Interested in our programmes but still unsure about accommodation? Then this article is for you, with the practical details you need before you enrol.

Our meals and accommodation vary slightly across our Oxford colleges, but the essentials stay consistent. You’ll live in college, with breakfast and dinner provided in the dining hall.

In this guide, we’ll cover what your room is like, how college dining works, and how dietary needs are handled. You’ll also see what’s included in your programme fee.

Let’s get right to it.

What Living in an Oxford College Is Really Like

Living in an Oxford college feels like real university life, not a hotel stay. You’re sleeping, studying, and eating in the same kind of surroundings that shaped world-changing thinkers like Stephen Hawking and Margaret Thatcher.

At our Oxford summer school, you’ll be based at Oxford University colleges, including St Edmund Hall, Balliol, and Oriel. Each college has its own character and layout, so room sizes and facilities can vary slightly.

Even with different colleges, your experience stays consistent where it matters most. You’ll receive the same teaching, academic support, and immersion in Oxford life alongside like-minded peers.

You’ll also share the same social and cultural programme, which may include punting on the River Cherwell or a guided walking tour of Oxford’s historic landmarks. It’s a supportive setup that helps you settle in fast and make the most of every day.

Oxford Summer School Accommodation Explained

We host our Oxford programmes across three colleges: St Edmund Hall, Balliol, and Oriel.

Below, we explain accommodation at each Oxford college, so you can picture your day-to-day setup before arrival.

1. St Edmund Hall College 

  • Meals: Breakfast and dinner are served daily in the college dining hall, and catering teams can support most dietary requirements and allergies.
  • Room: You’ll have your own single room with a bed, study desk, wardrobe, and storage, plus shared bathrooms on each floor.
  • Safety: Secure access and a 24/7 Porters’ Lodge help the college feel well-managed and reassuring.
  • Location: A central Oxford setting with a compact layout, so teaching spaces, meals, and support are all close by.
  • Teaching: Teaching takes place within the college grounds, using a mix of larger classrooms and smaller seminar-style spaces.
  • Essentials: Wi-Fi is available throughout the buildings, and there are on-site laundry facilities for day-to-day convenience.
  • Community: A smaller, friendly college feel that often helps participants bond quickly and settle in with confidence.
  • Facilities: Shared spaces like the Junior Common Room provide a relaxed place to socialise between academic sessions.

2. Balliol College 

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily at Balliol’s historic main site on Broad Street, with buffet-style options that support most dietary needs and allergies.
  • Room: You’ll have your own single room at Master’s Field, a modern accommodation site where every room is en-suite, with a bed, study desk, wardrobe, and storage.
  • Safety: Master’s Field has secure entry systems, CCTV coverage, and on-site Immerse staff supervision, with access limited to programme participants and authorised staff.
  • Location: A quieter residential setting at Master’s Field, with a short walk to central Oxford for meals and teaching.
  • Teaching: Academic sessions take place at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, around a 15-minute walk from Master’s Field.
  • Essentials: Wi-Fi and on-site laundry are available throughout Master’s Field, with modern, well-maintained facilities.
  • Community: Common areas and surrounding grounds give you space to socialise, revise, and unwind with peers.
  • Facilities: On-site recreational spaces, including a sports complex and shared areas used for programme events.

3. Oriel College 

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily in Oriel’s dining hall, with options that support vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, gluten-free, and allergies.
  • Room: Accommodation includes a mix of single and twin rooms with standard furnishings, plus shared bathrooms on each floor. A limited number of en-suite rooms may be available, but can’t be guaranteed.
  • Safety: Oriel has a 24/7 Porters’ Lodge and secure entry systems, with fob access required, and the main entrance closes at 10:00pm.
  • Location: You’re in the absolute centre of Oxford, right by Radcliffe Square, with major landmarks and High Street just steps away.
  • Teaching: Teaching happens on site, with a wide range of spaces from small tutorial rooms to larger classrooms and a lecture theatre.
  • Essentials: College-wide Wi-Fi and on-site laundry make day-to-day living straightforward.
  • Community: The Junior Common Room and social spaces support a strong college feel, with plenty of chances to connect outside academic sessions.
  • Facilities: Multiple quads and courtyards, plus a chapel and gardens, create that classic Oxford setting while keeping everything in one place.

