For schools

Our link regions

As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to widening access, each Oxford college is linked to local authority areas, to work with local schools and colleges to support communities currently under-represented in higher education.

Our link regions are Lewisham and Sutton (London), and Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Lancashire, and Cumbria. The Queen’s College was founded in 1341 to bring students from Cumbria to Oxford. We are proud to be continuing that tradition with our work with schools across the North West today!

Teachers’ mailing list

Keep up to date with outreach events and opportunities from Queen’s and from the wider University of Oxford with our teachers’ mailing list. Information about the support that we can offer will be most relevant for state school teachers from our link regions.

Visits to Oxford

If you are a teacher from a state school in one of our link regions, you are eligible to bring a group of up to 30 students for a day visit to Queen’s. An in-person visit is the best way to get a feel for the physical environment of the University of Oxford, learn more about the teaching and learning at university, and meet current students.

School visits can be booked for Tuesdays and Thursdays in term time (October-December; January-March; April-June). Booking is now open for October-November 2026. All visits are free of charge.

We always encourage schools to bring students who meet our widening participation criteria, which includes eligibility for free school meals/pupil premium, and who may not otherwise have access to information about higher education.

Sample visit timetable

Accommodation and travel support

A limited amount of overnight accommodation is usually available in Spring Term, for which we operate an ‘expression of interest’ system to ensure fairness. Schools may be asked to bring a smaller group of students or to attend as a joint visit with other schools due to popular demand. Please sign up to our mailing list to ensure that you receive information relating to available dates and expression of interest.

A limited amount of financial support for coach travel costs is available to non-selective state schools in our North West link regions. We can reimburse 50% of your travel expenses if funding is not available from other sources (e.g. your multi-academy trust, or allocated funds for academic enrichment trips). Reimbursement is not automatic. If the cost of a visit to Queen’s is a barrier for your school and students, please state this when contacting our Schools Liaison Officer to arrange a visit.

Parking in Oxford

Unfortunately, there is no coach or minibus parking at the College. There is a busy bus stop outside Queen’s which is not a designated drop off point for private hire coaches or minibuses. We recommend using the nearest non-permit drop off points in the city which are either Beaumont Street outside the Oxford Playhouse, or St Giles outside the Taylor Institution Library, both of which are a short walk from the College. More information is available on the Oxford City Council website: Parking for Coaches, Lorries and Mini Buses | Oxford City Council. Teachers are kindly asked to ensure that this is factored into your timings for the day and that coach drivers are given the correct instructions for drop off.

Talks and workshops in your school

Throughout the year, our Schools Liaison Officer visits schools in our link areas to deliver workshops to students from Year 7 to Year 13. The content can be tailored to the age group and interests of your students, including those that may never have considered university before. Ensure that you are signed up to the mailing list for updates on the next North West roadtrip!

Workshops might cover: 

• The benefits of going to university
• University course choice and careers advice 
• Choosing the right A-levels and post-16 options
• Oxbridge/Oxford explained 
• Student finance 
• Personal statement advice
• Interview preparation workshops
• Application process Q&A 
• ‘Thinking like an Oxford student’ skills workshop

Virtual visits

For more flexibility with dates, timings, and number of attendees, our School Liaison Officer can also deliver talks and workshops virtually. This also includes virtual assemblies and Parents’ Information Evenings.