15 Summer Schools in London for Year 10 Students

Summer is more than just a break from school. It is your chance to challenge yourself, explore new interests, and experience learning in a completely different way. Summer schools in London for year 10 students let you attend interactive workshops, tackle real-world projects, and learn alongside ambitious students from around the globe. In London, every day offers something new, from studying in inspiring academic spaces to exploring one of the world’s most vibrant cities.

They help you develop practical academic skills such as critical thinking, research, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. You will experience university-style teaching, work on hands-on activities, and gain a better understanding of subjects that interest you.

As one of the world’s leading education and innovation hubs, London is home to renowned universities, cutting-edge research, and a diverse international community. London’s rich history, cultural attractions, and strong industry connections make it an exciting place to learn both inside and outside the classroom.

What are summer schools in London for Year 10 students?

Summer schools in London for Year 10 students are short academic programmes that introduce you to university-level learning before you finish school. You can explore subjects such as science, business, medicine, law, engineering, psychology, and the arts. You will be participating in lectures, workshops, group projects, and discussions.

These programmes can serve as a strong foundation for your future university journey. Year 10 summer schools in London give you an authentic glimpse of student life at leading institutions. At the same time, you will be building confidence in your academic abilities. By the end of the programme, you will have strengthened your academic skills, gained greater independence, and experienced what studying at a top university can feel like.

To help you choose the right option, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best summer schools in London for Year 10 students. They have been selected for their academic rigor, expert mentorship, immersive learning experiences, and strong reputations.

For related opportunities, consider summer programs in Oxford and summer programs in Cambridge.

Key takeaways

Imperial’s Year 10 Insights Summer School is completely free but highly competitive, restricted to UK state school students on track for top STEM GCSEs.
Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme takes place at UCL with a maximum class size of 12 students, open to students worldwide aged 13 to 18.
St. Paul’s School London’s Particle Physics Summer School is completely free, admitting 30 students for three residential days taught alongside researchers from Queen Mary University of London.
King’s College London’s STEM Work Experience Week admits just 32 students specifically from Inner London boroughs, ending in a research poster presentation to King’s staff and families.
University College London’s Neuronauts Summer Camp admits 20 students to build behavioral neuroscience experiments using a neurokit with Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and Python programming.
Mander Portman Woodward’s Summer School costs £4,500 for the residential option or £2,400 for day students, with maximum class sizes capped at just 10 students.
City St George’s Future Professionals Summer School is fully funded by the City of London Corporation, restricted to 70 students from seven London academies in economically deprived areas.
Program costs for London summer schools for Year 10 students range from free options like Imperial’s and St. Paul’s programs to £4,500 for Mander Portman Woodward’s residential track.

15 Summer Schools in London for Year 10 Students

1. Imperial Year 10 Insights Summer School

Location: Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: July 29th – August 1st
Application Deadline: March 11th
Eligibility: Year 10 students attending UK state schools who live and study in the UK; not open to international students

Imperial’s Year 10 Insights Summer School enables you to choose either the science or engineering stream and spend four days exploring university-level STEM through practical workshops, laboratory activities, and subject-specific taster sessions. Working with Imperial academics and undergraduate mentors, you’ll discover how classroom concepts are applied in research and innovation.

You’ll stay in university accommodation, join evening social activities, and experience daily life on campus. The programme concludes with a group poster presentation where you’ll share what you’ve learned with staff and fellow participants.

Why it stands out: You experience both academic life and residential living at Imperial while exploring STEM through hands-on sessions in your chosen stream.

2. Immerse Education’s London Summer School

A faculty member teaching chemistry on a whiteboard at Immerse's summer school.

Location: University College London (UCL), London, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts; rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students across the globe aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school; open to international students

The Academic Insights Program in London lets high school students experience university life firsthand at UCL. You will live on campus in Bloomsbury and study in small, seminar-style groups, learning from tutors with university-level teaching experience. You can explore subjects including Economics, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Mathematics, and Psychology.

