Welcoming Students from Across the World

Bedstone College has a small community of overseas students and is always delighted to consider applications for stays of one term or longer. Many young people join us initially for a short period and stay for several years. We currently attract students aged eight to 18 from 16 different countries worldwide. This guarantees that students are fully immersed in a British boarding school environment where English is most definitely the language of choice. We strictly control the number coming from one specific region to avoid cliques based on a common language or background developing. Unless parents or agents specifically request otherwise, those from the same first language will not be boarding in the same dormitory.

We expect a reasonable level of English but also offer significant EAL support. Please see our EAL Guide for more information. We also offer Pre-Sessional and University Foundation Programmes – more details available here.

On arrival we run a full induction programme, to ensure a smooth transition to life at Bedstone. We help our new students to find their feet, get familiar with the campus and life in the boarding house, as well as giving them plenty of opportunities to meet their fellow students and make friends.

For full information about applying for a place at Bedstone College as an International Student (including the Visa requirements and process), please visit here.

To read interviews with some of our current international students please click here.

Guide to EAL

Staff

The Head of EAL is Mr Leo Kouniakis, who has been an EFL  teacher for over 30 years.

After completing  his CELTA he  went on to do his Cambridge University Diploma in TESOL. He has worked as a Director of Studies for International House Patras in Greece and later as the Principal of an international Language School.

He then went on to work as a Senior Teacher, Director of Studies and Deputy Head at Independent Boarding Schools in the UK.

Mr Kouniakis has also vast experience in the running of summer schools as a Summer School Manager.

Mr Kouniakis is a dual National (Greek/ Australian) and bilingual. His personal experience of learning English as a Greek speaker after immigrating to Australia at the age of 5 allows him to tailor his instruction to our international students.

Guardians

All students whose parents live overseas must have a legal guardian appointed by their parents as a condition of entry into Bedstone College. If a student required a visa under the Student Visa Route, the appointed educational guardian in the UK must also meet the requirements set out by the Home Office. A student may have more than one guardian. It is very important for the welfare of the student that the guardian is actively interested in their education and life at school and lives close enough for the student to visit during holidays or if needed during extraordinary circumstances such as school closures.

Bedstone College cannot recommend or arrange guardianship on behalf of parents. The responsibility for the welfare of students while in the care of their guardians, and while travelling to and from them, rests solely with the parents and not with the School.

Parents may appoint a close friend or family member of at least 25 years of age, the guardian should not be a university student themselves. The educational guardian should have UK residency and ideally live within a reasonable travel distance from the school (by car or public transport). They should be English speaking (it is not necessary for English to be a first language).

For more information, please see the Guardianship Policy and Agreement – 2024

Bedstone College is a member school of AEGIS (The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students). Parents can find a list of accredited guardians on the AEGIS website. This website also provides useful guidance on selecting a guardian.