Somerville College, Oxford offers an annual series of four virtual Study Days for Year 12 students attending a UK state school.
Prospective students and their families look around Somerville College
These days feature taster lectures or workshops run by Oxford University academics, which will offer a challenging and entertaining introduction to university-level study of the subject.
There will also be opportunities to hear advice from admissions and outreach staff about applying to Oxford and Cambridge, and to ask the college tutors and current undergraduates questions about their subject of interest.
The virtual Modern Languages Study Day will take place on Wednesday 18th February and the daily timetable for the day is as follows:
15:00-15:50: Admissions talk with Q&A 16:00-17:00: Academic taster session (attendees have a choice between 2 different subjects per day) 17:00-17:30: Subject Q&A with Academic and Student Ambassadors
The sessions are open to all Year 12 students at a UK state school who are considering a degree involving modern languages of any kind, whether that be French or another language.
For those still deciding what to apply for, we encourage you to attend in order to learn more about Modern Languages and what it might be like to study them at Oxford.
These sessions would also count as great examples of supercurricular activities, and might give you ideas about topics or further reading to include in the personal statement.
On Saturday 7th March 2026, the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages will be holding its annual Beginners’ Languages TasterDay, an event dedicated to our beginners’ languages courses. This event offers students from UK secondary schools in Year 12 or equivalent an opportunity to gain greater insight into studying a language from scratch at Oxford. Students in Year 11 who are starting to consider their options for university are also welcome to attend.
Our beginners’ languages degree courses offer an exciting and rare opportunity for undergraduates to study a new language from scratch and engage with new cultures along the way, or to pick up languages they learned up to GCSE but could not continue at school. The courses are challenging yet rewarding, with many designed to bring students up to A-level standard within the first year.
The Taster Day will take place in the University’s brand-new Humanities building, the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. After an information and Q&A session in the morning, students will have the chance to attend taster sessions in two of our beginners’ languages. There will also be a Q&A session for companions in the afternoon which offers parents/guardians/teachers the chance to ask a panel of academics, undergraduates, and Faculty staff questions about supporting their children/students through applying to and studying at Oxford.
Modern Languages Open Day 2022 photo (c) John Cairns
The following languages will be represented at the Taster Day, with academics and current undergraduates present to provide further information about the course(s) and to answer students’ questions:
German
Portuguese
Italian
Russian
Czech (with Slovak)
Modern Greek
Polish
The provisional event programme for 2026 can be found here.
To register for the Taster Day, students should fill out this form by 12 noon on Friday 13th February so we know who to expect at the event. Please note that spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and the form will close once our maximum capacity has been reached.
We are also pleased to be able to help students who are in need of additional financial support with reasonable expenses such as travelling to and from Oxford for the event. There is a space to include this information in the registration form.
Studying a language from scratch at Oxford
Our beginners’ languages courses offer an exciting and rare opportunity for students to engage with a new language and culture for the first time, or to pick up languages they studied at GCSE. The courses are challenging yet rewarding, with many designed to bring students up to A-level standard within the first year. Therefore, we would love to welcome students who are strong linguists and/or who are looking for a new challenge at University to this event.
As well as alongside a post-A-level language, most of our beginners’ languages can be studied in conjunction with subjects from the Humanities such as English, History, Linguistics, or Philosophy, for which applicants do not need to be studying a language to A-level or equivalent. With this in mind, we would also welcome students of Humanities subjects who are interested in picking up a language at University.
For further inspiration and information, below are some links to content from our tutors and undergraduates about why taking a language from scratch is so worthwhile:
Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a wonderful time and enjoyed the festivities over the Christmas holidays.
A new year brings new opportunities to explore your options of studying Modern Languages at Oxford.
For example, on 21 February 2026, Exeter College is running an inspiring, immersive day dedicated to all things Modern Languages for Year 11 and 12 students.
The Radcliffe Camera from Exeter College
Whether you’re passionate about French, Spanish, Italian, German, or simply curious about studying languages at university level, this is your chance to experience Oxford up close.
In the morning, you’ll explore the historic Turl Street site and gain a clear, insider’s view of the admissions process and what studying languages at Oxford is really like.
Across two afternoon sessions, you’ll take part in small‑group workshops led by Oxford tutors in French, Spanish, Italian, or German. Choose your languages, explore real academic material, and experience Oxford’s teaching style first-hand.
