General FAQs
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Our business hours are Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 5 pm. We aim to respond to all applications submitted during this timewithin 24 hours.Applications and enquiries submitted outside of our business hours will be responded to as soon as possible on our ret...
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer scholarships or waivers for tuition fees. The application and tuition fees are required to cover the administrative costs of processing applications and running the programme.We understand that this may be a barrier...
Yes, of course! You can find our latest brochure, plus other useful documents to download here - https://www.issos.com/important-information/brochures.
No. We run our programmes from the university campuses but we are an independent company. We employ our own staff and design our own bespoke, award-winning summer programmes.
Yes. All of our residences have laundry facilities and our staff will tell students how and when to use them. All students are given a laundry bag when they arrive.
Yes! Not only are our classes fun and engaging, but outside of class time students will join a Clan, take part in a varied and exciting evening programme of events, go on day trips to nearby cities and generally have the summer experience of a lifetime ...
That's great! You can find all available vacancies here- https://www.issos.com/summer-school-jobs/
Yes. After your application has been accepted you will be asked to complete ourStudent Information Form. This must be filled in and this is where you can let us know of any special dietary requirements/allergies that we need to be aware of for your son ...
You can join the ISSOS Family here-https://apply.issos.com/apply
If a student does not like their class they should let their Counselor know and they will speak to the Head Counselors. They cannot guarantee that students will be able to move classes but they will try to see if a switch can be made.
When your application has been accepted we will send out our information pack which will give you information about what to pack as well as our contact details, travel tips, laundry, clothing, trips and general information. You can also see our parent i...
Our rules and regulations are included in our terms and conditions and by submitting an application all students agree to follow them. The consequences of breaking the rules will depend on the individual circumstances. However, it should be noted that I...
This will depend on the subject. For instance, a debate class may have up to 20 students per class, so that students can get the best experience and learn how to participate in lively group debates. Other subjects may be smaller with only around 8 - 15 ...
If you change your mind within 14 days of us accepting your application we will refund the registration fee.Please take note:Once a place has been offered and 14 days have passed, the registrationfee is not refundable for any reason
The ISSOS schedule is very busy and there are always lots of things going on, but studentswill get some free time every day. After evening programs, and for shorter times throughout the day there are lots of chances for students to relax, go to the shop...
Weekdays at ISSOS (apart from Wednesday afternoons) are taken up with class time, while Wednesday afternoon and Saturdays are reserved for cultural activities and day trips. Sundays are when students will have the most free time so they can enjoy a lie-...
Please visit our Travel Information page, which gives information about airports, arrival and departure dates/times, coach transfers, packing lists and unaccompanied minors.- https://www.issos.com/summer-school-parents/travel-information/
The next steps are as follows: PROVIDE THE INFORMATION WE NEED: When you apply you will be able to create an online account in our parent portal. This is where you can provide us with all of the additional information we need as your son or daughter's t...
On the final day at each ISSOS campus, we invite all parents to join us for our Parents' Reception, so if you are collecting your son or daughter yourself it's a great way to meet our team of staff and counselors and gain an insight into the session at ...
All students are housed in the University halls of residence. Floors are split by gender and divided by age group. Please visit our accommodation page for more information.- https://www.issos.com/summer-school-parents/
The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority at ISSOS. Further information can be found at our safety security page: https://www.issos.com/summer-school-parents/safety-security/
We have provided information on clothing and equipment that should be packed for ISSOS:https://www.issos.com/summer-school-parents/
We operate a strict No Phones policy in our classes. During evening
programmes they are only allowed to be used for taking photos.
After 11pm we ask students to respect their roommates and not to
use phones in bedrooms. Your support in encouraging your ...
Yes, but this is kept to a minimum as we like to make sure students spend
the time out of classes doing activities and making new friends. We are
also very aware that this is our students’ summer holidays and do all we
can to create a unique balance bet...
All students are housed in the University Halls of Residence; there are
separate floors for boys and girls, and staff members stay on each floor.
Rooms are either single or twin and students share bathroom facilities.
There are common areas for students...
There is wireless internet access in most areas that students can sign in to.
