EDMONT · SHORT PROGRAMMES & PRE-COLLEGE

Short programmes with a purpose.

A one- to six-week programme can do more than fill a summer. We use short programmes to test a subject, experience a university environment and make the next academic decision with more evidence.

Europe · United Kingdom · United States
01

Matching

Which programme would fit you?

Four questions: age, subject, task and timing. In return you will see specific programmes with their city, age range, duration and season: the ones we would start the comparison with in your situation.

01Age

from age 8 to experienced professionals

02Subject

or a multi-activity camp if no subject is chosen yet

03Task

portfolio, academic depth, testing a subject

04Timing

summer, or courses that run all year

The finder takes about a minute. At the end you can copy its link and send it to a parent or a student.
02

Two routes

Pre-College and short programmes

Short programmes are not selected by brand alone. They are selected according to what the student needs to learn, test or achieve next.

  1. 01 · 15–18

    Pre-College

    For students who want to explore a subject before committing to a university route. We consider university summer schools, pre-college programmes and supervised residential formats where appropriate.

    Possible objectives:
    • explore a future subject
    • experience university-level teaching
    • build or develop a portfolio
    • understand whether a field is the right fit
    • add meaningful academic experience before applications
  2. 02 · 18+

    Short Programmes

    For students and young professionals who want to explore a new field, deepen existing experience or study a specialised subject in an international academic environment.

    Possible objectives:
    • explore a new field before changing direction
    • deepen an existing specialisation
    • work in the professional environment of another country
    • add a substantial project to a portfolio or CV
    • look closely at a university before a master’s application
03

The selection

The programme comes after the question

A famous university name is not enough. We first establish what the programme needs to achieve: test a subject, strengthen a portfolio, provide academic depth, expose the student to a particular university system or clarify a future degree choice.

Only then do we compare suitable programmes.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

William Butler Yeats
04

Institutions

Programmes we may consider

The shortlist is individual. Depending on the student’s age, subject and objectives, we may consider programmes offered by institutions such as:

Italy
  • Istituto Marangoni

    A fashion and design school with campuses in Milan, Florence, Paris and London. Short courses and summer intensives in fashion design, styling and fashion business.

  • Bocconi University

    Italy’s leading university for economics and management, Milan. Summer programmes in economics, business and management, including formats for high-school students.

  • NABA

    An academy of arts and design in Milan and Rome. Summer courses in design, graphics, fashion and the visual arts.

  • Polimoda

    A fashion school in Florence. Short programmes in fashion design, fashion business and luxury.

  • IED

    Istituto Europeo di Design: a network of design schools across Italy and Spain. Summer courses in design, fashion and visual communication.

United Kingdom
  • University of the Arts London / Central Saint Martins

    Europe’s largest specialist arts university, London. Short courses and summer schools in art, design and fashion, including portfolio development.

  • Imperial College London

    A research university for STEM and medicine, London. Academic summer programmes for school and university students.

  • King’s College London

    A research university in central London. Summer schools in law, business, medicine and the humanities.

  • University of Warwick

    A research university known for economics and business. University-level academic summer programmes.

France & Spain
  • Parsons Paris

    The Paris campus of Parsons School of Design. Summer courses in fashion, design and the creative industries.

  • Sciences Po

    France’s leading university for the social sciences. A summer school in politics, international relations and law.

  • IE University

    A university in Madrid and Segovia known for business and law. Summer programmes, including formats for high-school students.

United States
  • Parsons New York

    The design school of The New School, New York. Summer intensives in design and fashion, with portfolio work.

  • Harvard Summer School

    Harvard University’s official summer school. University courses for university and high-school students.

  • Brown Pre-College

    Brown University’s pre-college programmes. University-style academic courses for school students.

Institutions are shown as examples of programmes EDMONT may consider as part of an individual selection. Their inclusion does not imply an official partnership or representation. Specific courses, dates and requirements are checked against the programmes’ official pages for the current year.

