Oxford Summer Programme
The Oxford Summer Programme invites students to encounter the medieval imagination in the “city of dreaming spires.” Through an intensive study of medieval architecture, pre-Raphaelite art and the literature of the English Catholic revival from Newman to Tolkien, and with pilgrimages to medieval churches, celebrations of the Divine Office, and walks along the winding streets of Oxford, students experience the enchanted vision of the medieval mind and pursue the Catholic intellectual life among friends and teachers.
Guest lectures by visiting professors from the University of Oxford give students an opportunity to experience collegiate life at one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Students read great works of English literature in daily seminars with program faculty, which include Portsmouth Institute executive director and Humanities teacher Christopher Fisher and best-selling author and director of vocations of Saint Louis Abbey, Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.
In addition to intensive study, students immerse themselves in the life of Oxford, complete with visits to Oxford’s historic colleges, celebrations of sacred liturgy in medieval churches, punting on the River Cherwell, poetry readings—and of course, afternoon tea. A day in London leads students to the famed National Gallery, a private, behind-the-scenes 2-hour tour of Westminster Abbey, and an invitation from the Dean of Westminster to attend Evensong in the Abbey’s famed choir stalls. Students live, eat, study, and worship in St Benet’s Hall, the English Benedictine Congregation’s Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford.
“The Oxford Programme was an eye-opening experience where I was able to see the environments of JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis while they were writing their world renowned novels. Not only was I able to see how the city of Oxford affected their writing and life, but I was able to experience the city for myself and make observations which changed my own perspective on life.”
– Bella ‘19
• Live and study in St. Benet’s Hall, a Benedictine Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford
• Study with internationally renowned scholars and professors under the guidance of your teachers
• Visit Harry Potter filming locations, punt on the Isis, wander through the countryside, and walk on the pathway where J.R.R. Tolkien helped convert C.S. Lewis over countless conversations.
• Explore the unique culture of England with excursions to London, the city of Oxford, and the English countryside
• Become a Junior Fellow of the Portsmouth Institute, a prestigious honor recognizing your academic capability, commitment to the pursuit of truth, and passion for culture.