Academy Royale International Reviews 

The counsellors at Balliol were super helpful and always did their best to let us do the activities we wanted, the teachers and lecturers were amazing and had really engaging talks.

Everything was handled correctly

My daughter attended Oxford Royale’s Medicine Summer Camp because she is genuinely interested in becoming a doctor. We chose this programme despite its very high price because we expected a serious, inspiring, and practical introduction to medicine.

Unfortunately, the academic experience did not meet those expectations.

Very limited medical learning

Each group was assigned one instructor for the programme. In my daughter’s group, the instructor was a physical therapist, rather than a doctor, medical student, or specialist medical educator.

The main issue was not her profession, but that she did not appear able to connect with, motivate, or inspire the students. Some scheduled class time was spent watching YouTube videos, and the students were also taken on walks to Starbucks twice a day, despite the already limited amount of teaching time.

My daughter attended to learn about medicine, not to spend valuable class hours on coffee outings and online videos.

Missing materials and poor organisation

The programme had promoted practical activities using medical mannequins, suturing kits, and other equipment. However, the instructor told my daughter directly that they did not have all the materials students had been told would be available.

For the first several days, the only practical equipment provided was a set of stethoscopes, some of which were old, dirty, and visibly rusty.

When I collected my daughter, one of the camp directors apologised and explained that approximately four days of classes had been affected by a communication problem: the instructor had not known that additional materials were available.

This explanation reflects a serious lack of planning, communication, and supervision. In a short two-week programme, losing four days is significant.

Basic facilities and poor food

The Yale accommodation used by the programme was also far below what we expected for the price.

My daughter’s room was old, had no air conditioning, no chair, and only old, noisy fans. The facilities were very basic, and the food ranged from poor to very poor.

I understand that student accommodation is not a luxury hotel. However, Oxford Royale charges a premium price and markets a premium experience. The facilities, food, and attention to detail did not reflect that positioning.

Even the diploma was not personalised. It simply said “Dear Student,” rather than including each student’s name. This may seem like a small detail, but it illustrates the overall lack of care.

The positive side

My daughter had a very good social experience. She made excellent friends from around the world, and there were students representing more than 27 countries. She genuinely enjoyed meeting them and had a great time socially.

However, the main reason for attending was to learn about medicine, feel inspired, and become even more enthusiastic about becoming a doctor. That did not happen.

My conclusion

Oxford Royale provided a strong international social environment, but the academic quality, practical learning, organisation, facilities, and food were not consistent with the price charged.

Based on our experience, I cannot recommend the Medicine Summer Camp. Families should carefully research other options before paying such a high fee.

Everyone was so nice , we had the opportunity to go out of the campus and everything was so fun

Meals were meh and there was limited water

I really liked it but it would have been better if we had more free time

I gained a very essential experience in learning business studies by communicating with international people

What a wonderful life experience! My son spent two enriching weeks in a magnificent setting! The quality of instruction from Oxford tutors, the staff, the exciting program, and the diverse group of children made this experience a valuable opportunity for his future. Thank you, Oxford!

The time was really enjoyable. We had 2 hours free time. The only thing I did not really like was, that the staff was sometimes not as nice. For example my friend needed a bandage because she had an injury. The staff member nicely got her one, but he threw it away in front of her eyes. I’ve never experienced something this disrespectful. On the other hand there were also a lot of member who helped us. Thanks for that wonderful experience…

I loved meeting people from all over the world that gave me insight into their own personal experiences, cultures and languages. Learning with others from all year levels allowed me to extend my knowledge greatly and learn not only from my professor, but from the others around me.

The friends some counsellours and just overall everything

Great chance to meet new people, made friends for life.

I must admit that I am genuinely surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reviews of this academy. My son attended the programme from 5 July to 18 July 2026, and before confirming his enrolment, I carefully reviewed the information provided on the website. I was particularly impressed by the presentation videos, especially those concerning the Oxford school, which portrayed an experience including accommodation, dining facilities, entertainment activities, and an immersive environment connected with the prestigious setting of the University of Oxford.

