Week 2: Life inLondon
Where prestige and creativity meet
University College London is University of the Year 2024 for the U.K. (The Times). Ranked #9 in the world (QS), it’s welcomed 30+ Nobel Prize laureates. It’s part of the University of London federation that includes King’s College London, the Royal Academy of Music, and the London School of Economics and Political Science—and home to a diverse and creative community.
University College London—The global university
Known as London’s global university, UCL was the first university in England to admit students of any race or religion and the first in the U.K. to admit women to degree programs. It is a hub of creativity in the heart of London. Located in the Bloomsbury district, you’ll be in London’s most learned quarter, offering a fascinating range of histories to explore—and a gathering place for young creatives.
Exploring London with friends
At University College London, you’ll have free time each day to get out into central London with new friends. Eat breakfast and lunch in the UCL dining hall, and have dinner out while exploring this fascinating city.
Organized trips and events
Whether you’re wonder-struck in the “cathedral of nature” at the Natural History Museum, visiting Buckingham Palace, or shopping, dining, and walking along the canal in the famously eclectic Camden Market, you’ll be immersed in the magic of London. Here are just a few examples of the types of things you might do during week two of your program:
From Buckingham to Parliament, explore learning in the round
Get out into the city to discuss real issues with working professionals—and see how academic subjects are put into practice to benefit us all. You’ll visit businesses, political centers, famous museums and buildings, and other centers of innovation all around the city of London during week two.
24/7 EXPLO Living
Here’s the lowdown on daily life at EXPLO. Of course, you’ll have the support and guidance of our amazing EXPLO staff backing you up 24/7 to make sure you get the most out of your London Exploration.
Dorm Life
You’ll be living in the student dormitories at Schafer House, located near Regent’s Park and The Royal College of Physicians. The program directors and Explorations staff will live at Schafer too, so you’ll have 24/7 support. Students will have a single bedroom and a shared bathroom, as well as a kitchenette/common room in each 2-5 person suite. UCL dining is a ten minute walk from Schafer house. You’ll eat breakfast and lunch in the UCL dining hall, and for dinner, you have the freedom to choose where you would like to eat with friends in neighborhoods close to our evening activities.
Your day, your way
We deliberately design the Pre-College Explorations residential experience to let you decide how to fill big parts of your day, from socializing and participating in EXPLO activities, to academics, to touching base with home (and, yes, sometimes even doing laundry!).
With a little backup
But we know you’re not in college quite yet—that’s why our Student Life staff will check in with you regularly to connect and offer support with anything you need. We’ll have live-in residential advisors available to you at any hour. This is how we create an environment where you’ll feel known, welcome, and confident enough to push your boundaries, try new things, and make meaningful friendships.
The more you know
Here are more practical details on program logistics for one of the best pre-college experiences. We’re standing by to answer any more questions, though: don’t hesitate to contact us by calling 781-762-7400 or emailing us at summer@explo.org.
Our students’ physical and emotional health is a top priority. In both Oxford and London, if a health issue crops up, we will make arrangements for and go with you to a local healthcare provider to make sure everything goes smoothly. We’ll communicate with parents and caregivers to keep everyone at ease.
Dormitories are safe and secure, with key card access to get into the building. We collaborate with campus safety staff to make everyone’s stay as trouble-free as possible.
We also balance student independence with clear boundaries for where students can go, maintain regular check-ins, and house EXPLO residential staff in the dorms. The program director and assistant director, along with career educators with years of experience with EXPLO, also live on campus during the program.
Attending an academic enrichment program helps students prepare for the greater independence of college. That said, EXPLO does not believe that our students should be supervised as if they are already completely independent; we work hard to ensure our students receive a developmentally appropriate and safe level of supervision and guidance throughout their days. In order to create the atmosphere that allows learning to be both fun and meaningful, we know that our students (and their loved ones back home) need to feel that our campus is safe—and that our staff is observant and trained to respond to our students’ needs.
All students should plan to bring laptops and/or tablets to the program, as these will be used regularly in classes. Wifi will be available on campus, and there are also several free access points in businesses around Oxford and London.
In addition, all students must have a mobile phone with voice access while at the program. This will allow our staff to easily communicate with all students in case of an emergency. Families are encouraged to check with their wireless carriers about short-term international plans if needed.
English is the working language of EXPLO. To enroll in the program, you must be able to speak and understand English at a reasonably fluent level. To ensure that everyone is able to participate in all aspects of the program, students who do not attend a school with an English language-based curriculum or speak English at home may need to interview with EXPLO. Once you’ve submitted an application and deposit, we’ll contact you and your family about completing an interview should we determine that one is necessary.
Students are not required to submit test scores. If, however, a student has completed testing, scores that would show an acceptable level of English to attend the program include:
- C1 or IELTS level 6.5 or higher
- TOEFL: 79 or higher
Students attending EXPLO in Oxford and London can check to see whether a standard visitor visa is required using the online Visa Check, and selecting the “tourism” category. Should you need to apply for a visa, EXPLO will provide you with a support letter tailored to your needs.