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How Meals Work at the Oxford Summer School

Meals are kept simple and consistent, so you can focus on your academic sessions and enjoy Oxford. At our Oxford summer programmes, breakfast and dinner are served in the college dining hall each day.

Breakfast and Dinner in the College Dining Hall

You’ll eat in the college hall, which becomes a reliable part of your daily routine. Meals are prepared by catering teams who also provide food for university participants during term time, so they’re experienced and well organised.

What About Lunch?

Lunch works a little differently by age group. Participants aged 13 to 15 are provided with lunch, while participants aged 16 to 18 are encouraged to eat lunch out in Oxford, giving them more independence and a chance to explore the city.

Dietary Requirements and Food Allergies at Mealtimes

Catering teams receive your dietary information before you arrive, which helps them plan ahead. If you have a food allergy, please speak to staff at mealtimes to confirm allergens as an extra precaution.

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What’s Included in Your Programme Fee?

Your programme fee is designed to cover the essentials, so you can focus on learning and enjoying Oxford rather than managing lots of extra costs.

The participation fee includes:

  • 13 nights’ accommodation in a central Oxford college
  • Breakfast and dinner in College Hall (for participants aged 13 to 15, this also includes lunch)
  • Laundry facilities and Wi-Fi available in college accommodation
  • 40 hours of academic sessions with Oxford University and Cambridge University tutors, including two hours of one-to-one tuition
  • Carefully designed study and lecture materials
  • Support to complete a personal project within your subject
  • Mentor programme and access to support materials
  • All excursions and social programmes, including formal dinners, punting, sports, and more
  • One coach excursion, including a trip to London
  • Graduation ceremony and certificate
  • Tutor-written assessment

Travel to and from the programme is not included in the participation fee.

The Oxford College Experience Beyond Food and Rooms

College life at our Oxford summer school goes far beyond where you sleep and what’s on your plate. Oxford’s setting does something to your mindset. You start thinking in bigger questions, and you notice how quickly your confidence grows when your days have purpose.

Even if you’re based at different Oxford colleges, you’ll still have the same level of teaching, academic support, and cultural immersion. You’ll also learn alongside participants from 150+ nationalities, which makes conversations feel genuinely global.

Outside academic sessions, you’ll take part in a carefully planned social and cultural programme designed to help you feel at home in the city. 

That often includes formal dinners in a traditional hall, punting, and sports, plus wider cultural activities that help you explore Oxford’s landmarks and atmosphere with your group.

Two highlights many participants love are grabbing lunch in Oxford’s Covered Market and visiting the Oxford Botanic Garden for a calmer reset. You’ll also take at least one coach excursion, including a trip to London, so you experience more of the UK while you’re here.

FAQs

Which college will I be staying in?

Your college is assigned nearer the start date. We’ll tell you before you arrive, and your Welcome Pack lists the likely options.

How much unsupervised time will there be?

You can sign out in small groups of two or three to explore Oxford. Students can’t sign out in the evening, and Mentors supervise overnight accommodation.

Can I stay in a room with or next to my friend?

We’ll try to accommodate requests but can’t guarantee. Neighbouring rooms are most likely if you study the same subject on the same dates.

What do I need to bring?

You’ll receive a full packing list once you’re enrolled. All participants must bring a personal laptop for academic activities, plus everyday essentials for two weeks in Oxford.

Conclusion

Accommodation and meals at our Oxford summer school are simple, supportive, and collegiate, giving you a calm base for ambitious learning every day.

You’ll live in an Oxford college, enjoy breakfast and dinner in hall, and follow routines that make settling in feel effortless quickly together.

Across St Edmund Hall, Balliol, or Oriel, the experience stays consistent: strong teaching, academic support, and cultural immersion alongside global peers daily too.

If Oxford is calling, explore our Oxford summer courses, pick your subject, and step into two weeks that change confidence, friendships, and direction.