Programmes · Groups
University-style masterclasses and small-group tutorials with subject specialists from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and LSE. Students explore not just what is taught, but how subjects are questioned and argued at university. Subjects, academic level and cultural visits are shaped around your group, and one UK team manages everything from arrival to departure.
Planning for one student? We design individual programmes too.
/01At a glance
/02How students learn
New ideas are introduced in university-style masterclasses led by scholars from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE and other leading UK universities, with experience of university teaching, tutorials and highly selective admissions.
After each masterclass, students question, discuss and test those ideas round a table with a tutor. The tutorial asks them to explain their reasoning out loud, not simply arrive at the answer.
Students apply what they have learned to unfamiliar problems where the answer is not immediately obvious. Each week ends with students presenting an argument of their own and receiving academic feedback from their tutors.
Sessions on what highly selective universities look for at interview, with interview preparation and application workshops available on request. The aim is to understand how these universities think, not to promise any admissions outcome.
Punting, formal dining, specialist-led museums and galleries, afternoon tea and carefully selected British cultural experiences.
The aim is not simply to give students more content. It is to develop the habits needed for higher-level study: question, analyse, connect, solve, explain and reflect.
/03Subject tracks
These are examples of programmes we have developed before, not a fixed course list. Through our academic network, we can build programmes across a wide range of disciplines according to your students' interests, level and future study plans.
| Track | Examples |
|---|---|
| Maths and computer science | Number theory, modular arithmetic and TMUA/STEP-style problems |
| Physics and engineering | Mechanics, applied physics and PAT/ESAT-style scientific reasoning |
| Life sciences | Cell biology, genetics, physiology and mathematics for biology |
| Economics and finance | Markets, competition, regulation and quantitative reasoning |
| AI and data | Algorithms, machine learning and the mathematics behind AI |
| Media and humanities | University-level discussion, analysis and critical thinking |
A typical teaching day: on most days, a masterclass at 09:30 is followed by two tutorials before lunch. Afternoons bring a further masterclass, a workshop or small-group tutorials, finishing by 16:30. Each week builds to student presentations with academic feedback on Friday, and weekends are for excursions in London.
/04An example programme
A real example, based on a programme Bridges has run before. Every group's programme is different: subjects, academic level and experiences can all be adapted to your students.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon and evening |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Cambridge | Physics masterclass: university-style teaching exploring fundamental concepts and scientific thinking | Applied physics workshop: problem-solving, real-world applications and admissions-style challenges. Dinner in Cambridge. |
| Day 2 · Cambridge | Media studies masterclass: university-level discussion, analysis and critical thinking | Mathematics and AI masterclass, and a visit to King's College. Dinner in Cambridge. |
| Day 3 · Cambridge to London | Punting on the River Cam, and a guided walking tour of the university | Traditional English afternoon tea and free time in Cambridge, then travel to London. Dinner and check-in. |
| Day 4 · London | AI masterclass at UCL: algorithms, data, machine learning and the mathematical thinking behind AI | Finance masterclass at UCL: markets, quantitative thinking and real-world financial applications. Dinner and a London cultural experience. |
| Day 5 · Oxford | Travel to Oxford and visit Christ Church, to see Oxford's collegiate environment | Biology and engineering masterclasses. A traditional British dinner, then return to London. |
| Day 6 · London | Mathematics, AI and economics masterclasses | A specialist-led visit to the British Museum. Dinner in London. |
| Day 7 · London | Tate Modern | Borough Market, a Thames journey to Greenwich and the Maritime Museum. Depart London, or continue to York on the optional journey through Britain. |
Sample programme. The final programme is built around your students.
/05Option: a five-day journey through Britain
Groups can add five days of travel after the academic programme: seven days to challenge the mind, then five to see more of the country.
| Day 1 | York | 2,000 years of British history: York Minster, the Shambles, the medieval streets and the city walls |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | York to Windermere to Manchester | The Lake District and Windermere, arriving in Manchester in the evening |
| Day 3 | Manchester | The Industrial Revolution, science and innovation, and Manchester City's stadium |
| Day 4 | Manchester to the Cotswolds | A journey south through the heart of England to the Cotswold villages |
| Day 5 | Windsor to the airport | Windsor Castle, then departure |
Both of our recent G5 groups included a behind-the-scenes tour of Manchester City's stadium.
/06We can come to you
Bridges can bring our masterclasses, and the scholars who teach them, directly to your school. It is the same academic challenge and the same people, delivered on your campus.
/07Case studies
2026
Academic Programme · Cambridge, London and Oxford
Twelve students from China worked with subject specialists across mathematics and AI, physics and engineering, life sciences, and economics and finance, much of it round a single seminar table.
Read the story : Twelve students, six subjects2025
Academic Programme · Cambridge, London and Oxford
Fifteen students from Beijing Foreign Studies University's International Curriculum Centre spent ten days with UK scholars in Cambridge, London and Oxford, debating engineering, building structures and presenting their arguments in tutorials.
Read the story : 15 students, three university cities/08 Safeguarding
Every programme is planned so that each student is accounted for at all times. All staff who work with students are DBS-checked, and groups stay together in managed accommodation with one leader for every 15 students. Every excursion is risk-assessed in advance, a named Bridges contact is reachable 24 hours a day, and our Designated Safeguarding Lead oversees every programme.
/09Enquiry
Share your students' ages and academic level, the subjects that interest them, their academic goals, group size, preferred dates, length of stay and cultural interests. We will work with our academic network and send you an indicative programme and proposal within five working days. An online call at a time that suits your timezone is often easiest.
Request a tailored proposal