05

How we select

How EDMONT selects a programme

  1. 01
    Assessment

    We establish the student’s age, academic background, interests and what the programme needs to achieve.

  2. 02
    Selection

    We compare programmes by subject, level, teaching format, entry requirements, dates and the role they can play in the longer academic route.

  3. 03
    Eligibility

    We check age limits, language requirements, academic prerequisites, portfolio requirements and application deadlines.

  4. 04
    Application

    We coordinate the application and help prepare the required documents and materials.

  5. 05
    Preparation

    We organise the practical academic preparation for the programme: residence options, visa coordination and a structured pre-departure briefing where relevant.

  6. 06
    Review

    After the programme, we use the experience to reassess the student’s academic direction and define the next step.

06

Areas of study

Areas of study

Short programmes exist in almost every academic field. The subject is defined at the assessment stage, together with the level, the format and the role the programme plays in the longer route.

  • 01Fashion & Luxury
  • 02Art & Design
  • 03Business & Economics
  • 04Architecture
  • 05STEM & Technology
  • 06Medicine & Life Sciences
  • 07Law
  • 08Politics & International Relations
  • 09Social Sciences
  • 10Marketing & Communications
07

Support

One route, coordinated from selection to departure

  • 01

    individual programme strategy

  • 02

    curated shortlist

  • 03

    eligibility review

  • 04

    application coordination

  • 05

    document preparation

  • 06

    portfolio and motivation materials where required

  • 07

    deadline management

  • 08

    accommodation strategy

  • 09

    visa coordination

  • 10

    pre-departure briefing

  • 11

    communication with the programme where needed

  • 12

    post-programme academic review

The scope of support depends on the programme, destination, student age and the amount of application work required. We define the format after an initial assessment.

08

Under 18

The programme has to work for the family as well as the student

For younger students, academic fit is only one part of the decision. We also look at the structure around the programme: accommodation, supervision, arrival arrangements, emergency procedures and the way the institution communicates with parents.

Where appropriate, we prioritise university-run or established residential formats with a clear framework for minors.

Accommodation formats and what they mean

Where the student actually lives is the second question after the content of the programme, and for younger students often the first. The formats differ in how much independence and supervision they involve.

  • University residence / campus

    Accommodation in the university or college residence where the programme runs. Meals, teaching rooms and evening activities are all in one place.

    For minors: resident staff and separate floors or houses.
  • Fully supervised residential

    The format of established camps and boarding schools: a full schedule of lessons, sport and excursions, with supervision throughout the day, weekends included.

    Usually for younger students and for a first trip away from home.
  • Host family

    The student lives with a local family, travels to lessons and uses the language in daily life. More common on language programmes.

    Worth checking in advance how families are selected and how far they are from the school.
  • Independent accommodation

    An apartment or residence without pastoral supervision: an option for adults and short professional courses.

    Not normally considered for students under 18.

Questions worth asking any programme

These are the questions we ask before a programme reaches a shortlist. The list is just as useful if you are considering an option on your own.

  1. 01
    Who is responsible for the student outside lessons?

    Teaching and evening supervision are often run by different teams: it matters to know who is responsible for which.

  2. 02
    What is the ratio of students to staff?

    This is a specific figure programmes usually publish. It says more about the real level of supervision than general reassurance.

  3. 03
    How are arrival and departure organised?

    Airport meeting, transfers and escorting a minor are planned in advance, not on the day of the flight.

  4. 04
    How does the programme communicate with parents?

    How often they are in touch, and what happens if something goes wrong, are worth agreeing before applying rather than after arrival.

  5. 05
    What is the age and language mix of the group?

    The international mix and the age range decide which language the student will actually speak.

  6. 06
    What exactly does the fee include?

    Excursions, materials, transfers and weekend meals are not always included, and the difference can be substantial.

  7. 07
    What does the student take away?

