UNIQ and Freshfields ExpLaw Summer School
UNIQ is the University of Oxford’s access programme for UK state school students. It prioritises places for students with good grades from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford and other universities. Every year more students from diverse backgrounds get offered places at Oxford with help from UNIQ.
UNIQ offers:
- online support through the application process
- a residential at an Oxford college for most participants
- a trip to an Oxford open day for another 250 participants
UNIQ is completely free: accommodation, meals, academic courses, social activities, and travel are all included.
The Freshfields ExpLaw Summer School is for those students who just miss out on a place on UNIQ. Anyone who applies for UNIQ but does not get offered a place on the programme will automatically be considered for a place on ExpLaw. ExpLaw is a 2 day residential programme that gives students an insight into life as an Oxford law students.
UNIQ Summer School
Students attend lectures and talks at the faculty over a period of four days, with a typical day usually being 9am-5pm. This year students participated in a mock court hearing, tried their hand at commercial negotiation and took part in a tutorial with one of our graduate students. They also had lectures on topics such as criminal law and human rights law. There is also much more do to outside the faculty, with sessions on interviews, personal statements and student finance available.
Who is eligible?
UNIQ prioritises state school students with good grades from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford and other highly selective universities.
UNIQ welcomes applications from:
- Year 12 student in England or Wales, in the first year of A level studies or equivalent, or
- Year 13 student in Northern Ireland, in the first year of A level studies or equivalent, or
- S5 student in Scotland, studying Highers or equivalent
UNIQ use criteria such as experience of being in care, eligibility for Free School Meals, and information associated with the area that you live in to prioritise who comes on UNIQ
How do I apply?
For further information, please visit the UNIQ Website.
Freshfields ExpLaw Summer School
There is no separate application process for Freshfields ExpLaw Summer School - you will be automatically considered if you apply for UNIQ.
The programme is run by the Faculty of Law and students will stay in college accommodation for 2 days, with those travelling more than 4 hours having an additional nights accommodation. Students take part in tutorials, lectures and visit different colleges for lunch and a tour. The evenings will be taken up with recreational activities in the local area. The sponsoring law firm, Freshfields, also sends representatives for the entire last day, who give an introduction to the possible routes into law and lead a study skills session on negotiation.
The programme is completely free. We cover all travel, accommodation and food costs.
On this page
Who can I contact?
You can visit the UNIQ website, or email uniq@admin.ox.ac.uk
If you have any questions about ExpLaw you can email undergraduate.enquiries@law.ox.ac.uk
What did students say about their UNIQ experience?
‘Very grateful to have been part of it - an amazing week which allowed me to make new friends and persuaded me that I definitely want to do Law in university’
‘Amazing week and amazing mentors - thank you!’
'The UNIQ Law summer school provided such a wonderful opportunity to experience how Oxford teaches law, including so much in one week to equip you for the future. This was made possible by the amazing personnel who organised the fantastic programme which gave me the confidence to apply for Oxford Law'