Balliol offers sustained contact programmes for Year 12 students from the UK who have different interests. The Floreat Programme is designed for students who aspire to study a Humanities Degree. Frontier is for those interested in Life Sciences. Fibonacci focusses on Mathematics and related fields. All of these programmes are designed to academically challenge those interested in applying to competitive universities.
On Wednesday 18th October 2023, we will be hosting an online information evening about these three programmes, starting in 2024. This is a chance to find out more information, and ask questions both of the staff running the programme, as well as participants from previous years.
If you are interested in attending this information evening, please use this link.
Balliol College Floreat Access Programme
Floreat is a year-long academic programme offered to Year 12 students from UK state schools. Applications from students in the London borough of Brent, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and the East of England are prioritised along with service children from anywhere in the country, however students from other regions are welcome to apply. The Floreat programme offers the opportunity to engage with Oxford-style humanities teaching, and it is offered to students free of charge. The bulk of the academic content is delivered through a series of virtual academic seminars, led by Oxford University representatives and hosted after school hours. The programme also includes a residential summer school in Oxford during which students take part in a tutorial.
This opportunity suits academically able students who are interested in studying an arts/humanities programme at Oxbridge and who are keen to engage with academic ideas outside their school curriculum, ahead of applying to university the following year.
Taught sessions begin in Spring Term and end shortly after Easter. Students will have work to complete prior to attending the residential in August, during which they will receive support with the application process. Participants need to commit to attending all the seminars and the residential.
‘In all likelihood, I would not have applied to Oxford, let alone Balliol, had I not taken part in the Floreat access scheme. The programme allowed me to meet similar people from local schools, helping me to grow in confidence both academically and socially, and helped me to realise that applying to Oxford would be the best thing I could possibly do to pursue my love of History.’ — Gregory Brinkworth came to Balliol in 2016 to read for a BA History and graduated with a first class honours degree.
‘Collaborating with like-minded individuals has developed both my understanding of topics and confidence in expressing my ideas.’ Alex, 2021
Balliol College Frontier Access Programme
Frontier is our science-based sustained contact programme which is open to Year 12 students who attend UK state schools. Applications from students in the London borough of Brent, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and the East of England are prioritised along with service children from anywhere in the country, however students from other regions are welcome to apply. Frontier consists of a series of virtual academic seminars, for which students will have to prepare, beginning in Spring Term 2024 followed by a residential in August 2024.
This opportunity suits academically able students who are interested in studying a science programme at Oxbridge and who are keen to engage with academic ideas outside their school curriculum, ahead of applying to university the following year. Students explore topics with input from a range of science subjects.
Balliol College Fibonacci Access Programme
Fibonacci (previously called Monday Maths) is a programme for students who aspire to study maths or a heavily maths-focused course at Oxbridge or another highly competitive university. It is open to UK state school students who are in year 12 and are studying Maths A Level (Further Maths is helpful but it is not a requirement). Students should be aspiring to achieve an A* at Maths A Level. Students will take part in eight 2‑hour online sessions beginning in the Spring Term for which they will have to prepare. Therefore they need to be able to set aside up to four hours per week to accommodate this programme. The programme also includes a residential summer school in Oxford during which students take part in a mathematics tutorial. The Programme also offers support pre- and post university application.
Applications from those in our link regions of the London borough of Brent, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk and from service children anywhere in the country will be prioritised; however, students from other areas of the country are welcome to apply.
Floreat, Frontier & Fibonacci 2024
On Wednesday 18th October 2023, we will be hosting an online information evening about these three programmes. This is a chance to find out more information, as well as ask questions both of the staff running the programme, and some participants from previous years.
If you are interested in attending this information evening, please use this link.