We are proud of our diverse community of pupils, welcoming children of all ages from nearly 40 different countries. Around 20% of Oakham pupils are international students and we celebrate the different perspectives that they bring to enrich our community.
We know that it can be daunting to arrive at a new school in a different country so we will do all that we can to help you settle in, make friends and feel at home.
This page provides lots of useful information for any students joining Oakham from overseas. Please visit our Admissions Pages to find out How to Apply.
Boarding Life
You will join a Boarding House with pupils from the UK and other countries. Our friendly and experienced Housemasters/Housemistresses and house teams, along with personal tutors, provide lots of help and support to make sure you feel at home.
Weekend Activities
Oakham is home to several hundred full and weekly boarders, most of whom are at school all week. Over the weekend you will be involved in activities within your house and, as well as events for the whole community. There is always something to do in between your study time.
Holidays and Leave Outs
Parents can see upcoming holidays and Leave Out weekends on our Term Dates page. Children can choose to stay in House during Short Leave Out, but must make other arrangements during Long Leave Out and Holidays.
Guardianship
All pupils whose parents live overseas must have a guardian based in the UK. This may be a relative or close family friend, but must be someone of more than 25 years of age, and not living in student accommodation. If you do not have a relative or close family friend who can fulfil this role, then you can find a list of accredited guardians on the Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students (AEGIS) website – www.aegisuk.net or the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) website – www.boarding.org.uk. Guardians who are not relatives must be AEGIS or BSA accredited.
Education Agents
Pupils from overseas can apply to the School directly or may come to us via an agent. Oakham School is happy to work with educational agencies who wish to introduce pupils to our school. Agents should please contact the Admissions Dept. via admissions@oakham.rutland.sch.uk to check whether we are accepting new agencies in your region.
Visa Sponsorship
Oakham School is able to offer visa sponsorship to pupils joining us as Full Boarders. Any pupil who does not hold a British passport who wishes to study in the UK must have a visa. Find our step by step guide to Child Student Visas here.
English as an Additional Language
There’s plenty of support if English isn’t your first language. Our dedicated specialist teachers will get to know you through the application process, and then give you tailored support depending on your needs.
Travel to School
The School uses an excellent online system called i-GTM to record all boarders’ travel plans to and from school. This provides reassurance to everyone that every child’s whereabouts is logged and tracked during their journeys.