Subject Days are often oversubscribed and selection is based on academic merit and contextual factors. We warmly encourage applications from students who identify with any of the following criteria.
Students on Free School Meals.
Students from IMD Q1 and Q2 (*check your postcode at the link below)
Students who have been or are currently in care.
Please provide as many details about yourself to aid the shortlisting process.
The programme will be free of charge, lunch will be provided, and travel bursaries are available.
Will UNIQ help you shape your future? Apply now and find out!
What is UNIQ?
UNIQ is Oxford’s free access programme for UK state school students. Featuring a sustained contact programme and in-person summer residential, you’ll be taught by Oxford academics and explore subjects aligned with your academic interests. The programme encourages you to make friends with other UNIQ participants: you’ll meet them at regional events and live alongside them during the Oxford residential, where current undergraduates will also be supporting you and on hand to answer your questions about student life at Oxford. We’ll also support you to make a strong university application to a course at Oxford or elsewhere.
What Modern Languages courses are available?
For Modern Languages, there will be courses available for Spanish, French, and German taking place over the summer of 2026. Each varied course allows students to explore several exciting elements of degree-level language studies, such as language, literature, theatre, film, and linguistics, and provides the opportunity to experience a taster of two other European languages at beginners’ level.
How can I apply?
Applying is quick and simple – just register and fill out the form on the UNIQ website. It shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes. Before you apply you should check that you meet our eligibility requirements and browse carefully the 30+ courses on offer to decide on your first and second choice.
Applications close on 13 January 2026. You can find out more about the programme and selection criteria on the UNIQ website (www.uniq.ox.ac.uk) and by following us on Instagram (@OxfordUNIQ). If you have any queries about the applications process, check out our FAQs or contact us at uniq@admin.ox.ac.uk.
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We’ll be back in January 2026 with more blog posts. In the meantime, we wish you a restful and peaceful festive period and a Happy New Year!
It’s not too late to register your place at our Modern Languages Open Day at the beautiful Examination Schools (75 – 81 High St, Oxford) on Saturday 17th May!
Modern Languages Open Day 2022 photo (c) John Cairns
This event is a fantastic opportunity for students who are interested in learning more about our language courses, or who are still considering their options, as all of our languages will be represented at this Open Day:
French
German*
Spanish
Italian*
Russian*
Portuguese*
Modern Greek*
Czech with Slovak*
Polish*.
*All of these languages can be studied here at Oxford from beginners’ level.
Most of our Joint School degree combinations – languages with English, History, Philosophy etc. – will also be represented at the event.
Modern Languages Open Day 2022 photo (c) John Cairns
Our Modern Languages Open Day is aimed primarily at Year 12 students and their parents/guardians/teachers, but Year 11 students who are starting to think about university study are equally welcome to attend.
Modern Languages Open Day 2022 photo (c) John Cairns
The Open Day will offer an overview of our Modern Languages courses and a general Q&A for prospective students in the morning*, with individual language sessions and a Q&A session for parents’/guardians’/teachers in the afternoon. Tutors and current students from the Faculty will be available throughout the day to answer questions from prospective applicants and their companions.
*Please note that, due to restricted places, only one parent/guardian/teacher may accompany each student for the morning session.
Keble College is running online sessions to provide information and guidance on aspects of the Oxford admissions process during the summer term. These offer opportunities to receive up-to-date advice and guidance on applying to Oxford, and have questions answered by University staff. All sessions are open to Year 12 (or equivalent) currently attending a UK state school or college, and/or those supporting a prospective student in this category.
Keble College and the Beecroft Building from University Parks
Please see the tables below for this year’s webinar schedule for prospective students and those supporting them.
Admissions Webinar Schedule: Summer 2025
Webinars for prospective students Please note: sessions with the same title are duplicates
The Faculties of History and Medieval and Modern Languages along with St Hilda’s College, Oxford are delighted to be offering a Study Day dedicated to Year 12 state school students looking to study History and a Modern Language at University/Oxford!
This event will take place on Thursday 29th May at St Hilda’s College.
People punting on the River Cherwell, St Hilda’s College
The Study Day will offer students the chance to:
experience academic taster sessions in both History and a Modern Language (that they are studying at A-level or in a brand-new language that they might wish to take from scratch* alongside History);
meet and ask questions to current History and Modern Languages students;
hear about the History and Modern Languages course and admissions process;
meet other students who are interested in studying History and a Modern Language at University/Oxford;
visit an Oxford college and learn more about Oxford’s collegiate structure.
