See you at Borret Road after the Summer Break!
Here marks the second last week of the school year! Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought us a long period of online learning earlier this year, our students have done a great job on their learning.
We are counting down our last two weeks in Sha Tin and are ready to say hello to our newly built campus at Borrett Road! We will update this newsletter again in the next academic year. Stay healthy, have fun and have an amazing summer holiday ahead! We are welcoming you to Borrett Road in the sooner future! :)
What's on at Island School...
[New] Year 13 Bridge Programme - Students Only
The Island School Year 13 Bridge, is a programme that aspires to ensure all students can be the best they can be. The Bridge is specifically focused on preparing our Year 13 Leavers for life after they graduate from Island School and at the same time as ensuring them remain forever connected to the school.
This year, the Bridge will commence on Monday 30th May until Friday 17th June. The sessions will be held online and/or on campus if possible. You may find more details and session recordings on the Bridge Website.
Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we have scheduled some of our sessions this week. We will have two more sessions this week.
Thursday 16th June 10am-11am:
Staying Connected - the IS Alumni Network (US Sharing Session) by Mr Dakaj and 2 IS Alumni (via Zoom)
Friday 17th June 10am-11am:
Book Club by Mr Atkinson at TW Campus
Upcoming Events
Please be reminded to check the HE Calendar for the information and registration details of the upcoming HE events.
Resources from Island School
Below are the useful resources from Island School. Please bookmark the links and check the updates from the websites. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Island School Websites:
Higher Education (Click here for the sign up instructions.)
HE Connection:
Vision Newsletter
Unifrog (Parent sign up code: ISHKParents)
HE Counsellor List (2021-2022):
Mr Roger Wilkinson: 11E, 11N, 12E, IBCP (roger.wilkinson@online.island.edu.hk)
Mr Orteg Dakaj: 11D, 11W, 12D, 12N, 13F, 13R, 13W (orteg.dakaj@online.island.edu.hk)
Mr Chris Whitehead: 11F, 11R, 12F, 12R, 12W, 13D, 13E, 13N (chris.whitehead@online.island.edu.hk)
What's on in Hong Kong...
[New] HK Arts Administration Association Virtual Event
How do arts administrators assemble pieces and construct arts performance and galleries? What had driven the current arts leaders entering the industry? What are the essential elements for youngsters to take note of before kicking start their career? What sort of talents are arts organizations looking for?
This June, Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association (HKAAA) is presenting our signature event - Career Fair 2022: Decoding Arts Administration, to decode arts administration and its essential ingredients and flavours. The fair will include Career Booths, Arts Administrator 101 Talks, Career Coaching and CV Clinic, aiming to provide a vivid picture of the arts and cultural industry. Join us and meet arts practitioners in real like and your potential employers! Click here for more information.
The British Council Pre-departure Briefing
We are delighted to announce the British Council pre-departure briefing sessions will be taking place on 7 July, 12 July and 11 August at 5.30 – 7.30pm. This event will offer parents and students useful information such as UK visa update, things to consider before booking a flight, opening a bank account in the UK, insider tips for what to pack before travelling, and student life in the UK. Guest speakers – representative from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) office and Hong Kong students who are currently studying in the UK (one from University College London) will be also attending to provide advice/answer questions on the day.
British Council Pre-departure Briefing 2022
Date, Time and Language:
Thursday 07 July 17.30 - 19.30 (English)
Thursday 21 July 17.30 - 19.30 (Cantonese)
Thursday 11 August 17.30 - 19.30 (Cantonese)
Webinar platform: Zoom
Registration link: register HERE
Lastly, in terms of traveling to the UK this summer, effective from 18 March, international travellers (including those who are not vaccinated) do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form prior to departure, take any COVID-19 tests (before or after arriving) or quarantine when they arrive in the UK. For more details, please visit the British Council - Covid-19: Information for international students.
The University of Hong Kong - HKU Summer Institute
The HKU Summer Institute was established in 2015 to bring together students from all over the world and enable them to participate in study programmes at a premier global university in Hong Kong. This platform also provides stimulating intellectual challenges as well as the invaluable experience of cross-cultural collaborations.