It was precisely this image that played a decisive role in my choice. However, the reality was profoundly different. My son was assigned to St Peter’s College, a location that bore little resemblance to the Oxford environment presented in the promotional material and did not reflect the atmosphere, facilities, or overall experience that had been conveyed to prospective families.

I also exchanged numerous emails with the organisers in order to clarify every aspect of the programme, verify that what was presented online accurately reflected the reality, and, above all, confirm the availability of sports activities, which were a fundamental factor in my decision.

Unfortunately, what followed was a profoundly disappointing experience, falling dramatically short of the expectations created during the enrolment process.

From the very beginning, the organisation proved to be deeply disappointing. There was considerable distress and anxiety when I discovered that my son’s airport pick-up reservation from Heathrow had not been properly recorded. Despite being charged an exorbitant fee for this service, I was assured that the transfer would be an “express” service. In reality, it turned out to be a standard bus transfer that simply waited for other students arriving from different destinations, including those whose flights were delayed.

What followed was, in many respects, an extremely disappointing experience. The rooms were unbearably hot, and the lessons were held in makeshift facilities that appeared entirely unsuitable for an educational environment, including temporary tent-like structures. The level of supervision and support provided by the tutors was virtually non-existent. On the rare occasions when assistance was required, the attitude displayed was often unhelpful, dismissive, and unnecessarily arrogant.

The sports activities, which had been a key element in my decision to enrol my son, were practically non-existent. Apart from occasional visits to a basic outdoor area where students were sometimes allowed to play football, without proper goals or dedicated facilities, there was no meaningful sporting programme as advertised.

The only genuinely positive aspect of the entire experience was one particular teacher. I had to insist that my son be transferred to her class, as his initial class had not met expectations. The lessons with this teacher were undoubtedly more engaging and constructive, and her professionalism represented the only aspect of the academic programme that my son found truly satisfactory.

Beyond this, however, there is very little that I can commend.

Based on our experience, I would strongly advise against this academy. The reality of the programme was profoundly different from the image presented on the website, and the level of service provided did not come close to justifying the expectations created during the enrolment process.

I made many friends, learnt a lot, and had lots of fun. The friends I've made will be characters in my life's story for long.

This program was amazing but what made the whole experience over the top was the friendship. I loved the classes and my teacher was amazing. Grazia was the absolute best and I don't think I would've enjoyed the class if she wasn't my teach. But overall, the people and friends I made was what made this camp extraordinary. I loved the countless hours I spent trying to study together and laughing our heads of for hours.

The grade that I’ve got was unacceptable due to my full focus and effort I have towards the summer camp

I strongly advise teachers give this organisation a swerve, after a terrible chapter of experiences with their inept and manipulative HR department surrounding no fewer than THREE positions - jobs misadvertised while allegedly filled, emails ignored, and phone messages not passed on (or not responded to). What they 'aim' to do and what they actually do (or rather don't) do are two entirely different things.

Attending the Architecture course with Oxford Royale at the stunning Balliol College campus was nothing short of magical and gave me a true insight of what it would be like to study in Oxford.

The Oxford Royale team did a fantastic job creating such a welcoming atmosphere. They didn’t just focus on academics but also made sure we had chances to make friends through daily team-building activities as well as enjoying our free time. I genuinely built strong friendships with people from all over the world. Six months later, we regularly stay in touch and I have even met up with several of them since the summer school.

I joined the course right after finishing my last year of sixth form. Having studied the IB in the UK, I had already applied to study Architecture at university, but I wanted to be sure I was making the right choice. This course really helped me confirm my decision, explore my strengths and weaknesses and understand what being an architect could feel like in practice. When I started university in September, I felt more confident and even a little ahead of the other students.

The teacher Anna was incredibly kind and knowledgeable, making every session engaging. I especially loved the history lectures and the hands-on model-making project where we each designed a house for a fictional client. As a manual, hands-on learner, building the model helped me bring my ideas and floor plan sketches to life.

I honestly can’t stop telling everyone how this course changed my life for the better. It gave me clarity, confidence, unforgettable memories and reassured me that Architecture was indeed where my future lies.