The courses are experiential and focus on hands-on learning. You may find yourself interpreting legal structures in law, analysing medical science in medicine, or investigating psychological theory in psychology, all while engaging with the city’s legal, financial, and cultural institutions. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and receive a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.

Why it stands out: You’ll get an early start at university life and academics because the program includes an independent project, discussion-based classes, and living at a college campus.

3. SOAS Year 10 Outreach Summer School

Location: SOAS University of London, Russell Square, London, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 22-26
Application Deadline: May 1st
Eligibility: Year 10 students attending UK state schools; not open to international students

At SOAS University of London’s Year 10 Summer School, you’ll spend five days exploring global issues through interactive lectures, study skills workshops, and higher education sessions led by SOAS academics.

You can choose from three themed pathways that examine history, culture, politics, creativity, and social change from different perspectives. You’ll work with current SOAS Student Ambassadors, take part in a live Q&A with alumni, and complete a collaborative group project. The programme introduces you to university learning while encouraging discussion, critical thinking, and teamwork.

Why it stands out: You can explore global cultures and contemporary issues through a themed pathway that matches your interests while experiencing university study firsthand.

4. St. Paul’s School London – Particle Physics Summer School

Location: St Paul’s School, London, England, UK
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 30 students
Dates: July 8-10
Application Deadline: May 7th
Eligibility: Year 10 students (or equivalent) attending UK non-fee-paying schools; not open to international students

At St. Paul’s Particle Physics Summer School, you’ll spend three residential days exploring particle physics through lectures, workshops, and hands-on experiments. You’ll be led by teachers and researchers from St Paul’s School and the Particle Physics Research Centre at Queen Mary University of London.

Sessions show you how particle physics connects with science, engineering, and computer science while introducing current research in the field. You’ll work in small groups with A-Level student mentors who encourage discussion and investigation throughout the programme.

Why it stands out: You learn directly from researchers and experience university-style science in a fully funded residential programme designed for aspiring physicists.

5. King’s College London – STEM Work Experience Week

Location: London, United Kingdom
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 32 students
Dates: July 6-10
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Currently in Year 10; attend a state-funded school; school or home postcode in an Inner London borough; able to attend all five days; application completed with a parent or guardian; not open to international students

In the STEM Work Experience Week program, you spend five days at King’s College London’s Strand Campus inside the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences. You rotate through its five departments, including Chemistry, Engineering, Informatics, Mathematics and Physics, attending lectures, visiting teaching and research laboratories, and taking part in hands-on workshops alongside working scientists and engineers.

You then join a team research project that applies what you have learned to a real-world problem. The week closes with each group presenting its findings as a research poster to King’s staff, teachers and families. You develop practical laboratory experience, teamwork and research-communication skills while learning what studying a STEM degree involves. Biology and life sciences are not covered.

Why it stands out: It gives just 32 Inner London state-school students a cost-free week across five university STEM departments, ending in a research poster presentation.

6. Queen Mary’s University of London – Girls into Physics Summer School

Location: Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Campus, London, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 36 students
Dates: July 22-24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Year 10 female students attending UK state schools who have an interest in physics; not open to international students

In this program by Queen Mary University of London, you’ll spend three days exploring physics through lectures, laboratory experiments, observatory sessions, and interactive workshops led by Queen Mary academics and researchers.

Team activities encourage you to investigate scientific ideas while working alongside other students who share your curiosity for STEM. You’ll also take part in discussions that challenge gender stereotypes in science and introduce different pathways into physics. Throughout the programme, student ambassadors and researchers offer insights into university life and careers in the field.

Why it stands out: The programme combines hands-on physics with mentoring and discussions, encouraging more young women to pursue STEM subjects.

