Residential Summer Careers Programme at the University of Portsmouth

Test Drive University Life

Spend a week on a university campus with peers from across the UK, learning from industry professionals

Register Your Interest

Duration
5 nights • 5 days

Arrival
Sunday 2nd August 2026

Departure
Friday 7th August 2026

Ages
14 - 17

The IgnitED Residential Programme

An authentic introduction to University life. Combine our full careers day programme with a genuine university residential stay.

Your will have your own en-suite room, eat with peers in university dining halls, and spend your evenings exploring one of England's most exciting coastal cities, all alongside the care of our dedicated residential programme Mentors.

This is more than a summer programme, it's a genuine introduction to independent university life.

What's Included in Your Residential Experience

💼 Full IgnitED Career Programme

Five full days of immersive careers exploration, choosing from six industry tracks.

Led by those there doing it now.

🛏️ Your own en-suite room

A private single en-suite room in Rees Hall, with bed, desk, storage, your own shower and WC. Everything you need for a comfortable week.

🛡️ 24/7 residential supervision

Dedicated IgnitED Mentors with you for the duration, and University-staffed Halls on-site throughout. An experience designed to build friendships and a sense of independence in a structured, caring environment.

🌅 Evening social programme

Mentor-led Summer evenings making the most of Portsmouth city, Gunwharf Quays, Southsea beach.

Supervised, organised, and memorable.

🍴 All of your meals

Breakfast & dinner: Hot breakfast and dinner each day in the university refectory. Lunch: vouchers for the campus cafés.
Fuel for a full week of learning.

📸 Portsmouth exploration

Experience one of England's most exciting coastal cities. Maritime heritage, vibrant waterfronts, and a thriving city campus student community.

View of the San Francisco skyline with the Bay Bridge, sailboats on the water, and a palm tree in the foreground.

A small hotel room with a single bed, a nightstand, a desk with a chair, a window with colorful curtains, and a wardrobe.

Empty cafeteria with colorful chairs and white tables on brown flooring, with a TV on the back wall.

Where You'll Stay

Rees Hall, University of Portsmouth

A magnificent Victorian seafront building, originally the Pier Hotel, now one of Portsmouth's most characterful university halls.

Past guests of the Pier have included Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens, who spent his last night in Portsmouth here in 1866.

Today it sits at the heart of a vibrant city campus, minutes from the waterfront and Portsmouth's historic dockyard.

You’ll have your own single en-suite room for the week.

📍 City location, yet 5 minutes from seafront

🏛️ Victorian architecture, modern facilities

A tall, multi-story residential building with yellow brick and white accents, featuring steep black roofs with dormer windows. There are cars parked in front and people walking by on the sidewalk.

Blue commemorative plaque about Charles Dickens, stating he spent his last night in Portsmouth on May 25, 1866, at the Pier Hotel.

A pebbled beach with calm sea water and ships sailing in the distance under a bright sky.

The IgnitED Programme

During the day, residential participants join our full Portsmouth careers programme alongside day attendees — experiencing hands-on career exploration, industry mentoring, and workplace visits.

Choose from six industry pathways:

Engineering

Business

Medicine

The Arts

Law

Broadening Horizons

Each Programme includes:

✓ Mentoring from professionals working in the field

✓ Hands‑on workshops and real-world practical challenges

✓ Behind‑the‑scenes visits to organisations

✓ Structured guidance to build confidence and clarity about your future

✓ Participants completing the 5‑day programme receive an NCFE endorsed programme certificate recognising their achievement, along with a reference letter from their Mentor to support future applications

An outdoor courtyard area of the University of Portsmouth with several trees, potted plants, tables, and chairs, with a modern building in the background.

Engineer working on a laptop in a technology lab with electronic equipment and cables.

Who Is This For?

The residential programme is ideal for:

• Participants from outside the region — families for whom daily travel would be impractical

• Young people ready for independence — those eager to experience authentic university life before making A-level or university choices

• Ambitious learners seeking immersion — Participants who want to fully immerse in the extended experience without daily commuting

Nighttime cityscape with a prominent modern skyscraper featuring lights and a spire, overlooking a river with boats and water reflections.

Wellbeing and safety

Fully Supervised Throughout

Dedicated residential mentors are with Participants throughout the programme from Sunday arrival to Friday departure — alongside during evenings, overnight, and every morning. All participants are aged 14–17. Our safeguarding standards are fully aligned with best practice guidance and statutory requirements including Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education. Our approach and policies are shaped by decades of experience and are regularly reviewed. Parents receive full welcome information in advance.

✓ All staff are DBS-checked and safeguarding-trained

✓ 24/7 on-site supervision from IgnitED mentors

✓ University halls also have 24-hour reception desk

✓ Structured evening programme with clear Participant code of conduct

✓ Emergency contact procedures in place

✓ Full safeguarding policy available

The IgnitEDResidential Careers Experience Week meets the requirements of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Residential.

A shared residential experience with new people:
Participants join a diverse cohort of young people from across the UK, that ensures they learn and socialise with peers they have not met before, as required by DofE.
A structured, purposeful programme:
The week provides a full timetable of industry‑focused learning, hands‑on project work, and mentor‑led sessions. Each day is designed to build skills, confidence, and independence, aligning with DofE’s emphasis on personal challenge and growth.
Supervised but independent living:
Participants stay in private single en‑suite rooms, giving them a safe but authentic taste of university‑style independence. Our mentor team provides 24/7 supervision, ensuring safeguarding and wellbeing while still encouraging responsibility and self‑management.
Evening activities that build community:
Evenings include a blend of social activities and personal development workshops, helping students form new friendships, develop teamwork skills, and create the shared experience that DofE requires.
A minimum 5‑night residential commitment:
The programme runs for the full five nights, meeting the DofE duration requirement in full.