Immerse education - is it legit or scam??

I would be inclined to say it’s a waste of money. The prices are ridiculous - while you probably do get what they say you’ll get (ie staying in Oxford for a couple of weeks and having some academic sessions) I don’t see how that experience is worth thousands of pounds.

I suppose if that amount of money is not a problem for you then there’s no harm in it, but if you’d have to save up or it would be financially significant for your family in any way to pay for it it’s definitely not worth it. Going on a paid summer school won’t do much to improve an Oxbridge application that you couldn’t have got for free by attending public lectures or reading around your subject. And if you want to experience Oxford you can go there and most colleges let you look round for free if you say you’re a prospective applicant.

Oxford itself does offer summer schools - the big centrally organised one is UNIQ, and colleges may also organise summer schools for certain subjects or for their linked areas. The purpose of these summer schools is to widen access to Oxford so they are aimed at people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. If that’s you, most of these schools are aimed at year 12s so you might want to look into those instead. If you aren’t from a widening participation background, there isn’t much on offer, but the thinking is you don’t need that kind of experience in order to decide that Oxford is for you and to be able to apply.

Reply 4

username6485354

0

1

im thinking about joining too!

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 5

Anonymous #2

Original post by twob1549

I want to go on summer school in Oxford or Cambridge. I can't see any course offered by Oxford itself for high-schoolers (im in year 12)I came across Immerse education - it's not affiliated with Oxbridge. Is it legit tho? Or a waste of money???

I am thinking about joining it too! I am not a local and english is not my mother language. So I think this is a really great chance to explore uk and also Oxbridge. I thought Oxford Cambridge are prestigious colleges that random perso couldnt go in. But seeing Immerse offering a summer school where I could stay inside, know new people, and get knowledge in the field I'm interested by just paying! Not even an interview session! Thats why I think the price is expensive but it is worth it. Any suggestions?

Reply 6

Sorcerer's Storm

20

Avoid like the Bubonic Plague. As others have said, it's obscenely pricey (£5,995 for less than 2 weeks, that's a small fortune...) and won't give your application to Oxford any advantage whatsoever. If you want the experience of living in Oxford then just get a hotel or airbnb for 2 weeks, it'll be so much cheaper. Granted, you won't get to live in an Oxford college but you'll still see what the city is like, the vibe of living there a while and that should generally count for more than the college, where the rooms and general experience will be pretty similar in most of them.

Reply 7

SoapySoapson

4

Original post by twob1549

I want to go on summer school in Oxford or Cambridge. I can't see any course offered by Oxford itself for high-schoolers (im in year 12)I came across Immerse education - it's not affiliated with Oxbridge. Is it legit tho? Or a waste of money???

Hi! I went a couple of years ago on a 50% scholarship from the competition (I would not have been able to go otherwise because of the price) it was the best two weeks of my life, and I am still in contact with many who I met there today. Also, although it is not affiliated with the university, all of the team leaders and teachers are oxbridge students. I worried about the legitimacy too, but it was such a wonderful and well planned organisation. So I guess it depends what you are willing to spend, but definitely go for the essay competition!

Reply 8

aj_fern_

1

Original post by twob1549

I want to go on summer school in Oxford or Cambridge. I can't see any course offered by Oxford itself for high-schoolers (im in year 12)I came across Immerse education - it's not affiliated with Oxbridge. Is it legit tho? Or a waste of money???

Original post by twob1549

I want to go on summer school in Oxford or Cambridge. I can't see any course offered by Oxford itself for high-schoolers (im in year 12)I came across Immerse education - it's not affiliated with Oxbridge. Is it legit tho? Or a waste of money???

I entered the essay competition just for a bit of practice and ended up winning a 50% scholarship. That alone looks amazing on a uni application, so definitely worth entering the free competition. For me personally, I went and took that course at Oxford with immerse and it was the best experience of my life so far. It gave me a taste of uni life as well as genuinely getting some cool content. Specifically, I think it is worth it because it is a program where everyone who is there actually wants to be there and is passionate about the subject, unlike school and other summer courses. Overall, I strongly encourage you to enter the competition and just see what happens, even if you get a small scholarship at least you know have a backup essay to use as a plan for a school assignment or something. After you get your result, look into the program a bit more.

