Gap Year Program
Greene’s offers tailor-made programs that will make your gap year unique and unforgettable
All of our Gap Year programs use the tutorial method of teaching, which will allow you to sit down one-to-one with experts in their field to discuss, debate, and dissect topics that interest you. The tutorial method is the definitive teaching model of Oxford and Cambridge universities, encouraging students to engage with their subjects and teachers in a way that no other teaching method can replicate.
A Gap Year program at Greene’s will usually include multiple weekly tutorials in three or four subjects of your choice, along with a weekly meeting with your designated academic mentor, who will encourage you to reflect on your learning experience, as well as help you improve your study skills. You can also choose to participate in our Research Explored course, which is designed to equip students with the writing and researching skills that you’ll need to excel at university.
Based in the middle of Oxford, Greene’s College will provide you with an unparalleled academic experience while giving you the opportunity to explore this ancient city’s many galleries, museums, colleges, and walks. And as Oxford is only about an hour away from London, it will allow you easy access to the U.K.’s capital city.
OUR STUDENTS
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Frequently Asked Questions
Because our programs are tailored to individual students’ needs, they can start nearly anytime of year, either during the academic year from September to May, or during the summer months. The length of students’ program can also be flexible, from just two weeks to up to 6 months.
You can enter the U.K. on a simple visitor’s visa, which is usually granted for up to 6 months.
Getting to Oxford is very easy! We suggest international students fly into London Heathrow airport. Getting to Oxford from the airport is simple, as there is a wonderful and efficient bus service called the Airline (run by the Oxford Bus Company) that has coaches leaving every 20-30 minutes for most of the day to Oxford from Heathrow (and vice versa). The trip usually takes around 90 minutes and you can book these tickets online.
There is a taxi rank in the square next to Oxford’s Gloucester Green central bus station, which will take you anywhere in the city. Oxford is a small, walkable city, with excellent public transport, so it should be easy for you to navigate to and from college and sites while you’re here.
Yes! Study Abroad students will be given a full orientation to the college, key members of staff, their timetables, and their Greene’s Online portals at the beginning of their programs. They will also be given advice about living in the city. If students arrive during term time, they will be introduced to other students at the college by staff when they arrive.
During the summer months, students 18 years and older may be able to take boarding-style accommodation at Student Castle, which is within walking distance of Greene’s College. Alternatively, students over 18 may wish to rent one of the many AirBnBs close to town in order to gain experience living independently while in Oxford (available year-round). As Greene’s College is in the centre of Oxford, there are many short- and long-term rentals from which to choose.
Students under (and over) 18 years of age are able to choose from a range of vetted host family accommodation from Oxford Homestay, with food plan options available.
Oxford is a small and safe city, but there is plenty to see! Students are welcome to take part in any of the co-curricular activities organized by college during term-time, which may include excursions around Oxford or trips to London for ballet, opera, and theatre. Students are also encouraged to explore Oxford and its surrounds with their peers during their programs.
Though it’s always a good idea to take out travel insurance when travelling abroad, students will be able to access local emergency health services (A&E) without cost while here on a visitor’s visa, including if they need hospitalization due to COVID. Oxford has excellent emergency services. Its teaching hospital, the John Radcliffe, is easily accessible by taxi or by bus. The National Health Service (NHS) website contains information on how to access NHS services in England if you are visiting from abroad.
The U.K. has now opened-up after the pandemic. Masks are optional in public spaces.
If COVID tests are needed in order for students to return to the US, they can easily book approved tests at private pharmacies in Oxford.
Please contact us here to start building your tailored Gap Year program now.