An Unaccompanied Minor Service is provided by some (not all) airlines to
assist under 16 year olds that are flying alone. Please read Travel Guide for
full details.
We provide medical insurance for all students as part of your programme
fees. You will find full information about our insurance policies in your
Parent Portal.
Our programme for Yale is paused for 2026.
Subject or elective changes depend on availability and
programme planning before the school is in session.
At St Andrews we offer the following Electives options:TennisGolfArtTheatreFilm
[PAUSE 10 SECONDS] At Cambridge we offer the following Electives options:Outdoor LeadershipPhotographyTennisTheatre
[PAUSE 10 SECONDS] At Yale we offer the following Electiv...
The Study Skills course at ISSOS is designed to equip students with effective
learning strategies and techniques applicable to various academic pursuits. It
aims to enhance students' ability to absorb, retain, and apply information
efficiently. [PAUSE 1...
Students had the opportunity to gain some insights into coming up with viable
business ideas by working through the nine key components of the business model
canvas, including customer segments, value proposition, channels, customer
relationships, key p...
All topics helped the students practise the four main skills needed for Language, reading, writing, speaking and listening. However, speaking and expressing opinions
was the main focus of our classes. Topics included an introductory class, Music, Sports...
Please read the information below about the policies that are included in our
programme fees. Please note that any insurance provided by ISSOS will only cover
students for the duration of the summer school dates and will not include any further
travel b...
The dates of the programme depends on which location you are interested in: St Andrews Session 1: 28 Jun 2026 - 19 Jul 2026St Andrews Session 2: 22 Jul 2026 - 12 August 2026Cambridge: 8 Jul 2026 - 29 Jul 2026
ISSOS provides an enriching curriculum designed to balance
academic and extracurricular growth. Students seeking specific
academic outcomes should discuss their goals with the team
beforehand.
At St Andrews we offer the following Academic options:English LanguageDebate, Study SkillsYouth
LeadershipIB Extended EssayCreative Writing [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] At Cambridge we offer the following Academic options:English LanguageDebateJournalismBusiness...
We accept students aged 13 - 18, from all over the world.
Session 1: Arrival Date: Sunday 29 June - Departure Date Sunday 20 JulySession 2: Arrival Date Wednesday 23 July - Departure Date Wednesday 13 August [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Arrival: Our designated airport is Edinburgh International Airport, students must
ar...
For any students arriving at Cambridge train station, you can pre-book a taxi with
Panther Cabs (Local), or Elias can simply board any Cambridge taxi from the rank,
which will bring him to St Edmunds College. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS]
Panther Cars can be book...
Students focus on using and developing their English in a natural environment. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] We examine colloquial and formal vocabulary, pronunciation of difficult vowel and
noun sounds, public speaking, and descriptive language. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS...
In Journalism classes we cover a vast selection of important practises, including
news and feature writing, interview conduct, and photo taking, but also essential
topics like the ethics of photojournalism and news vs. fake news. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Afte...
Creating an international community [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] One of the most important, and loved, aspects of ISSOS is the international
community that is created when our students come together every summer. Our
Rooming Policy, along with our 10% nationality...
Students began the course with an introduction in writing and delivering short
speeches. Exercises on tone, pace, body language, were conducted to acclimate
students with delivering speeches in a persuasive manner. Once students began to
feel comfortabl...
The first week of class focused on the fundamentals of storytelling: character, plot
and conflict. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] A blend of individual and group activities encouraged students to get to know each
other, share ideas, and set project goals for the co...
We only accept 10% of each nationality to our campuses, so there will not be more
Americans on one campus than another. Generally, there are over 80 nationalities
per campus from all over the world.
Youth Leadership is both conducted in the classroom but also outdoors. In Youth
Leadership our students complete tasks and activities as a team and reflect on the
outcomes to learn more about the impact they can make, the importance of using
their own v...
The IB Extended Essay course comprised two main components: a guide to
researching and writing the IB extended essay, and independent research work. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Throughout the 14 classes, discussions on the students’ extended essay topics
focused...
We require a photocopy page of the passport to process Visa Support Documents. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Paperwork will also state that we have yet to receive the fees, which may or may not
go against the process. However, please note that this will be documen...
