Are you interested in becoming a future student at St Clare’s International College? Are you curious and want to know about the experiences of past students? To help you out, we spoke to a few alumni and asked them what their experience at Oxford was like, how the programme helped them pursue their careers, and what advice they would give to future students.
The first alumna we will introduce you to is Ally Fisher, who graduated from the Undergraduate Programme in 2025. She is from Massachusetts, USA and right now Ally is a Junior at Salve Regina University and studying as a double major in Elementary education and special education. She is going into a classroom three times a week to work with a second grade class in literacy, a third grade class in social studies, and a one-on-one 5th grade special education classroom for reading.
Ally Fisher – London
How did you hear about St Clare’s and why did you decide to study here?
I originally heard about St Clare’s through my study abroad office at Salve Regina and I was given two opinions on whether to go to St Clare’s or to Ireland. I ended up ultimately choosing to go to St Clare’s because I really wanted to experience living in England. I also was able to teach students in a primary school there which was ultimately my deciding factor.
Why did you decide to do this programme?
I decided to do the Undergraduate Programme at St Clare’s because I was able to complete credits for Philosophy, Religion, and an Education class. Being able to complete these credits was incredibly helpful and I loved being in a student placement in one of the primary schools and I am able to put that experience on a resume and talk about it in future interviews.
Which academic subjects did you study, and which did you find most impactful?
While I was there I took Philosophy, Religion, Education, Psychology and Art. My Education and Psychology classes were most impactful for my career and learning how kids develop and learn within the UK education system which was really interesting to see how that compares to the US education system. My Philosophy, Religion, and Art classes I was not very excited to take but they were incredibly engaging and allowed me to enjoy subjects that I normally would not. My art class took us around Oxford and learned about the architecture and art around us.
How did the programme help improve your English and academic skills?
It helped me improve my academic skills by pushing me to think outside the box and engage in class discussions because in those classes you could not hide behind others since the class sizes were so small. My writing skills also improved and I was challenged to expand on analysis and critically think about complex topics within philosophy and religion.
How did this programme prepare you for university studies or further education?
This programme did not really prepare me for further education since I am already at university but it brought new perspectives of how education can be presented and I got to see how the UK education system differs from the US system and what strategies I could implement in my future classrooms.
Did the programme influence your career goals or open up new job opportunities?
My experience at St Clare’s and student teaching in a primary school allowed me to see how hands-on the UK education system is. One thing that really opened my eyes was being able to experience forest school which was when a group of kids would go outside and have class to learn about the environment and how to show respect to the world around us. I want to bring this to my future classrooms and bring more life experiences for them and not just focus strictly on academics.
How did your time in Oxford change your perspective on learning, culture or life in general?
Overall my time at St Clare’s and studying abroad was one of the best experiences in my life and it changed the way I view life and learning. Most of the learning I did was outside of the classroom and saying yes to every experience. I got to meet so many people from different countries and backgrounds that I got to talk to and learn from. I made some of the best friends at St Clare’s from all around the world and travelled to places I never thought I would ever be able to go to like Paris, Venice, Dublin and Edinburgh.
What advice would you give to future students considering this programme?
To any students who are considering this programme, I would tell them to do it and they will not regret it. I already miss it and my friends and I are already planning when we can go back to Oxford and to visit our favourite places while we were there and see some of the places we didn’t get to experience.
This is how Ally spent her time in Oxford at St Clare’s. In the coming weeks, we’ll share the stories of other students from other courses at the International College at St Clare’s. Stay tuned!
Written by Loredana – University Foundation Programme 2026