Summer residentials

To be considered for a place, students should be in Year 10 or Year 12 and meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

1. You are eligible for Free School Meals
2. Have a UK postcode from a low progression area
3. Your parents have not been to university
4. You are currently, or have been, in care
5. You are from a Black, Asian, or minority ethnicity
6. You have a disability or special educational need

If you don’t meet any of our eligibility criteria, you may still be able to attend a summer residential elsewhere. To find out what other universities have on offer, visit unitasterdays.com

Applications for the Summer Residentials open on Monday 23 February 2026, 08:00, and close on Sunday 26 April 2026, 23:00.

You will be able to fill out a short application form with your details and explain why you would like to come.

If you are in Year 12, you will also need to choose the subject strand you would like to do.

Please note that only complete applications will be accepted.

We aim to inform all students if they have been accepted four weeks after the application closing date of Sunday 26 April 2026.

Tell us as soon as possible by emailing [email protected]. This is particularly important if you are no longer able to attend so we can offer your place to another student on the waiting list.

Both residentials are free to attend. This includes your accommodation, meals, snacks, subject tasters and any activities during your time with us. The only thing you will need to pay for is your transportation to and from our Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester.

Students in Year 12 can bring their own money with them if they wish to purchase additional items from our Refectory, but please note that Refectory payments are card only, as are most of the vending machines on campus.

Yes. A bursary of up to £50 is available upon request to reimburse any public travel costs you have in getting to and from the Residential.

Please keep any receipts for trains, buses, taxis etc, as these will need to be seen by us before payments can be authorised.

If you are being driven to the residential, we can pay up to 20p per mile in fuel costs and will need the postcode you drove from and returned to.

Bank details, including account name, number, and sort code for the bank account the money should be paid into should be given to us on the first day of the Residential during sign in.

On the first day, you will need to check in at our Oxstalls Campus, Gloucester GL2 9HW. This will be the main base for both Residentials and will also be where students will sleep.

Students will have the opportunity to visit our other campuses including Francis Close Hall (GL50 4AZ) and Park Campus (GL50 2RH) if they are taking part in subject sessions there.

Transport between campuses is by coach, is organised by us, and is free. View the campuses in more detail.

Students are expected to remain on campus at all times, unless otherwise agreed prior to the residential with the Outreach Campus Leads.

You will be staying in our student accommodation on Oxstalls Campus. Our current students will have moved out for summer holidays during this time, so you’ll only be sharing with others on the residential.

You will have your own room, en-suite shower and toilet and will be in a flat with up to 8 other students attending the residential. A student ambassador will also be assigned to each flat and have their own room on that floor.

All of our ambassadors on the residential will be DBS certified. Accommodation options include single-gender and mixed-gender flats, if you have a preference for single-gender accommodation or any other requests then please let us know on the application form.

Bedding will not be supplied, view our kit list to see what you will need to bring.

During the residential, you’ll experience life as a university student. You’ll take part in interactive academic sessions led by our lecturers, explore different subject areas, and work on group activities and projects.

There’s also plenty of time for social events, campus tours, and meeting new people. It’s a great opportunity to build confidence, learn new skills, and get a real feel for university life.

Year 12 Residential

Students will be part of a project team for the duration of the Residential and take part in interactive tasters that allow them to develop relevant skills to support the creation of a final product. This year, the project teams are:

• In the Credits (Creative Arts focus)
• Business SOS (Business and Marketing focus)
• Rescue to Recovery (Health and Social Care focus)

In addition to taster sessions, students will take part in general university talks and social activities, including movie nights, quizzes and bowling.

View full kit list.

Please note that you are responsible for any valuables you bring with you and the University takes no responsibility for items that are lost, damaged, or stolen during your time with us.

Let us know on your application form if you have any dietary requirements so we can inform our onsite catering company Gather & Gather in advance.

This may include being pescatarian, vegetarian, or vegan, gluten intolerant or Coeliac, having specific food allergies, or needing Halal or Kosher food.

Additionally, if you have particular anxieties around food or mealtimes and are happy to disclose this information on your application form, we can make sure these circumstances are taken into account.

We have lots of quiet spaces on campus if you need some time by yourself or away from a louder environment. We are more than happy to have individual conversations with students, parents, or carers before the residential regarding anything we can put in place to support you.

Yes. All of our campuses are accessible, and we try to make all of our activities during the residential as inclusive as possible. We also have accessible accommodation for you to stay in during your time with us.

If you have concerns about something or there are circumstances you would like to explain to us before the residential, we would be more than happy to book a call with you or your parent/carer to discuss how we can best support you during your stay.

We will be running a pre-event information session, which parents, carers, guardians and teachers can attend. This event aims to answer any outstanding questions, and address any concerns you may have about the event before attending.

Dates for these sessions will be shared with those attending the Residential closer to the time.

You will be able to contact a member of the Outreach Team running the residential on a dedicated 24-hour emergency phone number that will be made available to you before the Residential begins.