ISSOS courses are not for credit so generally Tourist visas are all that is required. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] ISSOS are fully accredited through the British Accreditation Council(BAC), and we
will provide letters of support along with any additional informat...
The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Throughout the three-week programme, our students are well supervised at all
times, from the moment we pick them up to the moment they leave our campuses.
We give o...
When students arrive at ISSOS, they are introduced to their group and their
counselor who is there to look after the welfare of our students throughout the summer school. Counselors wake students up at 7 am, accompany them to breakfast and walk them to ...
All of our students are housed in the University halls of residence, in an area
exclusive to ISSOS, where the student groups are divided by sex and also by age
range. Each student will be allocated a shared or single room. The majority of rooms
in our a...
All students will be part of a group [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Groups at ISSOS are your smaller family within the wider ISSOS Family. When you
arrive you will meet your counselor and will be placed in a group based on age and
gender, so you will always be with...
The heart and soul of friendly competition [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Clans are a very popular part of the ISSOS experience. We have 4 student clans,
MacGregor, Wallace, Stewart and MacDonald. New students will be allocated to their
clan at the Clan Calling eve...
The timetable above shows you what your weeks at ISSOS will be like. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] Weekdays (apart from Wednesday afternoons) are taken up with class time, while
Wednesday afternoon and Saturdays are reserved for cultural activities and day
trips. ...
EDUCATION Teachers College, Columbia University | Doctoral Research Fellow | 2023 –
Doctoral student in Sociology and Education. Advisor: Na Lor University of Chicago | Maroon Scholar Research Award | 2021 – 2022
Master of Arts in Social Sciences. GPA: ...
The Debate course at ISSOS aims to equip students with the skills and
knowledge to become effective debaters. It begins with foundational training in
writing and delivering short speeches, focusing on tone, pace, and body
language to enhance persuasive ...
Medical insurance is provided for all
students. For students traveling to the UK, travel insurance is also
provided.
Students are placed in groups with a
counselor who looks after their welfare throughout the program.
Counselors wake students up, accompany them to breakfast, and walk
them to classes. There is also a curfew and lights out time.
The required English level is A2 for
students taking English Language classes or B2 for all other classes.
The program provides over
80 hours of tuition, with 45 hours for academics and 36 hours for
electives.
ISSOS provides visa support
letters for students who need them. Students are responsible for applying
for the appropriate visa and any other necessary travel documentation.
Since ISSOS courses are not for credit, tourist visas are sufficient.
Students
stay in university halls of residence in an area exclusive to ISSOS. Rooms
are shared or single, with shared rooms being allocated based on age,
sex, and nationality.
Yes, all students receive a certificate of
completion and a full academic report.
You can absolutely pay by wire transfer, this is still done via flywire however. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS]
Follow this link, select 'wire transfer' as the payment method and you will then
be sent an email from Flywire with our bank details
https://issosintern...
We never forget that our students are on their summer holidays and we provide a summer experience like no other. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] During their three weeks at our campuses, outside of their classes, we provide an action packed and fun filled programme ...
The majority of our rooms are shared by two students, who will be the same age and sex as each other. We do have some single rooms but we cannot guarantee these to a particular student. If you are sharing, you will be with someone of a different nationa...
We welcome applications from every nationality around the world. We accept over 150 students to each campus but numbers are limited to 10% from any one nationality so that the ISSOS experience remains truly international and students can make friends fr...
When you arrive at ISSOS you will be shown to your room and will find out the name of your group. There will be around 8-14 students in your group of the same gender and age as you, and you will all be living in the same area of halls for the 3 weeks. Y...
No. We don’t ask to see students’ grades on application because we believe in education in the broadest sense, educating and enriching hearts AND minds. So everyone can have the chance to experience our programme irrespective of their academic grades.
Our three-week all-inclusive summer school experience offers high school students from all over the world the opportunity to combine learning, creative enrichment and action-packed adventure in the historic university towns of St Andrews, Cambridge and ...
So I can provide you with the fees, can you confirm which located you are interested in? [VISITOR GIVES LOCATION]St Andrews 2026 Session 28 Jun 2026 -19 Jul 2026Registration Fee: £500Tuition Fee: £7,400Total: £7,900 Session: 22 Jul 2026-12 Aug 2026Regis...
