What is the
Foundation Certificate?
To thrive in a challenging intellectual environment, such as a prestigious university or an elite professional career, there are certain academic and interpersonal skills which are vital to master.
The John Locke Institute's Foundation Certificate creates the conditions in which these skills are tested and refined through dynamic interactions with other high-potential students and distinguished faculty around questions in philosophy, the liberal arts and social sciences.
27 JULY – 2 August, 2025
AGES 15 - 17
WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR COURSE?
The Foundation Certificate is the right choice for ambitious students who aspire to attend one of the Institute’s famous summer schools but may not quite (or not yet) match the typical profile of a John Locke student.
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For this reason, this Certificate course places a special emphasis on the needs of those students who are eager to develop their academic confidence and sharpen the skills with which they handle complex or contentious ideas. If you have been identified by our Admissions team as someone with John Locke potential, the Foundation Certificate will empower you take that next big step.
Designed to
make you think
The entire curriculum consists of contestable concepts in the fields of philosophy, politics and economics. We choose these particular subjects in order to drive students to wrestle with and comprehend the opinions of others, clarify their own positions, and elaborate and fine-tune their best arguments in favour of those positions.
We cover logical reasoning, theoretical and applied ethics, political philosophy, strategic game theory, and political economy.
A Faculty to Inspire
The John Locke Institute is justly renowned for the quality of our academic faculty. You will have the opportunity to interact with expert philosophers, political scientists, economists and historians.
It is a feature of the Foundation Certificate that our precept groups are small enough so that every student gets the close attention of our inspiring academic leaders.
Is this right for me?
The Foundation Certificate was designed with you in mind. This course is perfect for first-time students at the John Locke Institute, and offers the ideal preparation for students who want to acquire the skills and habits to lay the groundwork for a serious academic or professional career.
If you are (or soon will be) 16 or 17, and you have a serious potential waiting to be unlocked, this course may be exactly what you need.
What will I get from thIS experience?
Graduates of the Foundation Certificate typically acquire a new level of analytical sophistication.
We will help you cultivate mental subtlety, intellectual humility, and confidence in your ability to formulate and express compelling ideas and convincing arguments.
Where will I stay?
Lectures, seminars and precepts take place in historic Radley College, which sits in 800 acres of beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, at the edge of the mediæval city of Oxford, which there will be opportunities to discover during your spare time.
Accommodation is in single rooms with shared bathroom faculties. Male and female students are housed separately, and students are grouped by age. You will take your meals in Radley's grand dining hall.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
Arrival
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You should plan to arrive at the summer school on Sunday, 27 July. The check-in time is between 10 am and 11.30 am. We advise you to arrive early to give you enough time to check in, be shown to your room and collect your course timetable. A welcome talk is scheduled for 12 o'clock midday. Parents and guardians are warmly welcome to attend.
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If you would like to be met by a driver at the airport on 27th July, we offer (at an extra charge) a shuttle service from Heathrow airport. If you plan to take the shuttle please book a flight that arrives no later than 9am.
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It is your responsibility to determine whether you need a visa and, if so, what kind of visa you need and how to apply for it. Every overseas student must have a valid passport to enter the United Kingdom. You can find all the information about UK visas here. To attend a short course in the UK, the Standard Visitor Visa is the one you need. We can provide individual advice and support on request for those who will need a visa.
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We recommend that you buy travel insurance.
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Departure
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On the departure day, Saturday, 2 August, check out is at 10am.
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We will be running a shuttle to Heathrow airport for an extra cost. If you plan to take the shuttle please book a flight that departs no earlier than 12 o'clock midday.
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Our staff will be available to help you on the departure day to make sure you get to the airport in time for your flight.
