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Following the success of last year’s inaugural programme, the University of Central Asia launched its 2016 admissions campaign for Grade 10 students in Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan to attend UCA’s innovative Summer Camp.

 

The three-week overnight camp will run from 20 July through 9 August 2016 at the Royal Beach Resort in the Kyrgyz Republic’s Lake Issyk Kul region.

Now in its second year, the Summer Camp is a residential enrichment programme offering talented Central Asian students the opportunity to improve their English and maths skills and receive mentorship and support in the university application process. Seventy-six secondary school students, from an application pool of 850, were invited to be part of the camp last year.

 

“By the end of last year’s programme, we were thrilled to see students from a diversity of countries, communities and schools not only improve their scores in maths and English, but also create a community of cooperative learning and respect,” said Dr Ariff Kachra, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “As UCA prepares to welcome its first class of undergraduates to the Naryn campus this fall, we are heartened to see the impact an immersive, residential learning experience has in preparing students to succeed academically.” 

 

The Summer Camp is one component of UCA’s broader efforts to prepare Central Asian students for an international standard of university education. Summer Camp curriculum is designed by international experts and adapted to fit the context and needs of Central Asian students. Native speakers with a background in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) provide English instruction, and an instructor with extensive experience teaching Central Asian students teaches mathematics.

It features a staff to student ratio of one to four to help ensure students make the most of their experience. In addition to intensive English and maths instruction, students attend special sessions providing instruction on applying to university, preparing for university exams, interviews and essays, and selecting a programme that will offer a promising career path. Students sit for sample international exams at the end of camp.

 

The programme combines academics with exciting learning opportunities outside of the classroom. A typical day involves two small group academic sessions of English and mathematics, a sports activity, and a camp-wide evening enrichment session. Evening activities range from debate and Model United Nations simulations, to science experiments and math concepts, English language films, and more.

 

To apply to UCA Summer Camp, students must sit for a short entrance exam in English comprehension, maths and logic. Testing will be held at designated testing centres in all three countries on 21-22 May 2016. Students who register for the UCA summer camp by 17 May will receive an exclusive gift after test completion: http://bit.ly/UCAcamp16. Students must bring a copy of their government issued photo ID or student photo ID with their birth certificate for identification.

 

For more information, students are encouraged to attend one of the information sessions in their community and sign up for the UCA mailing list.