Chemistry
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Chemistry Summer Courses
Explore the substances, reactions and principles that explain how matter behaves with Atlas Summer Courses. Our two-week Chemistry summer courses, available for students aged 13–15, 16–17 and 18–24, give you the opportunity to investigate chemical ideas beyond your usual studies and develop a deeper understanding of the science behind the material world.
Through academic teaching and independent study, you'll explore how chemists explain and predict chemical behaviour while developing your ability to analyse evidence, solve problems and apply scientific reasoning to unfamiliar questions.
What's Included?
Your residential Chemistry summer course includes academic teaching, accommodation, meals, a certificate on completion, airport transfer from Heathrow and insurance.
Choose from Plus, Superior and Premier packages, with accommodation and additional benefits varying by package.
What Is Chemistry?
Chemistry is the study of matter: what substances are made of, how their properties arise and how they change through chemical reactions.
It connects what happens at an atomic and molecular level with the materials and processes we observe around us. Chemists use theories, models and experimental evidence to understand these relationships and predict how substances may behave under different conditions.
Chemistry also sits at the intersection of many scientific disciplines. Its principles contribute to fields ranging from medicine and materials science to energy, environmental science and biotechnology.
A Chemistry summer course gives you the opportunity to explore these ideas beyond your usual curriculum and develop a more analytical approach to understanding the chemical world.
What Will You Study on a Chemistry Summer Course?
There is no prescribed syllabus that every student follows. Atlas Summer Courses tutors create their own syllabi, drawing on their expertise while taking the interests, abilities and learning needs of their students into account.
Depending on your course and age group, you could explore areas such as atomic structure, chemical bonding, reactions, energetics, organic chemistry, materials or other areas of theoretical and applied chemistry.
You might consider questions such as:
- How does atomic structure influence chemical behaviour?
- Why do atoms bond with one another?
- What determines whether and how chemical reactions occur?
- How can chemists predict the properties of different substances?
- How does energy change during chemical reactions?
- How can chemistry contribute to developments in medicine, materials and technology?
The depth and approach will reflect the age group you're studying with. Tutors can also develop the course around their own areas of expertise and the interests of their students.
Any syllabus shown on our website is an example from a previous course rather than a guarantee of the exact topics you'll study.
How You'll Learn on a Chemistry Summer Course
How you'll study Chemistry depends on your age group, with each programme designed to provide an appropriate level of academic challenge and independence.
Ages 13–15
24 hours of small-group seminars
You'll take part in eight seminars where you'll explore chemical ideas through interactive discussion, problems, case studies and activities. You'll be encouraged to ask questions, apply scientific reasoning and explain the thinking behind your conclusions.
12 hours of private study
Between seminars, you'll complete independent work that could involve reading, researching a chemical question, solving problems or preparing a presentation.
Ages 16–17 and 18–24
18 hours of small-group seminars
You'll take part in six three-hour seminars, exploring chemistry through discussion, problems, case studies and activities.
2 hours of tutorials
You'll have one tutorial each week, providing a focused environment in which to discuss the essay or problem sheet you've been working on and receive detailed feedback.
Around 20 hours of private study
You'll complete reading and preparation for seminars and work independently on an essay or problem sheet for each tutorial.
Across all age groups, you'll be encouraged to participate actively, engage critically with scientific ideas and develop the confidence to approach unfamiliar chemical problems independently.
Who Are Our Chemistry Summer Courses For?
Our Chemistry summer courses are designed for students who are curious about how substances behave and want to understand the science behind chemical reactions and the materials around them.
You don't need to know which area of chemistry interests you most before joining. The courses may particularly appeal to you if you enjoy chemistry and other sciences, like solving scientific problems or are considering chemistry, medicine, biochemistry, engineering or another STEM subject in the future.
You'll develop transferable skills including scientific reasoning, problem-solving, analysing evidence, quantitative thinking, independent study and communicating complex ideas clearly.
If you're interested in exploring related sciences, you can also discover our Biology and Chemistry summer courses, Medicine summer courses and Natural Sciences summer courses.
Learn from Expert Tutors
Atlas Summer Courses tutors are experienced educators and subject specialists active across academia, industry and education.
They bring their own academic expertise and interests into their teaching and have the freedom to shape their syllabus around both their specialism and the students in their group. This allows each Chemistry summer course to explore different areas of the subject while maintaining an appropriate level of academic challenge.
Tutors are confirmed closer to the summer, so profiles on our website are examples of tutors who have previously taught with us rather than confirmation of who will teach your course.
Where Can Chemistry Take You?
Chemistry provides a foundation for a wide range of scientific, medical and technical subjects.
Students interested in the field may go on to study Chemistry itself or related subjects such as biochemistry, medicine, pharmacology, materials science, chemical engineering or other natural sciences.
The scientific, quantitative and problem-solving skills associated with Chemistry can also support future paths across scientific research, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, biotechnology, materials, energy and other science-based industries.
A Chemistry summer course gives you the opportunity to explore the subject before making longer-term academic decisions and discover which areas of chemistry interest you most.
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FAQs about Our Summer Courses
No. You don't usually need to have studied your chosen subject before joining an Atlas Summer Courses summer course. Courses are designed for the relevant age group, and tutors can adapt their approach to the abilities, interests and experience of the students in their group.
There is no fixed curriculum that every student follows. Our tutors create their own syllabi based on their academic expertise and the interests and learning needs of their students.
This means the exact topics can vary between courses and years. Any syllabus or topics shown on our website are examples from previous courses and shouldn't be taken as a guarantee of exactly what you'll study.
Teaching depends on your age group. Students aged 9–12 and Scholars aged 12–14 learn through structured, interactive small-group classes. Students aged 13–15 combine small-group seminars with private study, while students aged 16–17 and 18–24 experience seminars, tutorials and independent study.
Across our programmes, teaching is designed to encourage active participation, questioning and independent thinking rather than simply listening to lectures.
Your course includes your academic programme, accommodation, meals and a certificate on completion, alongside the activities and experiences included within your programme.
What's included can vary depending on the programme, age group and package you choose, so we recommend checking the individual course details for the full inclusions before applying.
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Choose from over 40 subjects taught through flexible, age-appropriate programmes. Our tutors adapt their teaching methodologies to different age groups and shape course content around students’ interests, rather than following a fixed curriculum.
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