We are delighted to inform you that Island School students can enjoy a 5% Discount to participate in our summer online programmes. To redeem the discount, students may use the special code [SI2205] as the Promo Code when they apply through the online system. For the latest information on all our programmes, please visit www.hku.hk/summer.
For summer 2022, we are offering more than 20 programmes spanning the Arts, Business, Science, as well as Professional Studies such as Law and Architecture. We believe our slate of quality programmes will pique the interest of inquiring young minds.
What's on in other countries...
[New] UK - University of Cambridge Open Days 7th and 8th July 2022
The University of Cambridge Open Days are running as a hybrid event in 2022. For more information and to book a place, please see the university's webpage here.
St John's College has limited accommodation available for small Year 12 school groups to stay on the night of July 7th. Teachers and school staff can find more information and submit a booking request for this overnight stay via this form.
St John's Webinar Programme 2022
We are delighted to announce the launch of this year's Webinar Programme, a series of online sessions running throughout 2022 to support students in their university decisions and applications.
There are sessions available for Years 10 - 13 throughout the year, focussing on a wide range of topics – from Choosing your University Subject to Study Skills and Careers sessions.
The webinars are suited for anyone who hopes to apply to competitive universities: if you’re a high-achieving student, intellectually curious and ambitious, these webinars will make a great start to your university journey.
If you would like to attend these sessions, please sign up here.
Webinar Schedule:
Making Competitive Applications (Year 12) – 25th June 5pm
Personal Statement Workshop (Year 12) – 29th July 5pm
Preparing for Sixth Form (Year 11) – 19th August 5pm
Interview Workshop (new Year 13) – 30th September 5pm
[New] UK - Loughborugh University - UCAS Applications and Perfecting Your Personal Statement
Your opportunity to gain advice on how to complete your UCAS application and make your personal statement stand out! Our experts will share top tips on how to showcase your experience and passion and will answer your questions throughout the session.
Click here for more information.
Tuesday 28th June 1-2pm BST / 8-9pm HKT
[New] US - Claremont McKenna College - Liberal Arts Virtual College Fair
We look forward to seeing you on June 15 at 9.45am ET / 9.45pm HKT. During the virtual fair, you'll gain valuable information about the U.S. college admission process as well as our respective institutions.
Here's an overview of what to expect on June 15 and the Zoom links needed to attend:
9.45-10am ET / 9.45 - 10pm HKT
"Express Yourself! Tips for a Great College Essay" presented by international admission officers from Smith College and Union College. Join the opening session here.
10-11am ET / 10-11pm HKT
Meet with college admission officers using the links below. Each admission officer is joined by a current student or alum.
College Zoom links (do not enter until the time of the event)
Bates College, Carleton College, Claremont McKenna College, Colorado College, Davidson College, Haverford College, Middlebury College, Oberlin College, Skidmore College, Smith College, The University of the South, Sewanee, Union College, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, Whitman College
College fairs can be overwhelming, particularly virtual college fairs. By offering monthly events with the same 15 schools, we hope to provide more opportunities for you to explore our institutions in-depth at your own pace. So, we encourage you to attend as many of the fairs as you would like!
Get to know us better here, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
[New] Unifrog - Applications Masterclasses and Clearing Webinar
Applications Masterclasses, 13-29 June
We're running a series of webinars to support both students to create outstanding university applications during 13 and 29 June.
How to ace your Common App essay or UK Personal Statement
Meet the Russell Group
Applying to Oxbridge
Find out more here.
Clearing webinars, 4-7 July
In July, we have webinars to get students ready for Clearing at UK universities. The webinars will cover:
Different Results day scenarios and how to prepare for them
Clearing - what it is and how it works
Next steps and how to prepare for university
Alternatives to university including gap years and employment
Find out more here.
