International students FAQs

MPW employs a Personal Tutor system, offering personalised academic and pastoral support. Students receive regular reports, attend 1:1 tutorials, and undergo weekly tests to monitor progress. Parents are encouraged to have informal regular contact with the Personal Tutor to support this process and at MPW Birmingham and MPW Cambridge they can view records in the online parent portal. In addition, a minimum of four written reports are sent to parents every school year.

Not for underperformance alone. MPW focuses on providing academic support through tutorials and additional help. Expectations for academic work and behaviour are set out in detailed policies.

Students are required to switch off their mobile phones during lessons. In supervised study periods, phones may be collected to minimise distractions.

A laptop is strongly recommended for coursework, research, and communication. Specific courses will list device requirements.

We generally work from Course Notes, which are written by the Head of Department and simply that which the students need to know. However, where further textbooks are required, students will purchase their own or borrow from the library where copies are available. In English Literature, students will purchase additional texts as required. Lists are provided by the college, and books can be bought from various retailers, including online platforms.

Generally no, materials are provided though you will need to purchase sketchbooks. There may be times when you require something for a project that the Art department does not have and in such situation, you will need to supply those.

Subject choices depends on student goals. MPW offers one-year and two-year GCSE options across many subjects and the college will advise on appropriate GCSE combinations. Taking sciences is recommended for students intending to pursue Medicine or related fields.

Typically, students receive six to nine hours of teaching per subject per week, depending on the course and timetable. Our Course Outlines list typical teaching hours per subject.

Yes, example timetables are available upon request from the admissions office.

The timetable operates between 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. All lessons will happen between those times in either one- or two-hour slots. Commonly, it is five hours per AS level subject and six hours per A level subject. The difference is the Science subjects that have eight hours per subject and Mathematics that has 10 hours.

For GCSEs, it is commonly three hours per subject and four hours for Mathematics.

MPW London hosts an annual university fair, which is the largest of its kind within the group. Students from all campuses are invited to attend and each campus runs careers weeks, university visits and university-advice activities.

MPW provides comprehensive UCAS support, including guidance on subject choices, personal statement drafting, predicted grades, references, and interview preparation. This is led by the Personal Tutor in close liaison with the student. Specialist support is available for competitive courses like Oxbridge and Medicine.

The NCUK Foundation programme offers a guarantee for almost all courses, dependent upon course results. For other Foundation programmes, progression depends on meeting the specific entry requirements of the chosen university and course and while MPW has partnerships with universities for these courses, progression is not guaranteed. For all Foundation courses, any specific application routes will be managed together with UCAS applications, with the support of the Personal Tutor.

The UCAT is typically taken in the summer before Year 13, while the LNAT is taken between September and January of the application year. MPW provides guidance on timing and preparation.

MPW offers support in sourcing work experience placements. Careers advisors assist students in finding relevant opportunities in healthcare and related fields.

Historically, approximately 70% of students progress to Russell Group universities, with a smaller proportion gaining entry to Oxbridge and Medicine courses.

Generally, taking three A levels is sufficient. However, some students may choose to take four A levels to strengthen their application, depending on their ability and workload management. Oxbridge prefer depth and excellence so taking four A  levels is sometimes useful but this depends on subject combination and predicted grades. MPW Personal Tutors offer personalised advice and guidance which fits a student’s needs and capabilities to achieve the best possible outcome.

We take into account several factors:

1. Previous school grades.
2. The interview, looking at what your ambition is because us taking you on at this stage is a signal that we believe in your ability to achieve your goal.
3. Most importantly, how you start the year. By the time you start, you will have done homework and timed assignments, giving us strong reassurance that your goal is achievable.

With regards the application and the personal statement, this is managed by the Personal Tutors whose job this is. They are trained counsellors and will ensure that you write a competitive statement alongside adhering to deadlines.

Yes, all MPW campuses are located in safe, residential areas with appropriate safeguarding measures in place.

MPW has a diverse student body, with students from over 80 countries. The exact mix varies by campus and year. MPW London is the largest of the campuses with approximately 600 students. Birmingham and Cambridge are smaller with approximately 200 students.

MPW offers co-curricular sports and uses onsite facilities and local partnerships (arrangements differ by college).

MPW offers a range of extracurricular activities, including sports. Options vary by college and may include football, tennis, badminton, and gym sessions.

Yes. In London, there is practice space available on site.

No, guardianship is not included. All international students are required to have a UK-based guardian, arranged separately through agencies such as AEGIS-accredited providers.

Boarding students are supervised by a 24-hour boarding team of Houseparents and pastoral staff who provide continuous support.

The only closures are over the Christmas holidays and during the Summer holidays. Boarding stays open at all other times. If students are not going home during the closures, they will need to stay with their guardian.

Yes, boarding at Queen’s Gate House in London includes catering.

Yes, halal meal options are available.

Yes, there are house rules in place, including curfews for students under 18. Wi-Fi may be limited during certain hours to encourage rest.

Yes, students can leave their accommodation during evenings and weekends but those under 18 must sign out and may require parental permission.

MPW London invoice upfront for the full boarding amount and the details are in the offer letter.

Boarding is only available for 14 to 15 year olds at MPW London.

Yes, a weekly programme of activities is available for all boarding students to participate in.

It is predominantly international, with about 85%+ making up the group number. The remainder are made up of home students, but as this is a UK college there is a large demographic of home students living already in London.

MPW has a certain number of academic scholarships available every year for gifted and talented students, usually offering between 15% to 40% off fees. Typically valid for the duration of the programme, award recipients are expected to contribute to MPW’s reputation and participate in broader aspects of college life.

Fees can be charged per subject for these programmes. An exact quote is supplied when an offer is made.

Tuition fees are charged per term and payment dates are communicated on invoices. Exact payment schedules (dates, deposit amounts, card fees) are shown on the invoice/offer documents for each student.