Rugby School Summer Course, Summer Course at Rugby School

• Location: Rugby, Warwickshire, England,
• Year of foundation: 2026,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: mixed.

Rugby School Summer Courses is a summer program of one of the leading schools in England, which has been operating for about 500 years. Rugby School is known for its excellent academic performance, emphasis on preserving traditions and history, a wide range of extracurricular activities, and a campus that has largely retained its original architecture.

A short-term course organized during the summer months is open to foreign students aged 13-17. A rich curriculum offers students an immersive experience in learning English, exploring the history, traditions and customs of Great Britain, making new friends from different countries, and gaining unforgettable international education experience. Under the guidance of qualified teachers, students will effectively improve their language skills, try their hand at new extracurricular activities and feel like a British student — the school provides pupils not only with an academic plan but also comfortable accommodation, balanced meals and leisure programs.

Students can expect a balanced schedule with academic classes in the first half of the day, campus events — in the second, and excursions on weekends. Every day is different from the previous one, offering students new experiences and events.

Rugby School offers the following academic programs:

• GCSE — national exams upon completion of secondary school (Year 10–11, ages 14–16),
• A-Level — final exams of upper school (Year 12–13, ages 16–18) with in-depth specialization in three subjects, with further mathematics as a fourth subject,
• International Diploma — an upper school program based on individual curricula comprising 3 higher-level subjects, 3 standard-level subjects, and a compulsory "core": Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component.
• Summer English Language Course — a short-term program for international students aged 13–17 with flexible duration.

• A-Level results consistently exceed 60% A*–A grades and over 80% A*–B. In 2019, the school outperformed its main competitors for the third consecutive year,
• In 2024, 14 graduates received offers from Oxford and Cambridge,
• The Tatler Schools Guide 2022 described Rugby School's sporting reputation as «unrivalled»,
• The «Schools of Empire» project was named among the best events of the UK National Archives in 2021 and received the Boarding Schools Association award for «Best New Initiative in Inclusion and Diversity 2022»,
• The rowing team of one of the school's houses became the RYA national sailing champion in 2019,
• In 2020, three pupils received professional contracts with Premier League rugby clubs,
• The sports science programme reduced non-contact injuries by 45% between 2018 and 2020,
• The Chemistry department regularly wins national chemistry olympiads and the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge,
• The ISI inspection of 2022 awarded the school the highest rating for the quality of pupils' personal development — «Excellent».

• Rugby School — the birthplace of rugby: in 1823, a pupil picked up a football on the school field and ran with it, breaking the rules of football — this is precisely how rugby was born,
• The school was founded in 1567 by Lawrence Sheriff, a spice merchant to Queen Elizabeth I, as a free school for boys,
• Headmaster Thomas Arnold (1828–1842) reformed the education system: he introduced pastoral care and abandoned the principle of purely academic selection. Under him, the number of pupils grew from 260 to 360, and 23 of his assistants went on to become headmasters of other public schools,
• Pierre de Coubertin visited the school in the 1880s, inspired by Arnold's ideas. His views on organised sport were embodied in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 2009, Arnold's role in the Olympic movement was commemorated with a memorial plaque on the school wall,
• In July 2012, the Olympic Flame passed through the Rugby School campus on its way to the Olympic stadium,
• Notable alumni include: poet Rupert Brooke, writer Lewis Carroll, poet Matthew Arnold, geneticist William Bateson, racing driver Dick Seaman (winner of the 1938 German Grand Prix), actor Robert Hardy, and writer A.N. Wilson,
• In 1797, the school witnessed the «Great Rebellion»: pupils blew up the door of the headmaster's classroom, burned books, and took refuge on an island surrounded by a moat. Local police were called in to quell the uprising,
• The «Boomer» bell, weighing 3.25 tonnes and raised in July 1914, called the school to chapel daily during the First World War and continues to ring to this day,
• The Classics department still uses the old classroom of Headmaster Arnold — Upper Bench, where classics has been taught for nearly two centuries,
• All full-time teachers are provided with accommodation on the campus,
• Girls were admitted to Rugby School in 1976; today the ratio of boys to girls is approximately 50:50,
• The school has 13 boarding houses and 2 day houses with a history of over 200 years,
• The day houses Town and Southfield have been nominated for the RIBA architectural award.

During the studies, students are accommodated in Rugby School residence, typically occupying single rooms with full furnishings, access to bathrooms, kitchenettes and common leisure areas.

The summer camp cooperates with Lodestone House, which allows it to provide pupils with a varied menu of hot and cold dishes, healthy snacks and drinks. Students receive a balanced three meals a day, prepared from fresh seasonal local products.

A rich program includes a wide range of extracurricular on-campus and off-site events.

Sport occupies a central place in the leisure plan — under the guidance of qualified coaches, students try their hand at rugby or hockey. Training is planned to be comfortable and accessible to students with any skill level. The program also includes group physical education classes, dance events.

During the entire study period, students also participate in entertaining and creative activities: visual and performing arts classes, culinary evenings, quizzes. In addition to these, excursions to London, Oxford and Birmingham are organized for students with sightseeing tours, visits to restaurants and campuses of leading universities in the region.

• The opportunity to study at one of the best schools in England,
• Small study groups — up to 12 people,
• The program cost already stipulates many services, including accommodation and meals,
• Several start dates, duration options,
• A balanced schedule that includes leisure activities and excursions.

The summer program takes place in the oldest building of the school, which was the original building when Rugby School opened on this site in 1750. Students have access to most of the campus infrastructure, including lecture halls, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, art studios, and much more.

The summer program has several start dates throughout July-August, with two duration options: one or two weeks. The cost already includes a number of services:

• Accommodation in the residence,
• Three meals a day,
• Extracurricular activities on campus, several excursions on weekends,
• Administrative and registration fees,
• Elements of the school uniform: tie, emblem, polo shirt,
• Transfers to/from the airport on a scheduled date and time.

Additionally, it is necessary to pay for medical insurance and make a deposit. Upon request, a separate transfer can be arranged.

Applicants complete the registration form and provide personal documents, then take a language test to determine their current level of English proficiency. Based on the test results, students are assigned to groups and begin classes on their scheduled date.

Admission is limited by the number of available places in groups; applications are considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Upon completing the program, students will have international educational experience, a higher level of English proficiency, and an understanding of whether they would like to continue their studies in the UK.

Foreign applicants arriving must have a guardian in the UK or consent forms completed by their parents. Admission is possible from the age of 13: the school expects the candidate to meet the academic and personal level appropriate for their age.

To apply, you must provide personal documents: a foreign passport, health insurance, a visa or residence permit. There is no need to take a language exam in advance — it is included in the enrollment process.

Rugby School offers several financial support programs:

• The Lawrence Sheriff Fund — scholarships for students in need of financial assistance (subject to means-testing of the family),
• The Arnold Fund — scholarships covering 100% or more of the full boarding tuition fee. More than 185 young people have already received an education through this program. The fund's partners are educational charitable organizations in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas,
• Foundation Awards — available to applicants entering at age 13+ and 16+.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision