
Summer School
3 weeks
TBC for 2024
London, UK
Expand your world with a summer at a top 10 London university
Join Imperial College Business School for one of our intensive and inspiring Summer School courses to increase your academic standing and boost your employment prospects within an increasingly competitive marketplace. Based in one of the most exciting and culturally diverse cities in the world, our Summer School students have the opportunity to build an international network, gain academic credit, and explore everything that London has to offer.
Taught by world-class faculty, our courses offer both theoretical and practical learning to cement your knowledge and expand your skill set. Running across three weeks, Summer School is a fantastic introduction to the world of business and life in London.

An enriching summer school programme at a global top 10 university

Meet like-minded people
Summer school at Imperial Business School is not only an enriching academic experience but also an opportunity to make new friends and meet like-minded people. A truly bonding experience, our summer school offers a relaxing and supportive environment in which to connect with people from all around the world.

World-class faculty
During your three week summer school experience, you will be taught by thought-leading academics who also teach our top-ranking MBA and Master’s programmes, benefitting from their expertise and industry insights.

London location
London is an exciting and vibrant city offering an abundance of world-class entertainment options, activities and cultural attractions. At the Summer School, we offer a programme of social events and trips to make sure you experience the very best of life in London.

Global network
The Imperial Summer School attracts ambitious students from all over the world, creating a diverse group of students with different academic backgrounds, interests and perspectives. This is a fantastic way to broaden your mind and build a global network.
Programme content
Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, or individuals with less than five years experience, you can choose from three courses in Business Analytics, Machine Learning & Applied Statistics or Business Strategy & Consulting.
Note, this information is for the 2023 intake, 2024 courses and social programme are to be confirmed.
Week one
You will review some basic probability (distributions, conditional probability, Bayes Theorem, Central Limit Theorem, etc.). You'll also learn what a stochastic process is and how to perform a Monte-Carlo simulation. Finally, if time permits, the class will discuss some problems from statistics and some fun puzzles/biases from probability and statistics that often appear in the real world.
Week two
You will learn how to formulate managerial decision problems as linear and discrete optimization problems, what the properties of these optimization problems are, and how these optimization problems can be solved in Excel and AMPL. The methodology will be accompanied with various applications in supply chain management, revenue management and finance.
Week three
You will learn about the specification and estimation of the linear regression model, from model assumptions, coefficient estimation to model inference and predictions. Using empirical applications drawn from economics and related fields, you will learn how these approaches can be successfully applied in practice.
Course content
The business strategy & consulting course will teach you to understand the complexity of an organisation’s environment in terms of strategic concepts and decisions. You will also learn the key skills and analytical frameworks necessary for effective consulting and delivering client value.
Topics covered will include:
The central concepts in strategic management and consulting practice
Frameworks and tools for internal and external analyses
The relationship between the different strategic management concepts and consulting strategies
This course is offered jointly by the Department of Mathematics and Imperial College Business School and facilitated by the Quantitative Sciences Research Institute. You will be taught by faculty from the Department of Mathematics.
Week one
In the first week, students will learn basic programming skills and they will be introduced to key ideas from machine learning, such as linear and nonlinear methods, and how to deal with the problem of overfitting. They will also explore the concepts of supervised and unsupervised learning as well as the basic ideas behind deep learning.
Week two
In the second week, students will learn basic probability theory and will then study the key ideas of time series analysis including how to deal with trend and seasonality in data and how to forecast in linear time series models. The theoretical developments will be applied to various data sets with a particular focus on financial data. Students will also learn how risk measures such as value-at-risk and expected shortfall can be computed.
Week three
In the third week, students will familiarise themselves with handling spatial data. The quantitative methods taught in this part of the course are motivated from applications in the life sciences, more precisely from bioimaging.
Bioimaging methods aim to observe biological processes at cellular and subcellular level. It is a fundamental tool of the life sciences and has led to some of the most important advances in modern medicine. Students will explore some statistical methods that can be used for analysing and interpreting spatial data extracted from bioimages.
That’s why, when you join Summer School at Imperial College Business School, we encourage you to get involved in a host of social and cultural activities that we organise for you to enjoy alongside your studies. Sometimes the best networking takes place outside the classroom!
Please note that all events on the social programme are ticketed and will be limited on a first come first served basis.
Activities and trips are not included in the course fees and you will need to pay additional costs.
Kensington - Royal Village Walk
This guided tour of the Royal Village in Kensington will introduce you to the neighbourhood where Imperial College is based. You will wander through Europe’s most select residential street, passing by the handsome old Kensington Palace, home to the late Diana, Princess of Wales (and, latterly, Princes William and Harry); Kensington Gardens, London’s most attractive and unusual mews, regal avenues, beautifully kept squares, a clutch of the world’s greatest museums and so much more!
Full Price: £10
Lion King the Musical
“There is simply nothing else like it.” (The New York Times).
Disney’s award-winning musical THE LION KING is one of London West End’s longest running shows, exploding with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music. It follows the powerful story of Simba as he journeys from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pride Lands.
Move Imperial - Yoga Classes
Move Imperial is the organisation behind College sport activities and events. We have organised FREE yoga classes exclusively for Summer School students throughout your stay. Classes will take place at our South Kensington Campus sport facility – Ethos. If there is enough interest this will run again on Monday 10 July and Tuesday 18 July
£5 deposit is required to book - returned upon attendance.
Registration will open soon.
Cambridge Trip: Walking & punting tour
Join a tour of the beautiful city of Cambridge, led by an alumnus of the university. First up is a walking tour of some of the most famous Colleges and other highlights around the streets of Cambridge. Then, spend an hour cruising down the river in one of the city’s iconic punts.
Ticket prices are inclusive of a return train ticket from London Liverpool Street.
Full Price: £45
Wicked the Musical
“The must-see wonder of the West End” (Andrew Pierce, LBC Radio).
One of London’s longest running shows, Wicked lifts the curtain on one of the most popular stories of all time, to show an alternative reading of 'The Wizard of Oz' that challenges our preconceptions of what is 'good' and what is considered 'wicked'. The unlikely friendship of Elphaba and Glinda at Shiz University leads to a powerful tale of love, acceptance and friendship and will delight those familiar with the original wonderful story.
Full Price: £25
Brighton Day Trip
A day at the seaside! Students can enjoy the summer weather down at Brighton beach. After viewing the town from the i360, you are free to explore the town as you please. Discover the many laneways which host little boutiques. Relax and soak up the sun on the beach with some famous fish and chips or for those looking for fun, head to the pier and try your luck with the carnival games and rides.
Ticket prices are inclusive of a return train ticket from London Blackfriars.
Full Price: £25
Imperial College London Summer School Boat Party
An annual highlight of the Summer School, join staff and students for the Boat Party. This is a one-of a kind London experience that will have you sailing from London Westminster Pier down the Thames to Greenwich and back again, while enjoying a buffet dinner and dancing to the DJ’s sounds.
This is a free ticketed event for Summer School students (guest tickets available at £45 + admin fees ). Register here.