UK - Northumbria University Newcastle - Visas and Upcoming Events
In order to study in the UK, most international students are required to apply for a Student Route Visa (formerly known as a Tier 4 visa). This can be quite a confusing process, so we have provided some guidance on how to get your application started as well as what documents you will need to prepare. Make sure to leave plenty of time to get your visa sorted before the start of your degree in September!
Upcoming Virtual Events
We have some virtual events for incoming students coming up in June and July, including advice on Clearing and introducing students to their future at Northumbria:
Date, Time and Event Registration Link
16:00 BST / 23:00 HKT, 22 June 2022 - Clearing at Northumbria - Book Now
16:00 BST / 23:00 HKT, 6 July 2022 - Your Future - Book Now
16:00 BST / 23:00 HKT, 27 July 2022 - Your Home - Book Now
16:00 BST / 23:00 HKT, 27 July 2022 - Clearing at Northumbria - Book Now
UK - Important Reminder - Deadline for Replying to your UCAS Undergraduate Offers
Make sure that you reply to the offers that you have received or will receive from your chosen universities before the relevant deadline. The deadline you have to adhere to depends on when you received all your decisions on your five course choices, so it would be a good idea to check now! UCAS allows you to select one offer as a ‘Firm’ choice and select another offer as an ‘Insurance’ choice. For more information, please check the UCAS page here.
UK - Queen Mary University of London Subject-specific Taster Sessions
Our academic schools hold a range of subject-specific taster events, student panels and alumni discussions throughout the year to give your students a taste of the subjects we teach. Click the link here to find out more information and register.
A series of short online courses from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences helping you find which subject is the perfect fit for you!
Undergraduate Open Event
Our next Undergraduate Open Event will take place on Saturday 18 June (on-campus or online). This is your chance to find out about our programmes, chat with our students and staff and get a real flavour of student life at Queen Mary University of London.
Register for your place now to discover everything about studying at Queen Mary!
NL - Radboud University Summer School
Application is open now! This summer we have over 80 courses for you on offer, in a wide range of academic fields: law, science, business, languages, health, social sciences, you name it! That means more than 80 different ways of using a short part of your summer to:
dive into new knowledge,
learn from excellent professors
improve your skills,
and enrich your international network
meet people from all over the world
Learn from our expert course leaders during interactive live sessions and engage in stimulating discussions with students and professionals from across the world who share your interests. Join our summer school community and expand your professional network!
US - University of Rochester - Pre-College Online Program for High School Students
Explore your interests before college! If you have a passion for a certain subject and would like to explore it before college, here is your chance to do so—with one of the world's leading research universities. The Rochester Pre-College Online Program offers courses designed for high school students ages 13 and up. Each course features engaging video by Rochester faculty and access to mentors. The program is available year-round, and the online format lets you study anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.
+Live courses: This summer, enjoy all the features of our online program PLUS live sessions on select weekdays. These structured online events will include guest speakers, course mentors, and interaction with classmates. Choose +Live when you apply to select this option. Available for select courses. Apply Now!
British Council Study UK Tips and Updates
Tips on how to prepare for your university interviews
The first impression an interviewer has, is important for your university application process. The interview allows the academic staff to compare applicants and have a better understanding of your suitability for the course. Get some tips and sample questions and so you can be prepared!
How to write your personal statement?
Your personal statement is an important part of your application to university as it gives university admissions staff the opportunity to assess your suitability for the course you’ve chosen. Learn about the information to include and read tips for strengthening your statement.
Applying for UK Visas
After you receive an offer from your university, you will have to start preparing for your student visa to the UK. Remember to check the type of student visa you will need to apply for and the documents you need to prepare as well. Read on to find out more requirements and materials you will need to prepare for your visa.
Free online course to succeed at: Interviews
The impression you make on the interviewer often can outweigh your actual credentials. Your poise, attitude, basic social skills, and ability to communicate are evaluated along with your experience and education. This free three weeks online course will provides the tools you need to succeed at interviews and land your dream job or course place.
Want to know more about Island School Higher Education?
Want to know more about scholarships and summer programmes?