Reply 9

Original post by Sorcerer's Storm

Avoid like the Bubonic Plague. As others have said, it's obscenely pricey (£5,995 for less than 2 weeks, that's a small fortune...) and won't give your application to Oxford any advantage whatsoever. If you want the experience of living in Oxford then just get a hotel or airbnb for 2 weeks, it'll be so much cheaper. Granted, you won't get to live in an Oxford college but you'll still see what the city is like, the vibe of living there a while and that should generally count for more than the college, where the rooms and general experience will be pretty similar in most of them.

You can rent a room in a college via Air BnB .

I agree with those who say run a mile from these rip off summer schools.

Reply 10

Original post by tonia-g

Hi!! I can confirm that it’s legit and one of the best experiences I have ever done. The course includes accommodation, morning and dinner paid meals, various day trips to London and combridge, formal dinners, activities and so much more. Definitely recommend and if you have any other questions, please ask. It is expensive but only because of everything it offers and it comes along with a scholarship essay competition that gives you a discount depending on how far your essay goes.

All of that can be obtained for a lot less than six thousand quid, even a trip to "combridge". Hey, a year's tuition at Oxford is only three thousand quid more. You've been had.

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 11

elilast

The only positive comments are from accounts that only have posts praising Immerse Education… seems dubious…

Reply 12

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by elilast

The only positive comments are from accounts that only have posts praising Immerse Education… seems dubious…

Yep, looks like advertising.

Reply 13

melancollege

18

Speaking from a Cambridge student at a college which hosts the Immerse summer schools, they are just there to make money. They have absolutely no affiliation with either Oxford or Cambridge and just rent out our rooms. They do not provide any real benefit regarding admissions and their scholarship program is widely understood to be a tactic to make it seem more prestigious - the reason that their scholarships seem generous is because the prices are deliberately inflated to account for them so parents and students think they're getting a better deal.

Sure, you may enjoy yourself as you would on any holiday that costs that much but they are definitely not worth it.

Reply 14

elilast

Original post by yk_ykl

It is quite expensive depending on the course you decide however, it is a fantastic experience and you also get an opportunity to expand you social circle and learn a completely different thing in life. So yeah it is worth it...If you need assistance or guidance, kindly reach out to me.

Hi, since this is your only post, can you tell us a bit more about yourself so we know that you aren’t just Immerse Education creating an account to write themselves a good review? Eg what you are studying, from which country, why did you join TSR etc?

Reply 15

Original post by elilast

The only positive comments are from accounts that only have posts praising Immerse Education… seems dubious…

All bar one of the positive commenters looks like a bot or sock puppet shilling for the business which runs these rip-off summer schools.

(edited 6 months ago)

Reply 16

The Mods have now sensibly removed the comments posted by bots/sock puppets.

Reply 17

Original post by Renata di Maggio

Hi! As a student that chose Immerse Education for two summers in a row I can confidently say to you that it won’t be a waste of money. Even though it is not directly connected with the Oxbridge websites it’s an experience that is set in the buildings of these two universities. You will have a thrilling experience in Oxford or Cambridge, and you will feel like an authentic undergraduate. There are a lot of courses available for high schoolers: from more scientific to humanistic subjects. At the end of the classes you will feel empowered and confident about the topics and skill that were discussed in during the lessons.

Hello, bot!

Reply 18

elilast

Original post by Aisha.immerse

As an alumni of Immerse Education, I can say it's a legit program that offers a great experience. Even though it's not officially connected to Oxford or Cambridge, the courses are well-designed, and you get a real feel of university life.
If you choose a program at Oxford, you actually study on the university campus, and your certificate will show that you studied there, which is great proof of your experience.
I also did a summer program at the University of Sydney, and it was worth the money. The experience was fun and memorable, and you get a certificate at the end. Plus, you'll learn a lot about the subject you're studying.
I definitely recommend these programs to other students. They’re not just about learning; they’re also about growing personally and making great memories.

Reported as seems like more spam from Immerse. Makes me think even worse of them tbh.

OP, what do you do now? Are you a uni student?

Reply 19