“Soon after I finished up with Summer School, I started working at Deloitte as an Analyst. Imperial gave me the confidence to contribute to my organisation with utmost professionalism. I am sure that the lessons I learned during the Summer School are going to be helpful to me as I proceed forward in my career trajectory.”
Next steps
Meet your faculty
Our faculty are specialists in their respective fields. They have international research reputations, consult for some of the top businesses in the world and are often asked by the media to give academic insight on a wide variety of topics.



Wolfram Wiesemann

Martin Haugh
Start your journey
Frequently asked questions
The programme is open to current undergraduates and postgraduates*. We require all students to be studying towards or have completed a Bachelor degree. We expect all applicants to be achieving strong results and on track for a minimum of an upper second class honours degree (2:1) from a UK university (or the international equivalent) but we do consider candidates with slightly lower results and may make an offer for the Summer School, depending on the strength of the whole application.
Read more about our entry requirements.
*Please note that current Imperial College MSc and PhD students are unable to apply for the Summer School.
The Summer School is aimed at candidates who are currently studying for their undergraduate degree and the majority of students are aged between 18 and 21 years of age. The teaching is not intended for people with a significant amount of work experience, so it would be unlikely that our offering is what you are looking for in your studies. You may wish to take a look at the Business School’s Executive Education suite as it offers programmes in similar subject areas to the Summer School but instead aimed at those with more professional experience.
Students can only take one course. Please visit our Courses page for more information.
Applications to the Summer School are made through our website. Please ensure that you fully complete the application form as otherwise there could be delays to your application. Please visit our How to Apply section for further information.
There are no application fees for our Summer School courses.
Please see our Entry Requirements for full details of our English language requirements.
Please note: you must have scored results that meet our requirements before we will consider your application.
References are not required for the Summer School programme.
For more information on the fees, please visit the Fees page.
Please note that the tuition fees do not include living expenses, accommodation or the social programme.
Unfortunately, we can only accept students onto the Business School Summer School if they have completed at least one year of Bachelor level studies and are over the age of 18 on the first day. There are no exceptions to this rule. You may wish to consider the Imperial College Global Summer School which is specifically for under-18s.
Students with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or other special needs may be entitled to special arrangements in their examinations such as extra time or permission to use a PC. Students should ensure that any such requests are made to the Examinations Manager, Jo Chaffin . For Imperial College procedures, please see the College website.
The courses are intensive; many require both self-study and group work outside of the scheduled teaching hours. We therefore strongly recommend that students do not undertake any form of work while they are participating in the Summer School.
Please note that if you enter the UK on a Standard Visitor visa, you are not entitled to work (paid, unpaid, voluntary or as part of a work placement or internship).
Completion provides no guaranteed route onto one of our MSc courses as each Masters programme has their own set of entry requirements which are significantly higher than those for the Summer School courses.
There are scholarships available - please check our scholarships page.
If you have been made an offer for the Summer School you will receive an offer email which will include a payment link. You will have fourteen days from the date the offer email is sent in which to complete your payment. Your place on the programme will not be confirmed until you have paid your fees.
Students from outside the UK may require a visa to join the Summer School.
Short Term Study Visa
The Standard Visitor Visa allows students to come to the UK for periods of up to six months (per calendar year) in order to undertake a short course of study. If you have no other form of immigration permission, the Standard Visitor visa is the required route for Summer School students at Imperial College Business School.
- If you are a National of one of the countries NOT on this list (Appendix 2) it means it means you can obtain your entry clearance on arrival in the UK and you DO NOT have to make a Standard Visitor visa application before travelling. It is vital that you make sure you tell the border officer what your intention is for entering the UK and that you take the visa letter we have provided as it will provide the information about the course.
- If you ARE a National of one of the countries on this list (Appendix 2) it means you MUST make a visa appointment as soon as possible for a Standard Visitor Visa. You will need to include the confirmation letter from Imperial College Business School as proof that the course is less than 6 months long. Once you have your visa please upload a copy of this and the photo page of your passport to your My Imperial account.
You can find more information on the College website about visa requirements for short-term study.
Tier 4 Student Visa