7. Imperial College London, Department of Chemistry – Year 10 Chemistry Taster Day

Location: London, England
Cost/Stipend: No advertised participation fee for this departmental outreach day / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; around 120 students
Dates: July 9-10
Application Deadline: Closes on a first-come basis when capacity fills
Eligibility: Year 10 students considering Chemistry at A-Level, IB, or Pre-U and beyond; bookings made by teachers on behalf of students through the department’s short online booking survey; not available to students taking part in Imperial’s Y10 Insights into Science and Engineering Summer School; not open to international students

In the Year 10 Taster Day program, you spend a day in Imperial’s Department of Chemistry on the South Kensington campus. You carry out practical work in the undergraduate teaching labs, attend a taster lecture from an academic, and hear the undergraduate admissions tutor explain where A-Level Chemistry leads and how Imperial admissions works.

Recent cycles built the lab session around a quantitative aspirin practical, hydrolysing a tablet, chelating it to copper, and using calibration curves to calculate its aspirin content. You also tour the department and question undergraduate mentors about the course and student life. Across the day you practise wet-lab technique, data handling, and subject-specific questioning that supports later A-Level and university choices.

Why it stands out: It places Year 10 students in Imperial’s own undergraduate chemistry teaching labs for a genuine quantitative practical, with the department hosting roughly 120 students across the two days in its previous cycle.

8. Imperial College London, Department of Bioengineering – A Brief Introduction to Bioengineering – Y10-Y12

Students conducting experiments at a college laboratory.

Location: London, England
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; limited spaces
Dates: July 1st
Application Deadline: June 24th
Eligibility: Years 10-12 interested in studying maths and a science at A-level; Years 10-11 apply through their school and attend with a teacher; Year 12 students may apply individually; not open to international students

In the A Brief Introduction to Bioengineering program, you explore how engineering is applied to biological and medical problems during an afternoon at Imperial’s South Kensington campus. You hear the Admissions and Outreach Manager introduce the department and its three undergraduate bioengineering courses.

You attend a bioengineering taster lecture and can question the speaker during a dedicated Q&A session. You learn how the field connects engineering and medicine across biomedical engineering, biological engineering, and biomimetics. The schedule also includes registration and refreshments, while Year 12 attendees may remain for an optional student-finance talk. The session helps you assess whether studying maths and science at A-level could lead towards bioengineering.

Why it stands out: It provides Year 10 students with direct, subject-specific exposure to Imperial’s bioengineering courses, teaching, and academic pathways.

9. University College London – Neuronauts Summer Camp

Location: Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London (UCL), London, England, UK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 20 students
Dates: July 27th – August 7th
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students aged 13-17 entering Years 9-12 who attend a UK state school or are home-schooled in the Greater London area; not open to international students

In this program, you’ll explore neuroscience, engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence through a mix of short lectures and hands-on projects. Using a neurokit that includes a Raspberry Pi, Arduino, sensors, and electronics components, you’ll build systems and design your own behavioural neuroscience experiments.

You’ll also learn Python and Bonsai to collect and analyse data from your investigations. Most of the programme is devoted to collaborative practical work, giving you the freedom to test ideas and solve problems as a team. The experience concludes with student-led projects that showcase what you’ve built and discovered.

Why it stands out: You don’t just study neuroscience; you design and carry out your own experiments using the same programming and electronics tools found in research labs.

10. University College London, Department of Physics and Astronomy – UCL Physics and Astronomy Experience Week

Location: London, England
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selectivity; limited places
Dates: June 29th – July 3rd
Application Deadline: No exact deadline stated; applications requested at the earliest opportunity
Eligibility: Year 10, 11 or 12 students; school and parent or guardian approval; attendance at every session; international eligibility not explicitly stated

In the UCL Physics and Astronomy Experience Week program, you explore what studying physics at university is like through a structured five-day, non-residential experience. You take part in group activities, lectures, conversations with researchers and a fieldwork opportunity, giving you direct exposure to a university physics environment.

You follow a daily 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. schedule and are expected to attend every session. You also receive impartial guidance on routes into physics and can ask researchers about their work and academic pathways. The combination of group work and researcher interaction helps you practise collaborative learning and scientific communication. The programme requires approval from your school and parent or guardian.

