International Students

Studying in Somerset

We are a medium-sized college based in rural Somerset; an attractive part of the central South West region of England. We are located in the town of Street 30 miles south of Bristol and Bristol International Airport. The campus is an easy walk from the town centre and facilities include Strode Theatre, and Strode Sports Centre. Adjoining the campus is Street Swimming Pool. The world-famous Clarks Shoes Company is based in Street as is the Clarks Village Outlet Shopping Mall. Along with Strode College the multi-site campus of the renowned Millfield public school ensures a lively, youthful atmosphere in the town. The world-famous historical town of Glastonbury, home to the music festival, is close by. In the neighbouring county is Stonehenge, a World Heritage Site, with origins dating back 5000 years.

Street has a population of 11,000 and is a safe, quiet, rural environment in which to study. It is easy to walk or bicycle around the town. There are good transport links by bus to Bristol and Taunton and direct rail links to London from nearby Castle Cary station.

Studying at Strode College

Strode College is a state-supported college funded by the British Government. The official register of education and training providers can be viewed here.

Strode College is proud to be one of the top rated English colleges having been awarded "Beacon" status in 2004. This status is awarded to a few colleges annually for outstanding work.

The college is regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OfSTED) and continues to be highly rated.

We offer a large range of A Level subjects, as well as vocational courses. We are holders of the "Good Schools Guide" award for best AS Human Biology results over the past 3 years in England and Wales. We have been recognised nationally for the quality of our work in the fields of science and mathematics.

In 2007 Strode College achieved a place in the UK top five for AS level results in Italian and English Literature.

We are proud of our modern learning environments with up-to-date information and communications technology. We have completed a £6m investment in new teaching facilities.

Over the years, we have welcomed students from around the world, many of whom have continued to study at British universities. The college also has a long standing partnership with the Gambian town of Tujereng and regularly visits and organises fund raising activities.

Benefits of Small Scale

Maintaining a modest scale of provision for international students means that learners have good personal support. International students who go to larger cities often find it tempting to spend too much time with others from their own country and miss the opportunity to maximise development of English language skills. Since the college is not based in a large town or city it offers dedicated learners the opportunity to undertake their studies without the distractions of city life thereby facilitating the maximum use of time for study and achievement.

University Entrance

Around 300 students per year progress onto universities all around the UK.

Each year around 10% of our students apply to Oxford and Cambridge Universities and receive special support in preparing for their interview. In this highly competitive situation around 50% of those who apply are made an offer. Typical degree subjects would include: Law, Medicine, Social Sciences and Sciences. The Russell Group of Universities (Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial College, London, Leeds, Liverpool, London School of Economics, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Queen's University Belfast, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, University College, London and Warwick) specialise in research led education, and are considered an elite group with all UK universities. On average, around 20% of applicants obtain a place at these institutions, studying for a wide range of subjects including veterinary science, medicine, maths and science, architecture, law, dentistry and agricultural science. A further 30% of students gain places in the top universities in the South West including Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and the University of the West of England (UWE).