The ICP is a structured, high-intensity academic pathway from Sedbergh School — one of England's great boarding schools — to Year 1 at the University of York. Designed for students who want more than a qualification. Built for those who intend to lead.
If you are genuinely serious about your academic future — about the quality of your thinking, the depth of your knowledge, and where you intend to be — the International Corridor Programme was designed for you.
You will spend two years at Sedbergh School, one of England's most celebrated independent boarding schools, pursuing A-levels in subjects that demand rigour and reward genuine intellectual engagement.
You will work directly with University of York professors on a substantial independent research project, developing the analytical depth and scholarly confidence that most students do not encounter until postgraduate study.
You will build a professional profile through structured work experience, industry mentorship, and university-linked research, positioning you ahead of your peers before your first undergraduate lecture.
And when you complete the ICP, you progress directly to Year 1 at the University of York, prepared, connected, and distinctively equipped.
"The ICP is not simply a route to university. It is an intellectual formation — a two-year investment in becoming the kind of thinker, scholar, and professional that the world's leading institutions are looking for."
The ICP curriculum is structured around three interconnected academic pillars, each developed in close partnership with the University of York and delivered within Sedbergh School's exceptional environment.
Students pursue two full A-levels in STEM subjects and Business Studies — the qualifications that leading UK universities respect above all others. Delivered within Sedbergh School's small-group, high-expectation environment, with dedicated subject specialists and two years of genuine disciplinary depth.
The subject focus is deliberate. A-levels in Mathematics, the Sciences, and Business Studies position ICP graduates at the intersection of analytical rigour and commercial acuity — precisely the intellectual profile that York's leading departments seek.
The Foundation Programme is a core component of the ICP, not supplementary to it. Approved by the University of York, it is designed to develop the academic competencies that distinguish outstanding undergraduates from merely qualified ones.
It encompasses University of York–accredited English for Academic Purposes (EAP), structured academic writing, critical analysis, research methodology, and scholarly communication.
The Capstone is the intellectual centrepiece of the ICP. Each student undertakes a substantial independent research project, scoped, supervised, and assessed by University of York academic faculty across STEM and Business disciplines.
Working directly with a York professor, students develop the analytical depth, independent scholarship, and intellectual confidence of a first-year undergraduate — before they arrive.
The most competitive universities, and the most discerning employers, are seeking students who have demonstrated more than academic attainment. They want evidence of intellectual curiosity applied in practice, problems engaged, industries observed, mentors sought out.
The ICP integrates structured professional development throughout the two-year programme. Work experience is not an optional adjunct to the curriculum. It is woven into the fabric of the ICP, designed to complement and deepen the academic work students undertake in the classroom and the research setting.
ICP students complete the programme not only with strong A-level results and a York Capstone to their name, but with a professional profile that distinguishes them from the moment they begin their undergraduate career.
Through the Capstone Project and extended faculty engagement, ICP students develop genuine university research experience, working alongside York academics before they formally enrol as undergraduates.
Vianova facilitates structured placements with partner organisations in STEM and Business sectors. Students engage meaningfully with professional environments, deepening their academic understanding and developing their professional judgement.
Each ICP student is matched with a professional mentor relevant to their intended degree discipline. Mentors provide intellectual challenge, professional perspective, and continuity of guidance throughout the two-year programme.
The ICP offers families something that the conventional international admissions process cannot — a structured academic pathway with a clear and agreed university destination, in place from the moment of enrolment.
Two years at Sedbergh School — one of England's most distinguished boarding environments — developing not merely the academic qualifications, but the intellectual confidence, professional experience, and personal character that a leading university both demands and rewards.
Progression to the University of York, a Russell Group institution of global standing, follows on successful completion of the programme.
Five centuries of academic tradition. One of England's most respected boarding schools, set in the Cumbrian fells, offering pastoral excellence, intellectual rigour, and a community that develops character as well as capability.
A member of the Russell Group, consistently ranked among the world's top 200 universities, with outstanding graduate employment outcomes and a strong record of postgraduate and professional progression.
Two A-levels, the Vianova Foundation Programme, and the York Capstone Project — three interconnected strands of development, culminating in a student who arrives at university distinctively prepared and professionally experienced.
Fee information is provided on request and reflects Sedbergh School's current boarding and tuition structure. To receive a full fee schedule, please contact the admissions team.
The ICP is founded on exclusive formal partnerships with two of England's most respected educational institutions, each contributing what it does best, united by a commitment to the highest standards of international academic preparation.
Founded in 1525 and set among the dramatic fells of Cumbria, Sedbergh is one of England's great independent boarding schools. ICP students become full members of the Sedbergh community, immersed in a boarding environment that has shaped generations of exceptional individuals, studying A-levels in STEM and Business Studies within small, high-expectation classes.
Visit Sedbergh School →Established in 1963, the University of York is a member of the Russell Group and consistently ranked among the world's top 200 universities. York's involvement in the ICP is active and integral — approving the Foundation Programme's EAP framework, contributing academic faculty to the supervision and assessment of the Capstone Project, and providing a genuine intellectual connection to students' future institution.
Visit University of York →Vianova Global is led by a team with deep experience across international education, curriculum development, and global academic partnerships.
An internationally recognised educationalist with three decades of leadership across UK and international education. Former Headmistress of St Mary's Calne, President of the Girls' Schools Association, and Vice-Chair of the Independent Schools Council. Named Tatler's Best Head of a Public School, Helen holds board roles across the UK, Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Australia.
Natural Sciences, Clare College Cambridge. Eight years in international banking, then a pivot into education. As UK Managing Director of an international school group, he led multiple school acquisitions and turnarounds. Founded the Divergent School Group, advises the British Council, and works across the UK, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
admissions@vianova-global.comCambridge and Oxford graduate, MBA in International Education Leadership. Executive Headmaster of YK Pao School Shanghai, formerly Headmaster of Dulwich College Beijing. Director of Cambridge Assessment, founding Dean of Buckingham International School of Education, and two Ofsted 'Outstanding' secondary schools.
We welcome enquiries from students, families, and registered agents. To apply to the ICP or to discuss whether the programme is the right fit, please contact the Vianova admissions team.