Why it stands out: It combines five consecutive days of university-based physics exposure with researcher interaction and fieldwork.

11. University of Westminster – Imagine Architecture: Introductory Summer School

Location: University of Westminster, Marylebone Campus, London, England, UK
Cost: 5-day: £750; 10-day: £1450
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Multiple five-day and 10-day sessions (course dates vary)
Application Deadline: Rolling booking; places are available until the course fills
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18 who are studying at school or college (GCSE, A-level, or BTEC); open to international students

In this program, you’ll learn how architects work. You will witness how ideas transform into designs through studio projects, drawing, model making, and photography. You’ll be working in the University’s specialist studios and Fabrication Lab and respond to a design brief while receiving feedback from experienced tutors.

Visits to buildings and exhibitions across London help you see how architectural concepts are applied in real spaces. You’ll also receive guidance on building a portfolio and preparing a personal statement for future applications. You’ll earn a certificate of attendance if you attend at least 80% of the course.

Why it stands out: You gain practical studio experience and create portfolio-ready work using the same creative process followed by architecture students.

12. University College London – Envision UCL

A student wearing a lab coat and green gloves and performing an experiment

Location: University College London (UCL), Bloomsbury Campus, London, England, UK
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 70 participants
Dates: April 29th, May 9th, June 6th, and July 4th (plus an online parent/carer session on June 16)
Application Deadline: April 13th
Eligibility: Year 10 students in England and Wales (S3 in Scotland and Year 11 in Northern Ireland) who are of Black African, Black Caribbean, Mixed Black, or another Black heritage and attend a UK state school; not open to international students

You’ll visit the UCL campus across three in-person events that introduce you to university life through interactive workshops, group activities, and discussions with current students. Each session focuses on themes such as identity, decision-making, and goal setting to help you prepare for future study.

You’ll work with other Year 10 students, build confidence in sharing ideas, and learn more about higher education in a supportive environment. Campus tours and student ambassador sessions offer you an authentic look at university life, while a dedicated online event keeps parents and carers informed throughout the programme.

Why it stands out: The programme combines university guidance with confidence-building activities created specifically for Year 10 students of Black heritage.

13. Mander Portman Woodward – Summer School

Location: Mander Portman Woodward (MPW), London, England, UK
Cost: £4,500 (residential); £2,400 (day programme)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; maximum class size of 10 students (average class size: 8)
Dates: June 28th – July 11th, July 12-25, or July 26th – August 8th
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until full
Eligibility: UK and international students aged 14-17 with a minimum English level of B1+ (approximately IELTS 5.0 or equivalent); Year 10 students are eligible to apply

In this program, you’ll choose one academic stream and explore it through interactive lessons, practical activities, and subject-focused visits around London. Alongside your classes, the My Path; My Way programme helps you strengthen skills such as critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork.

Guest lectures and university preparation sessions introduce you to higher education while encouraging you to think about future study options. Outside the classroom, cultural activities and excursions give you time to experience London with classmates from around the world.

Why it stands out: You combine specialist academic learning with dedicated life skills workshops, creating a well-rounded summer experience.

14. Imperial College London Mathematics School – Girls into Maths Summer School

Location: London, England
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; cohort size not stated
Dates: July 13-14
Application Deadline: June 19th
Eligibility: Year 10 girls; passion for mathematics and aiming for grade 7 or above at GCSE; preference given to applicants from groups currently underrepresented in the mathematical sciences; attendance on both program days in London; international eligibility not explicitly stated

In the Girls into Maths program, you spend two days exploring mathematics beyond the GCSE syllabus with other Year 10 girls. Day one is based at Imperial College London Mathematics School in North Finchley, where you work through a series of maths workshops designed to stretch your problem-solving and reasoning.

On day two, you travel from the school to Imperial College London and the Science Museum for further mathematical exploration. You collaborate with peers, tackle unfamiliar problems, and strengthen the reasoning skills that support post-16 study in mathematics. The two days are free to attend, and preference goes to applicants from groups currently underrepresented in the mathematical sciences, though all Year 10 girls may apply.

