With the Christmas break fast approaching, The Seren Network is delighted to announce an early surprise for 2019.
Next summer, Seren students who are currently in year 12 will have the choice of three fully funded summer schools to attend at some of the most elite institutions in the world.
These include:
- The Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) Program – at Yale University
- The Harvard Summer School Pre-College Program – at Harvard University (NEW!)
- The Seren Summer School – at Jesus College, Oxford University
These fantastic opportunities will be fully-funded* and as such, places are limited.
The Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) Programme – at Yale University – read FAQs here.
What is it?
A two-week summer programme held at the Yale University Campus in New Haven, Connecticut with the option of also choosing a place at the Yale Centre in Beijing, China.
Students can choose between nine academic streams covering a range of topics such as; applied science & engineering, international affairs & globalization and biological & biomedical science.
Students then choose seminars and activities once they have been accepted into a stream.
Around 1,700 students attend the summer school from across the world.
When does it take place?
There are three cohorts over the summer. These are:
- June 16-29
- July 7-20
- July 28-August 10
How many funded* spaces are available?
There are up to 30 funded* spaces available.
What is the application process?
Remember: Don’t start your application yet as we’ve not published the full details of the Welsh Government funding and funding provided from Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS).
The application consists of administration and registration steps, supplying examples of your work and grades, teacher recommendations, questions about your interests as well as a section on essays. These are: 1 x 500-word essay, 2 x 200-word essays.
Here’s a sample application for reference. https://globalscholars.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/2019%20YYGS%20Application%20-%20SAMPLE.pdf
You can find out more here: https://globalscholars.yale.edu/admissions
In January, we will also be hosting Facebook Live Q&A sessions with Yale Alumni Schools Committee member, Liam Rahman, who will help guide you through your application.
When is the deadline for applications?
The deadline is 7th February 2019 at 04:59 AM GMT (6th February 2019 at 23:59 EST)
Applicants will be notified electronically of admissions decisions by late March or early April.
What’s it like?
Earlier this year, 16 Seren students attended the YYGS programme.
You can watch a video about their experience here:
You can also read several blogs about the students’ experiences:
- We take a look back at the first two weeks of the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme…
- My experience at the Yale Young Global Scholars program (YYGS)
- Meet Joseph, whose love of engineering encouraged him to apply to the Yale summer school
- We hear from Cassie, Tom, Carys, Joe and Yousuf all about their first week at Yale University…
- Meet Yousuf, whose dream is to set up his own tech company in Silicon Valley. He’s one of the first cohort on the Yale summer school
- Meet Carys: the Welsh athlete who is one of the first cohort on the Yale summer school
The Harvard Summer School Pre-College Program – at Harvard University – read FAQs here
What is it?
This is a brand-new opportunity for Seren students to take part in.
Following the success of Seren’s Yale partnership established this year, we’re pleased to announce another US programme for Seren students in summer 2019.
It’s a two-week academic course which covers a semester’s worth of work in two weeks. All sessions are taught by Harvard affiliated staff and around 1,600 students from across the globe attend each year.
Students are expected to attend seminars and workshops around their chosen subject – there are more than 104 to choose from this year including creative writing, legal studies and anthropology & archaeology.
There are also compulsory ‘college life’ modules to attend which include trips outside of campus, including the chance to see the world famous Red Sox in their home stadium in Boston.
When does it take place?
Like Yale, this summer school takes place across three cohorts.
These are:
- June 23–July 5
- July 7–July 19
- July 21–August 2
How many funded spaces are available?
There are up to 5 funded* spaces available.
What is the application process?
Remember: Don’t start your application yet as we’ve not published the full details of the Welsh Government funding.
The application process consists of administration and registration steps, supplying examples of your work and grades, questions about your interests, teacher recommendations and a section on short essays.
You can find out more here: https://www.summer.harvard.edu/high-school-programs/pre-college-program
In January, we will also be hosting Facebook Live Q&A sessions with Liam Rahman, who will help guide you through your application.
When is the deadline for applications?
The deadline is 1st February, 17:00 GMT – to be considered for funding support, you must apply by the Early application deadline
What’s it like?
As this is a totally new opportunity for Seren students, we don’t have any Seren testimonials but you can check out the Harvard website for more information.
This includes most commonly asked questions (please ignore all funding related questions here as Seren scholarship information will be provided separately in January)
You might also want to watch some YouTube video diaries of former Harvard students:
The Seren Summer School – at Jesus College, Oxford University
What is it?
The Seren Summer School is a unique collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Welsh Government’s Seren Network.
You’ll get the chance to live and work with Oxford academics and students for a week in the late summer.
The 2019 programme is around the theme of Earth’s Future and will feature a number of lectures, seminars and unique tutorial sessions to help coach students through an essay piece to be handed in during the summer school.
Topics will include; inter-planetary colonisation, climate, biodiversity and habitat change and world order in the age of Trump and Putin.
When does it take place?
It takes place 19th – 23rd August 2019
How many funded spaces are available?
There are up to 75 funded spaces available.
What is the application process?
Students will need to submit their personal information along with an admissions essay to be decided nearer the application opening time.
When is the deadline for applications?
Applications aren’t open yet, but we’ll be announcing their opening in May/June 2019.
What’s it like?
This summer school has been running for two years now and you can watch a video summarising it here:
You can also read a selection of blogs about it here:
- Dr Tomos Brodie from Jesus College Oxford
- Seren students at Jesus College
- Julie Elliott: My first day at the Jesus College summer school
- “I’m so glad that I decided to just go for it, because Oxford has so much to offer”: Why you should apply for the Jesus College summer school for Seren students
- Elin Roberts: My Seren summer school experience
We’ll be back in early 2019 with more details, Live Q&A sessions and FAQ blogs to answer all your questions about these three amazing opportunities.
In the meantime, we wish you a Merry Christmas / Nadolig Llawen from the Seren team!
*Payment for the courses will be covered by The Seren Network via the Welsh Government. Flights and transfers will be funded through private sponsorship which has not yet been fully confirmed, as was the case for Seren students who took part in the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) programme in 2018.
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