Calendar for SSE Scholarship Application & Notification for Study in the UK during the 2027-2028 Academic Year

September: ESU SSE Scholarship Online Applications open!

ESU sends participating schools Invitation to Apply. 

Click here to complete the ESU SSE Application.

October/November: Parent & student ESU SSE Scholarship online information evenings (Dates TBA)

December 20th: Applications Close. Students submit completed ESU SSE Scholarship applications as 1 PDF  to their school ESU SSE Coordinator or via email to Alice Uhl at auhl@esuus.org

Early January: ESU Regional Chairs conduct interviews (in person or via Zoom).

Early February : Finalist selected & matched with a prospective UK host school

March/April: ESU notifies successful candidates of their proposed UK host school. UK School interviews via Zoom.

April/May: Complete UK school forms and apply for UK Student Visa (visa expeditor service recommended)

Summer: Pre-departure orientation 

Late August/early September: Students depart for UK for semester or year abroad 

“I was given the incredible opportunity through the English Speaking Union to have the experience of attending a secondary boarding school in the United Kingdom. From the time the application process began until my flight back home, the ESU USA and ESU UK offices have been nothing but helpful and supportive. When I was assigned to Cobham Hall, I was overjoyed. It is a beautiful Grade I listed manor house, only 30 minutes away from Central London. As soon as I found out where I was going to be attending, I knew I had been blessed with an incredible opportunity. Being only 30 minutes away from London was like being handed the key to Europe, giving me the opportunity to experience new cultures and perspectives that I might have otherwise missed. 

Upon arrival, I quickly felt welcome in this very international boarding school. I shared a boarding experience with fellow students from the UK, Russia, Moldova, Iran, Turkey, Thailand, China, Japan, Ukraine, Peru, Italy, and many other countries. Being immersed in an environment with so many different cultures has taught me so much more than I ever would have learned in a classroom. Talking to fellow students during meals, in the boarding house, or studying together has provided opportunities to learn about different cultures. Learning about how people from all over the world view their lives, their education, and their futures has provided me with a broader view of the world. I have learned to appreciate the importance of international friendships. 

When the day students arrived on the first day of school, it was certainly a culture shock. Being the only student with an American accent in a school was certainly a new experience, and it took me some time to adjust to the differences between British and American school culture. However, I did not take too long to jump right into things. Although I was not officially enrolled for any courses for credit, I did attend classes for the sake of fully immersing myself in British school culture. Although technically, the students in my classes were younger than me, as they were in Year 12 and I was officially placed there because it is the first year of A-Levels and Year 13 is for exams, I quickly made friends and got very involved. 

Out of the classroom, I seized as many opportunities as I could to get involved in my community. I was in the Model UN debating club, the choir, a Wellbeing Ambassador, and a guide, helping with tours and Open Mornings. These activities not only enabled me to meet my peers but also enabled me to give back to my community. Being able to represent my school to new students and visitors was especially special, as I was able to give my perspective as an international student while also learning the art of communicating the special character of Cobham Hall. 

Another thing that Cobham offered me was an incredible amount of flexibility and freedom, and I was able to take advantage of this opportunity by exploring beyond the classroom. After staying at school full-time during the first half-term break, I embarked on my first major trip during the half-term break in the middle of the term. I backpacked throughout Italy with another ESU student, Paula, who attends Gresham’s School. After this experience, we decided to go our separate ways and try traveling on our own, which was exciting and terrifying at the same time. I went to Munich, Germany, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands before returning to London. After getting comfortable traveling on my own, I opened a huge door of opportunity for myself and was able to explore new places on my own and experience different cultures.

At the end of the year, I had visited fourteen different countries, including Italy, Vatican City, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, Finland, Denmark, Scotland, Norway, Wales, Sweden, and, of course, England. While traveling on my own, I had to step outside my comfort zone, which, I must say, has allowed me to grow as a person in a big way. I also met amazing people from all around Europe. Cobham has provided me with the perfect blend of the British school experience and the freedom to travel and learn in a way that could never be replicated in a classroom setting. It is because of the ESU Secondary School Exchange program that I have had the gap year of a lifetime, and I am grateful for the opportunity.”

“Participating in the ESU program has truly been an honor. As someone who had never been out of the United States before embarking on this journey, it was incredibly daunting. However, now having returned I can confidently say it was the best possible choice for me. I was able to visit 15 countries in my time abroad and learned invaluable lessons both easy and hard. 

My time at Dollar was incredible. The classes offered varied greatly from that of my previous high school and I tried my best to take full advantage of this opportunity. With my modern studies class we were able to visit HMP Glenochil– a fully running prison– as research for our dissertations. Extracurricularly I also made the most of my time. I joined the RAF division of CCF allowing me to visit the Leuchars base and have first-hand experience flying a plane. I also joined the ultimate frisbee team in my spare time with a particular highlight in February when 8 members were selected to represent Dollar Academy in a competitive Irish frisbee competition. Finally, a rather unexpected new interest is surfing. Over the course of two months I learned how to surf in Dunbar on the coast of the North Sea, and in the recently opened Lost Shore Surf Resort located in Edinburgh. 

For me holidays took the form of new adventures rather than breaks. I utilized this time as much as possible to travel around Europe and even to Africa! One of my favorite trips was a two week blitz run through 6 different cities in Morocco. Here we learned how to make and pour their traditional mint tea, ride camels, and explore old medinas. Another highlight of my travels consisted of a solo three week interrailing trip through central Europe. This tested my ability to plan, organize, and navigate in foreign, non-english speaking countries. In the end I gained unmeasurable amounts of experience which I can only contribute to the generosity of the ESU program. Thank you for all you have done.”

Edmundo Ortiz ’18 is headed across the pond for a once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity as an English-Speaking Union Secondary School Exchange Scholar. The appointment grants Ortiz a full scholarship to spend a year between high school and college at a British boarding school. Next year, he will study at Eastbourne College in East Sussex, England. He has already been accepted to Bowdoin College, a top liberal arts college located in Brunswick, Maine, for the 2019-2020 academic year and plans to study English, philosophy, and politics. Read Full Story

Thanksgiving 2018 at Dartmouth House, London – December 1, 2017

Every year, ESU Secondary School Exchange Scholars from the United States studying in the United Kingdom travel from across the UK to gather at the English-Speaking Union in London for a Thanksgiving Celebration at Dartmouth House.  The scholars have been in the UK since early September studying at nine schools in England, Scotland, and Wales as a part of the SSE program.  SSE Scholar Anna Brummeler is keeping a photo blog this year – check it out here! Read Full Story

SSE Scholar Arrives to Emma Willard School – Jan 5, 2017

SSE Scholar recently arrived from the UK to Emma Willard School in Troy, New York for a two-term exchange, pictured here with Jamie Hicks-Furgang, Head of Enrollment Management and Kent Jones, Director of College Counseling. Read Full Story

SSE Scholars Thanksgiving Gathering — November 28, 2016

Each year the ESU London branch generously hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for the SSE Scholars studying abroad in the UK.  Arielle Paré shared some photos of the event.  Arielle is also keeping a blog of her experience in the UK this year – check it out! Read Full Story

Thanks to our Secondary School Exchange Donors – November 27, 2016

The ESU gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the following donors whose support helps make the Secondary School Exchange program possible. Read Full Story

SSE Scholars 2016-17 – November 24, 2016

Alice Uhl

Education Programs Director

auhl@esuus.org

(212) 818-1200, ext. 212

“I will never forget my SSE year, the friends I made, and its profound effect on my development.”

— Eliot Macy, Westminster School