All enrolments require a £500 registration fee, payable securely via Flywire, credit/debit card, wire transfer, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. [PAUSE 10 SECONDS] You can pay online via the Parent Portal here - https://crm.issos.com/sign-in [PAUSE 10 SECONDS]...
This is used to gather additional information on a student, and for those who have English as a second language it means we can establish if they have chosen classes that will give them the best possible experience at ISSOS.
If we cannot confirm a place within 14 days this will be refunded to you, but at all other times the registration fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.
First check that the class is definitely offered at the campus you are applying for. If it is, but it’s still not showing on the application form it may be because that class is already full. We recommend picking your second choice and letting us know o...
Thank you for your email and interest in working with ISSOS.
Yes we do work with agents, welcoming international students.
For info, we offer fully residential summer programmes to students aged 13-18
years, in St Andrews, Cambridge and Yale Universitie...
ISSOS staff, wearing our uniform and carrying an ISSOS sign, will be at the specified airport to meet our students on opening day and will take them to the campus by bus. Our counselors will meet the students when they arrive at the campus and will help...
All of our classes are taught in English, so we do need you to be able to understand, and be understood. But you do not need to be fluent in English. We have outlined the language levels that we recommend for each class here (at ISSOS, we use the Common...
We do not allow friends or students who already know each other to share rooms. We have a very successful rooming policy that is designed to help students build new friendships with students from all over the world. Most students who come to ISSOS arriv...
If you are having problems finding a flight to suit please call our office for assistance. We can arrange for a private pick up for any students who arrive at a different airport, or out with bus departure times, but this will be at an additional cost.
Each student will be allocated a single or shared room. Students who require a single or shared room for a medical reason will be given priority when allocating rooms. More information can be found at our rooming policy page.-https://www.issos.com/summe...
Some insurance cover is included in our program fees. Please see our Visas and Insurance page for further information: https://www.issos.com/summer-school-parents/visas-insurance/
ISSOS staff will be at designated airports for each campus on opening
day. You can find full information in our Travel Guide.
Most of our classes are taught for a mixture of ages and abilities,
however our staff are well aware of age difference and may give different
homework to older students. Some classes (like English Language, Golf
and Tennis) are split by ability or level...
No, as much as we possibly can, we try to make sure that if students are
sharing a room, they are paired with someone of a different nationality
The safety of our students is our number one priority. Students are
well supervised in classes, on trips and activities, and their free time.
We specifically choose locations for our campuses that are a safe
environment for students to enjoy their summe...
We have a team of counselors dedicated to supervising and looking
after our students. Our counselors organise evening activities and
are there to help students whenever needed. Students are well
supervised and our campus towns are very safe places to sp...
Yes, we will be more than happy to get this arranged for you. OK. So I can get a member of the team to contact you to get this set up, could I take your name, email address, and telephone number? [VISITOR GIVES NAME CONTACT DETAILS] Thanks for giving m...
Yes! Students are welcome to dress in a way that makes them feel comfortable, and that includes wearing the Hijab. We're proud to welcome students from all cultures and backgrounds and aim to create an inclusive and respectful environment for everyone.
This might be possible, but I would need to get a member of the team to contact you to discuss how this could work. [CONTINUE VIA SCRIPT STEPS]
We do not offer any discounts or promotions, sorry.
There are a few reasons that students may
be sent home early, usually either for medical
reasons or for behaviour reasons. We do as
much as possible to try and allow all students
to spend the full three weeks at ISSOS, but
if they have a medical issue t...
Yes! We encourage any students who play a musical instrument to bring
it with them. We have lots of staff who are interested in music and in the
past, we have had ISSOS bands who have performed at the ISSOS Variety
Show.
Our all-inclusive fee for the three-week ISSOS experience at St Andrews, Cambridge and Yalecovers:45 hours of academic tuition36 hours of elective tuitionAccommodation (full board)Course materials and equipmentAll full and half-day cultural trips and ex...
Yes, ISSOS offers a transfer service
from designated airports.
The typical class size is 15 - 20
students.