Why it stands out: It combines a workshop day at a specialist maths sixth form with a second day split between Imperial College London and the Science Museum, at no cost to participants.

15. City St George’s, University of London – Future Professionals Summer School

Location: London, England
Cost/Stipend: Free programme / No stipend stated
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-competitive; 70 students from seven London academies in 2026
Dates: Two weeks beginning July 6th
Application Deadline: Places arranged through participating London schools; no public application route or closing date published
Eligibility: Aged 14-15; attending one of the participating London academies, targeted at schools in economically deprived areas; not open to international students

In the Future Professionals Summer School program, you spend two weeks on campus at City St George’s exploring journalism, law, entrepreneurship and medicine alongside university academics. You report news in the University’s journalism studios, take part in law workshops led by a City Law School lecturer that introduce routes such as corporate law, and join sessions on the climate crisis and managerial challenges in the financial sector.

A City Ventures hackathon places you in teams led by Betterspace entrepreneurs, where you build a business model and pitch it to the whole cohort. You also visit the medical suite, sharpen public speaking through a Loudspeaker workshop, and meet a careers counsellor one-to-one. The programme closes with a graduation ceremony.

Why it stands out: It is fully funded by the City of London Corporation, the Lord Mayor and Livery companies, so students from London’s most deprived schools attend at no cost.

Frequently asked questions: Summer schools in London for Year 10 students

Are London summer schools for Year 10 students open to international students?

Eligibility is mixed. Most free, widening-participation programs, including Imperial’s Year 10 Insights Summer School, SOAS’s Year 10 Outreach Summer School, and King’s College London’s STEM Work Experience Week, are restricted to UK state school students. However, Mander Portman Woodward’s Summer School and the University of Westminster’s Imagine Architecture course both explicitly welcome international students. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme is also open globally to students aged 13 to 18.

How much do London summer schools cost for Year 10 students?

Costs vary enormously by funding model. Free options include Imperial’s Year 10 Insights Summer School, St. Paul’s Particle Physics Summer School, and Queen Mary’s Girls into Physics Summer School. Fee-paying options range from £750 for a five-day University of Westminster architecture course to £4,500 for Mander Portman Woodward’s residential option.

What subjects can a Year 10 student explore in a London summer school?

Subject offerings span STEM, humanities, and creative fields. Physics-focused options include St. Paul’s Particle Physics Summer School and Queen Mary’s Girls into Physics program, while UCL’s Neuronauts Summer Camp covers neuroscience and AI. SOAS’s Year 10 Outreach Summer School covers history, culture, and politics, and the University of Westminster’s Imagine Architecture offers a creative design-focused alternative.

Do London summer schools for Year 10 students help with future university applications?

Several do, though indirectly rather than through guaranteed offers at this age. Programs like King’s College London’s STEM Work Experience Week and Imperial’s various taster days introduce you to university departments and admissions processes early, while UCL’s Envision UCL specifically builds confidence and university familiarity for underrepresented students. Most Year 10 programs focus on exposure and skill-building rather than formal admissions benefits, which tend to appear more in Year 12 programs.

How selective are London summer schools for Year 10 students?

Selectivity varies considerably. King’s College London’s STEM Work Experience Week admits just 32 students, and St. Paul’s Particle Physics Summer School caps enrollment at 30. Others, like the University of Westminster’s Imagine Architecture course, use non-selective, rolling enrollment. Regardless of selectivity, meeting specific eligibility criteria, like Inner London postcode requirements or gender-specific criteria for programs like Girls into Physics, matters significantly.

Is Immerse Education a good option for a Year 10 student considering London?

Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme is a strong choice if you want a genuine London university experience without needing UK state school status, since it’s based at UCL with a maximum class size of just 12 students. The two week program covers more than 20 subjects through hands-on projects like designing a robotic arm in engineering or participating in a moot court for law. You’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and earn a certificate of completion, with financial aid available through its bursary programme.