    A certificate, a portfolio, a project or academic credit: this decides how the experience works for the student afterwards.

  8. 08
    What are the cancellation terms?

    Refund deadlines and visa risk are worth understanding before payment, particularly for countries with long visa processing times.

09

Examples

Examples of routes

  1. EXAMPLE 01
    16 · Fashion Business

    A student considering fashion management does not necessarily need a fashion design course. We may compare a fashion business programme at Marangoni with a business-focused summer school at Bocconi or another university to understand which environment better matches the future degree.

  2. EXAMPLE 02
    17 · Engineering

    For a student considering engineering, the relevant question may be whether they enjoy university-level STEM work rather than whether a programme carries the most recognisable name. An academic summer school at Imperial or another research university can help test that.

  3. EXAMPLE 03
    16 · Art & Design

    A student preparing for art or design admissions may need a programme that produces meaningful portfolio development rather than a general creative experience. In that case, UAL, Parsons, NABA, Polimoda or another specialist institution may be considered differently.

These are examples of the method, not recommendations for every student: the comparison is always built from the individual profile and objective.

10

Timeline

When to start planning

Summer programmes run on the university calendar, not the holiday calendar. Applications for many of them open in winter, and the most sought-after fill up long before summer.

  • 6–9 months ahead

    The comfortable horizon: the full choice is still open, with time for portfolio work, language preparation and an unhurried visa process.

  • 3–6 months ahead

    Still workable: some programmes are still open. The pace is faster, and the choice is beginning to narrow.

  • Under 3 months

    We look at programmes with late or rolling admissions. Visa processing times for the destination become the deciding factor.

The exact deadlines of each programme change from year to year: we check them on the official pages at the moment of selection.

Guides for the family

Two guides in PDF: save them, print them or send them to the other parent and to the student.

The university calendar sets the timeline more firmly than family plans: applications for summer open in winter.
11

Admission

A short programme is evidence, not a guarantee

A summer school or short course does not guarantee admission to the university that runs it. Its value is different: it can help a student test a field, develop academically, produce stronger work, understand a university environment and make later admissions decisions with greater precision.

For students who later apply for a full degree, EDMONT can use that experience as one part of the wider admissions strategy.

12

Questions

Questions about short programmes

What age are pre-college programmes for?

Most programmes are designed for students roughly between 15 and 18, but every institution sets its own age limits. We check eligibility individually.

Do you only work with Istituto Marangoni?

No. Marangoni is one of the institutions we may consider. The shortlist depends on the student’s subject, age, goals and future university plans.

Can EDMONT arrange accommodation?

We assess the accommodation options associated with the programme and help coordinate the appropriate route. For minors, we pay particular attention to university or supervised residential arrangements.

Do you help with visas?

We coordinate the visa preparation relevant to the programme and destination. Visa decisions are made by the relevant authorities.

Will a summer school improve my chances of admission?

Not automatically. A short programme can strengthen academic understanding, portfolio work or the quality of later decisions, but attendance itself does not guarantee admission.

Can EDMONT continue working with me after the programme?

Yes. Where the next step is a Bachelor’s or Master’s application, we can build a separate full admissions strategy around the student’s updated profile.

How long is a short programme?

Most run for one to six weeks. Shorter intensives and longer formats also exist: the length depends on the programme and on what the student needs from it.

What level of English is required?

Each programme sets its own requirement: some ask for formal proof of English, others assess the application as a whole. We check the language requirements of every programme and match them against the student’s actual level.

How is arrival organised for a younger student?

Every programme organises arrival, meeting points and supervision differently. For younger students we check the arrival arrangements, transfers and parent communication in advance and build them into the plan.

EDMONT / JOURNAL
EDMONT / NEXT STEP

Start with what the programme needs to achieve

Tell us the student’s age, interests and what you are considering for the future. We will establish what kind of short programme is worth comparing.

Europe · United Kingdom · United States