Oxford Program Details

Vision

The Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) program is designed for students who want to develop their academic writing abilities and hone their research skills while studying areas of individual scholarly interest with advanced academic tutors. As Visiting Students of the University of Oxford and members of Wycliffe Hall, participants study in one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. Keats's "city of dreaming spires" provides a rare and rarified setting for engaging in scholarly fellowship with other young Christian scholars.

Location

THE VINES
The Scholarship and Christiany in Oxford program (SCIO) is housed in The Vines, a late-Victorian mansion overlooking the University from Headington Hill. The Vines is a modest mansion, situated on 1.5 acres of garden with stunning views of Oxford’s spires. Running parallel to the path of C.S. Lewis’s former commute, The Vines is a 35-minute walk into Oxford city center, a 10-minute cycle ride, or a 5-minute walk to the nearest bus stop (with busses passing by every 6–7 minutes). It has a large kitchen, laundry facilities, a well-appointed common room and bathrooms for every 2-3 rooms.

Read more on the SCIO Student Life page.

LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
After the British Library in London, the Bodleian Library at Oxford is the largest in the United Kingdom. A number of colleges from All Soul’s to Worcester have their own libraries, generally geared to the interests and specialties of the college’s members. Over the years, many Gordon students have declared the Radcliffe Camera their favorite spot for reading.

OXFORD, OXFORDSHIRE, AND BEYOND
From museums like the Ashmolean—the world’s first public museum— to its gardens, rivers and parks, Oxford and its environs offer rich terrain for walking, biking and, of course, punting. (A few years ago a student took his skateboard and did not ingratiate himself with the neighbors, but that’s another story.)

In addition to the program travel included in the British Landscapes course, students have opportunities for independent travel over the course of the semester. London is easily reached by public transportation in under two hours, as are many historic sites such as Blenheim Palace (Winston Churchill’s home).

Credits

Students will earn 17 credits for a semester at SCIO.

Each term is divided into the following required components:

• Primary Tutorial (6 credits)
• Secondary Tutorial (3 credits)
• Selected Topics in British Culture (4 credits)
• Undergraduate Research Seminar (4 credits)

Tutorials are available in 16 areas of study:

If a student would like to use Selected Topics in British Culture to fulfill a Core requirement, it must be approved by the Registrar's office. Please see the Global Education Office for assistance.

Gordon credit is given for students who participate in the SCIO program. To find Gordon course codes and course descriptions search Gordon's undergraduate catalog for "OXF" (catalog.gordon.edu).

Cost

For a semester in Oxford a student is billed SCIO's costs, along with a $150 Global Education administration fee. Applicable federal, state and private aid will apply, however, Gordon institutional aid is not carried over. Please contact the Global Education Office with any questions.

The cost of the program includes:

• Tuition
• Fees
• Housing
• Program-related events

Additional expenses include:

• Travel between home and program
• Meals
• Security deposit (refundable, collected upon arrival)
• Personal expenses
• Textbooks
• Laundry
• Personal medical expenses, if incurred 

How to Apply

QUALIFICATIONS
SCIO welcomes applications from students who enjoy academic challenges and desire to sharpen their research and writing skills in their subject areas. To be eligible students must:

• have a 3.7 GPA or above,
• have Junior or Senior standing when they attend the Semester Program,
• possess a strong commitment to both their academics and their Christian faith.

All Gordon students applying to the single-semester Oxford program with SCIO must first submit Fall and Spring semester online seat applications to the Global Education Office by March 1 before applying to the program itself.

Applicants approved by the Global Education Office then proceed with the SCIO application. SCIO has a rolling admission policy. See SCIO's Program website for more info on application and deadlines.