HOW TO APPLY

The Seminar's experience over the years suggests that its applicants are remarkably self-selecting. Students who apply to the Seminar tend to be serious about their academic work, eager and mature enough to focus on their studies during the summer, and adventurous enough to travel and seek new experiences. The majority of students who attend the Seminar are currently enrolled undergraduates at colleges and universities around the United States, but current enrollment is not a requirement for admission. Older students and international students who are proficient in English are also encouraged to apply. Graduate students may also join the Seminar and they should contact the Seminar Director for more information.

A complete application should include all the following items. Please collect all the needed materials and submit them in one packet to the Oxford Summer Seminar's Director at the address listed below. Late applications will be considered on a space available basis.

A completed application form that clearly indicates course preferences.
An official transcript of all college courses completed during the past two years.
A letter of recommendation, preferably but not necessarily, from an academic person in the discipline an applicant wishes to study. Confidential letters are not required, but, if the letter is confidential, it should be either in a sealed, signed envelope in the packet the applicant submits or sent directly to the program from the recommender.
If applying before May, 2009, a deposit of $200 (check or money order) made out to the University of Massachusetts. Applicants who apply after May 1 must include a deposit of $1000. If accepted, the deposit is credited toward the student's Program Fee. These deposits will be refunded if an application is rejected or if an applicant withdraws prior to February 1, 2009. If an applicant withdraws after February 1, the deposit is not refundable
A two-page essay on one of the following subjects:

What my passport photo doesn’t reveal about me
The things I learned the first time I traveled to another country, another state, or another city
My imaginary country

Students interested in applying for a scholarship should provide a brief statement, about one page in length, describing their academic careers to date, the goals for their educations and a description of how participation in the Oxford Summer Seminar will help them achieve these goals.

With the exception of the recommendation letter, all application materials should be in one packet submitted to:

Jenny Adams

Associate Professor, Director Oxford Summer Seminar
Department of English
130 Hicks Way
University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003

Phone: (413) 545-1914
Fax: (413) 545-3880
E-mail: oxford@english.umass.edu

The review of applications will begin on February 1, 2009. Only 50 candidates can be accepted, and acceptances will be based primarily upon the academic profiles of the applicants: college courses completed to date, grades received in courses related to the subjects an applicant wishes to study at Oxford, letters of recommendation, and applicants' personal statements of interests. A waiting list will be established to fill any vacancies caused by withdrawals, should any occur.

Once accepted, students must sign a "Conditions of Membership" form that constitutes a contract between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the student. Students cannot be enrolled in any Seminar courses until this form is signed and returned.

The university will issue final bills for the Seminar in mid-May. Applicants must pay this bill by June 1 or make arrangements with the university's International Programs Office for an installment payment plan. Students cannot be assigned rooms at Trinity College until their bills are settled. Students who opt for an installment plan should know that grades and academic credits earned at the Seminar will be withheld until their full bill is settled.

Statement of Non-discrimination

The Oxford Summer Seminar complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, subject to the capacity of Trinity College, the host institution, to accommodate students with physical disabilities. As a University of Massachusetts program, discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, political belief or affiliation, or veteran status is prohibited in any aspect of the admission of students.

Although it has never proved necessary, the Seminar reserves the right to expel a student whose conduct is grossly incompatible with the Seminar's tradition of academic honesty and civil, considerate behavior.

Application Form:

Oxford Summer Seminar, July 4-August 14, 2009

Download the application, print it, and send it to the above address along with Part B

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF APPLICATION FORM

Because we often received questions on various parts of the application, we have included some further information below.

Essay

Please choose one of the topics above for your essay. This essay should be typed, double-spaced, and roughly two pages long. We encourage you to be as creative as you want you’re your statement. At the same time, we are hoping that you will use your topic to give us a sense of yourself and your goals for traveling abroad.

Course Preferences

Please consult the Major Courses (Category A) listed in Courses and Credits and list in order of preference three of those courses you would be interested in taking. Also list three Optional Courses (Category B) in order of preference that you may wish to elect as your second course. One Major Course is required for all Seminar participants; all other courses are optional. Once you have been notified of your course enrollments, no changes will be made without consulting you. No changes in course selections can be made after May 1.