Programmes Team

Untitled design

Happy New Year from everyone in the Summer Programmes team. We hope you have all had a relaxing holiday and are ready to begin the new school and university term.

For those of you who are already thinking about your plans for this summer we have a lot of exciting programmes on offer for you. If you are considering staying in London for the summer months, you may wish to take part in our Undergraduate or Pre-University Summer School, as well as our Pre-University Taster programme.

Choose to study one or two sessions with us on our Undergraduate Summer School. Session One will run from 26 June- 14 July 2017 and Session Two will run from 17 July- 4 August 2017. For each session you can study a module from a range of subjects areas. These include: Culture, Governances, Health & Science, Maths & Engineering, Law, Business and Ancient Languages.

Untitled design (12)

The Pre-University Summer School will run from Sunday 23 July to Saturday 5 August 2017. High school students who are in their final two years of study will have the opportunity to take part in this unique academic and social experience, whilst living and studying in the heart of London. Students studying on the Pre-University Summer School can choose from five exciting courses; Business Management, Law, Medicine, Politics and Psychology.

We are also excited to announce that applications are now open for our Pre-University Taster. This programme will run from 21-24 August 2017 and students can study in one of the following areas of study: Cultural History, Business Management, Law or Science. Use this experience to make the most of your summer and build your confidence ahead of university applications.

Untitled design (11)

Alternatively if you want to spend your summer living and studying in another country, we are also running a number of programmes for you too.

New to 2017 are our Summer Study Visits to World Cities. Students will have the opportunity to study in Mumbai and Berlin, where they will be able to delve intellectually and culturally into their city of choice. Details on fees and dates are yet to be confirmed, but please email us to register your interest.

We also have our two week India Summer School, which will be running from 29 May- 9 June 2017. The summer school will be held in Delhi and you will be able to study either International Relations or Marketing Management with International Marketing.

If you have any questions about any of the programmes mentioned in the blog please do contact us. Don’t forget to also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates from the Summer Programmes Team.

Pre-University Summer School 2017

Untitled design 3The King’s College London Pre-University Summer School is back for 2017. High school students who are in their final two years of study will have the opportunity to take part in this unique academic and social experience, whilst living and studying in the heart of London.

The Pre-University Summer School will run from Sunday 23 July to Saturday 5 August 2017. The summer school is designed as a two-week residential experience, with students living in King’s College London accommodation. But non-residential place are also available if accommodation is not needed. The dates for the non-residential programme are Monday 24 July to Friday 4 August 2017 (Mon-Fri only).

Students studying on the Pre-University Summer School can choose from five exciting courses; Business Management, Law, Medicine, Politics and Psychology. For more information on each of these courses please see our website. The courses have an interactive approach and may include discussion groups, seminars, simulation games and Q&A sessions. Students will also enjoy at least one excursion, which is designed to complement classroom study.

Applications are now open for this intensive two-week programme, where students will enjoy combining academic classes, excursions, university preparation advice and wider skills sessions. You will have until 31 May 2017 to submit an application, although we do advise students to apply early.

If you have any questions about the Pre-University Summer School please do get in touch. You can send us an email or speak to someone from the team on live chat (you can find this function on our website). Or if you’re on social media send us a message on either Facebook or Twitter.

My Summer At King’s- Lucie Škopková

Lucie

This year marked the second time that I have attended the King’s Pre-University Summer School. After last year being such a wonderful experience I could not resist to come back.

During this year’s programme I have been studying Politics. I have never before engaged myself in this subject, and so I was hoping that by the end I would gain a detailed insight and overview of the subject. My expectations regarding the subject were exceeded throughout the programme and I have left feeling confident about the course and with plenty of information I would be able to use when deciding about my future studies at university. The Politics course was based on interactive lectures with student-led discussions and various small in-class projects and presentations. These activities allowed us to develop in terms of teamwork, presentation skills, but most importantly made us feel as if we were studying the subject under university conditions. In addition to our lectures and in-class activities we have visited the Houses of Parliament and the Imperial War Museum. Both of these trips were interesting and very enjoyable additions to our chosen subject. Overall, the course has been very well balanced, which encouraged our enthusiasm to participate and enjoy the academic experience.

