The Program Fee for the Oxford Summer Seminar 2013 is $7,000. It covers the following items:
Tuition
The Program Fee includes tuition for the required four-credit, six-week Major Course (Category A), an optional three-credit, four-week Optional Course (Category B), and the one-credit, pass/fail Seminar Colloquium. Room All accommodations are in Trinity College, Oxford University, and these may be either modern single rooms or traditional shared suites. While student preferences will be consulted when assigning rooms, the Seminar cannot guarantee that it can provide an applicant's first choice in rooms..
Board
The meal plan includes breakfast seven days a week and dinner on Sunday through Thursday evenings. On Fridays and Saturdays, breakfast is the only meal included. Morning coffee and afternoon tea are also served each weekday in college. For those who remain in college on weekends, Oxford offers a wide variety of inexpensive pubs and restaurants in which to eat and many shops where prepared food can be obtained at reasonable cost. The board plan includes two banquets, one at the beginning and one towards the end of the Seminar, and four formal dinners. The closing banquet is usually preceded by a garden reception and followed by entertainment and dancing in the Beer Cellar.
Lectures
The Seminar sponsors a series of Tuesday evening lectures in which literary critics, historians, and artists are featured. The lectures are preceded by a reception and followed by a formal dinner. Other less formal talks, readings, a film series, and discussions may also be scheduled during the Seminar.
Field trips
The Program Fee includes subsidies for several field trips. In 2012, field trips were organized to the British Museum, the Roman Baths in the city of Bath, Blenheim Palace, Stonehenge, and Salisbury. Participants on the field trips are usually asked to make a small contribution to travel costs (train or bus).
Other Expenses
Travel expenses to and from Oxford are not included in the Program Fee. Evening meals on Friday and Saturday and all lunches are also not included in the Program Fee. Students from Summer 2012 were asked how much they spent in pocket money during the Seminar. The average response was between $100 and $200 per week.
Oxford Summer Seminar Scholarships
At present, some Seminar scholarship assistance is available, principally to University of Massachusetts Amherst students. For the Summer Seminar 2012, more than $20,000 was available. The median award was $1000, and the maximum award was $2500.
Most scholarship funds are awarded to UMass Amherst students enrolled in specific departments or colleges at UMass Amherst, including the English Department, the History Department, and the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. These merit scholarships are awarded to the applicants from the departments or colleges that sponsor the scholarships who present the strongest academic profile (transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statements). Students who wish to be considered for scholarship assistance should complete the scholarship application essay on the online application in which they describe their academic careers to date and how the Oxford Summer Seminar will assist them in achieving their academic goals.
Students enrolled in Commonwealth Honors College are required to apply for that College's scholarship program separately. Visit Commonwealth Honors College website for information and an application form.
Students at other colleges and universities may apply for scholarships from the Seminar, but they should also check with their home institution. Smith College students, for example, are eligible to use their Praxis money to fund the Seminar, if they do an internship at home earlier in the summer.
Scholarship awards will be announced by the end of March.
Financial Aid for UMass Amherst students
UMass students eligible for financial aid during the academic year may be able to access some of their aid package for summer study. Students should make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office to discuss their aid situation.
Financial Aid for Non-UMass students
Non-UMass Amherst students must contact the financial aid office at their home institution to discuss their eligibility for summer financial aid. Students at Smith College may apply for an International Experience Grant to fund participation and should inquire with Student Financial Services about financial aid.