If you are currently on a Tier 4 student visa which will be valid during Summer School, you are not required to apply for anything else. You will, however, need to upload the following to your MyImperial account:
- A copy of your Tier 4 visa student visa
- A copy of your passport (photo page only)
- A letter from your current university/institution confirming that you are a registered student
EU/EEA/Swiss nationals
Students who hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme do not need any immigration permission for the UK.
If you do not have this status because you did not live in the UK before 31 December 2020, you will need to enter the UK as a Standard Visitor in order to study on the Summer School. You can obtain your entry clearance on arrival in the UK and do not need to apply for a visa before travelling.
If you have any questions which may not be addressed on this page, please contact us in the first instance and we will be happy to help.
Please visit the Accommodation page for more information.
We would advise students, wherever possible, to check into their accommodation in advance of arriving at the Business School. If it is not feasible to do so, please contact us to arrange a left luggage facility for Day 1 (Induction) of each session, details of which will be provided closer to the time.
Details on how to reach the Business School from the airport can be found on the following webpage.
Imperial College Business School currently does not offer an airport transfer.
You are recommended to budget for approximately £25-£30 per day (excludes cost of accommodation).
Induction will take place on the first day of each course and students are expected to attend.
Summer School courses are intensive and consist of at least 45 contact hours over the three-week period. Courses may include lectures from guest speakers and academic excursions. Teaching takes place in person, from our campus in South Kensington.
Lectures are attended by all students on the course and usually take place in the morning. They are supplemented by afternoon sessions, such as workshops or tutorials (typically 2 hours each). Groups are allocated at random, and you will be notified of your group after the start of the session. It is not possible to switch workshops.
There will be no teaching on the second Friday of each Summer School session to enable students to focus on self-study as well as exploring London and beyond.
You will receive your timetable on the first day of your course. Timetables are not available in advance as they are only finalised shortly before the start of each session.
As the programme is paperless, students are required to bring a laptop/tablet with them, in order to access course materials and participate in assessments.
Due to the short duration of the programme, Summer School students are unfortunately not eligible for an 18+ Student Oyster Card.
Please be aware that the usual day-to-day dress code for the Business School is casual (jeans are permitted). That being said, you may want to consider bringing a smarter outfit with you so that you have the option whilst you are here.
Final exams typically take place on the last day – times will not be confirmed until Summer School starts.
Important: there are no exceptions to taking the exams at the given time and date and this should be taken into account when making your travel arrangements.
Exams are not compulsory for those who are not seeking to gain credit for undertaking Summer School. Students who attend at least 80% of classes and do not sit the final exam will receive an electronic Certificate of Attendance – please be aware that your home institution is unlikely to accept this in exchange for credit.
If you experience serious illness or other major problems which you consider to have affected your academic performance, please contact us and provide us with the details in writing, along with any other relevant evidence.
For Imperial College policy relating to mitigating circumstances, and other undergraduate guidelines, please see the College website.
The suggested credit level for each Summer School course is 7.5 ECTS or 3-4 US credits.
Students who wish to receive credit for their chosen course will need to liaise with their home institution (usually the Study Abroad Office but this may vary). Although it is ultimately up to students' home institutions as to how much credit is awarded, we are happy to provide any necessary information to your home institution. Please contact us to receive the necessary information.
Summer School students will receive an electronic Certificate of Attendance (subject to achieving an overall attendance rate of 80%) and a transcript which will include the final overall numerical mark.
Electronic copies of transcripts will be made available to students via their MyImperial portal after the External Exam Board has taken place (usually at the end of August). Certificates of Attendance will be emailed to students.
Please note that we cannot usually provide copies of transcripts in other formats, including hard copy.
You will be able to access Ethos Sports Centre during your studies.
Imperial College London has a range of outlets meaning that students are never too far away from a hot meal, refreshments or a quick snack.
You will be issued with a College account and login details prior to arriving at the College. Please ensure you check your e-mail account on a regular basis (at least once a day), as important information may be sent via this method of communication (in addition to that which is posted on the Hub).
Students are automatically registered with the library.
Access to the Hub (the Business School’s bespoke online learning platform) once Summer School has finished is not guaranteed. We would therefore recommend that you download and save any materials during the programme that you would like to keep.

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