The Pre-University Summer Programme also comprised of a social side. The ambassadors have organised a few icebreaker events for us to be able to interact with students we may have not yet been able to come across.  Then there was the day trip to Leeds Castle and the closing boat party, which were both very relaxing and pleasant activities where we could have fun and spend more time together before the two weeks came to an end. During the two weeks we have lived in flats with assigned pastoral ambassadors. It was amazing to see that by the end of the programme the flats were more like small families who would gather every evening to discuss the day and just chat around. It was lovely to meet so many new and unique people from all around the world and get particularly close with the students from my flat who will remain very close friends, as the plans for our reunions are on the way and being constantly discussed.

King’s has opened its arms and welcomed me for the second time and allowed me to gain such an unforgettable experience one more time. Studying a university subject, receiving additional talks on ethics and university related aspects, meeting amazing people and being able to live in a vibrant city like London for two weeks has made me a more confident, open-minded and enthusiastic person for which I am overly thankful. The Pre-University Summer School has been an authentic, dynamic and memorable experience full of engaging events and extraordinary people. It has been a privilege to be able to spend these two weeks in such a special way.

My Summer At King’s- Nicolás Bertoni

Nicolas and friends

This summer I had the pleasure of spending two weeks at King’s College London for their Pre-University Summer School programme. A perfect combination of stimulating academics, engaging activities and great geographical location, truly made this one of the best experiences of my life. I enrolled in the Business Management course and found it to be both engaging and informative. The academic experience was enhanced by the interactive teaching methods and expertise of our tutor, Michael Bedward, whom I’d like to thank for a truly enriching two weeks.

Throughout the course we were exposed to some of the material which would be covered in an undergraduate management course, and therefore took a peek at what awaits us after high school. It was therefore a useful experience for those who still need to decide what course to take at university, for it allowed the students to have first hand experience at what an academic lecture at university would entail and what sort of material would be covered.

This was also true for the non-academic aspects of university life. In fact, we were all based on one of King’s five campuses, and therefore got a taste of what university life at an urban campus would be like. King’s location in Southbank (central London) was also a determining factor in making these two weeks truly wonderful. In fact, all five campuses find themselves in the heart of London, therefore allowing the students to truly live and appreciate the city. Since London offers a plethora of activities and sites to appreciate, King’s location was perfect and it allowed us to truly enjoy our stay. Finally, the best aspect of my experience at King’s was being around students who share the same passions as I, and who strive to become contributing members of future society.

The fact that many different countries and cultures were represented at the summer school further allowed me to broaden my cultural horizons and gain new understandings about people and communities that are different from mine.

Overall, my time on the 2016 King’s Pre-University Summer School was a once in a lifetime experience!

My Summer At King’s- Ivana Skenderska

Ivana Blog

Attending the Pre-University Summer School was an opportunity for me to get an early insight about the degree I would like to pursue at university as well as the industry I consider for my future career path. During the course I was able to explore not only numerous aspects of Business Management in the heart of London which is just a stone’s throw away from the City (one of the biggest financial centre’s worldwide) but also to improve my “soft” skills in terms of presenting or conflict management.

Moreover, at King’s I had the chance to interact with various people coming from truly international backgrounds. This collaboration let me build strong friendships for the future and get to know students from all over the globe. It helped me also to understand how to work in diverse teams and how to overcome the individual or cultural differences between the members in order to complete successfully and on time our group assignments. In my opinion this skill is really significant if an individual is considering making a career in business or any other related sphere and I am happy that the course offered me the opportunity to further develop it.

As a student at King’s I could explore as well first-hand the stories of two young entrepreneurs which for me was one of the highlights of the program. These were guest speakers who explained what it takes to be successful in terms of star-up companies in the real world judging by their own experience. Therefore, the meeting helped me to get a clearer image of how I can set up my own business or deal with the difficulties on the way to success. I also learned the importance of networking in the business world as a tool for building contacts and connections to people that might be useful for my professional development.

To sum up, being a student at the Summer School for two weeks gave me a taste of what is like to be at university and to live in London. The time at King’s passed quickly, but during the program my perspective changed thoroughly. Now thanks to the Pre-University course I am sure which degree to choose at undergraduate level and what kind of career will suit me the best.

I am looking forward to coming back to King’s and putting in practice everything that I learned from this action-packed as well as fun Summer School experience.