Please note, students do not need to be studying History or a Modern Language at A-level in order to attend the event but must have a serious interest in studying the two subjects as a joint degree at University in order to apply.
There is no cost for attending the Study Day and participants will receive a free lunch at the college. We are committed to ensuring that students are not prevented from attending this event due to costs. Therefore, we are pleased to be able to offer financial support to students for reasonable travel expenses to and from Oxford for the Study Day.
Students who are interested in taking part can apply via this form by Sunday 27th April.
In the case of oversubscription to the event, priority will be given to applicants who are currently under-represented in higher education. More information about this and the University’s commitment to increasing access can be found here.
* Our beginners’ languages courses offer an exciting and rare opportunity for students to engage with a new language and culture for the first time, or to pick up a language they studied at GCSE. The courses are challenging yet rewarding, with many designed to bring students up to A-level standard within the first year.
Balliol College is running a series of free ‘Try Before You Buy’ Days over the course of May and June 2025.
These are an opportunity to experience a taste of Oxford undergraduate teaching, with participants taking part in a tutorial having completed and submitted work prior to the event. Students will also take part in an admissions session and college tour with undergraduates. A free lunch will also be provided in the Balliol Dining Hall.
Balliol College, Oxford
The Days are aimed towards prospective applicants of a variety of subjects, but in terms of languages, are open to Year 12 students hoping to apply for degrees with French (starting in 2026). Under-represented groups will be prioritised for this event.
These events are in great demand so applicants must ensure that they are able to attend and can complete the work and return it by the deadline which is usually a week before the event.
More information about the days can be found here and students can register for the sessions at the links below:
Applications are now open for Wadham College‘s annual five-day Modern Languages Summer School. The residential will take place at the college, based in the centre of Oxford, from 18th to 22nd August 2025.
Summer schools are designed to give UK pupils studying in Year 12 a taste of what it’s like to be an undergraduate studying at the University of Oxford. Pupils will take part in an academic programme, live in College, meet student ambassadors studying at Oxford, and receive information, advice and guidance on applying to university. Wadham’s Summer Schools are free and the college will provide financial support to pupils to cover their travel costs.
Wadham are delighted to be able to run these events in-person allowing participants the best experience of life at the university. The feedback from last year’s Summer Schools was hugely positive with over a third of participants subsequently securing offers to study at the university.
“After the summer school I am much more confident that I would fit in at Oxford and feel like I am more ready to move away from home”
– Summer School participant, 2022
For Modern Languages more specifically, pupils will engage in a seminar series led by Wadham’s language tutors, including language classes in their selected language of study (French, German or Spanish) with opportunities to try other languages as beginners (including German, Portuguese and Russian). Students will complete an assignment on a main topic with feedback from tutors. Pupils will also be able to receive support from current undergraduates and from the College on making successful applications to top universities.
A Summer School French class
For more information and to apply, click here: Wadham College Summer Schools. Pupils should be studying French, German or Spanish at A-level or equivalent to apply. Applications close on 5th May.
Balliol College, Oxford is delighted to be running a Modern Languages Taster Day on Tuesday 27th May 2025, 10.15 – 15.45!
Academic Taster Days are a great opportunity for students in Year 12 to spend a day exploring a subject they enjoy and might pursue at University, meet with some current students, experience a taste of academic teaching, and enjoy lunch in the dining hall.
Balliol College
This specific event is designed for Year 12 UK state school students who are currently studying a Language A-Level or equivalent, and who intend to apply to study French, Italian or Spanish, or Modern Languages and Linguistics as a single honours (on its own) or a joint-honours (with another language/subject) degree at Oxford University. Balliol will prioritise applications from disadvantaged students and from groups which are under-represented at the university. This event will include academic sessions, admissions information, and a demonstration interview. You will have the opportunity to speak to tutors and current undergraduates.
Before submitting an application, please ensure you can attend the day in its entirety. For many schools this event will fall in the half term holiday. The event will be held in person at Balliol College in Oxford.
You can apply here. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 6 May 2025.
Please contact outreach@balliol.ox.ac.uk with any questions.
A blog for school students and teachers and anyone else with an interest in Modern Languages and Cultures, written by the staff and students of Oxford University. Updated every Wednesday!
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