The UWC Atlantic Masters Experience (AME)
Take part in a unique opportunity as an adult to reconnect with the UWC mission or discover it for the first time.
The UWC Atlantic Masters Experience is an immersive 3-night course for alumni, parents and friends.
Over an action-packed long weekend, participants will engage in Systems Transformation Pathway (an International Baccalaureate Diploma pilot programme) workshops, challenge themselves in outdoor adventures, and align with UWC’s values of collaboration, leadership, and global impact.
Whether you’re an alumnus looking to reignite your UWC spirit or someone who missed the chance to study at a UWC college, this transformative experience invites you to continue your journey of lifelong learning and leadership.
2025 Course Information
Date: Thursday 19th June – Sunday 22nd June 2025
Location: St Donat’s Castle, Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan CF61 1WF
Ages: 18+
🤝Participant criteria: Groups and individuals welcome including alumni, alumni from other UWCs, parents and friends. A previous affiliation with UWC is not required.
Fee: £595 per person for a twin-occupied room or £695 per person for a
single-occupied room.
Application deadline: Place is secured on a first-to-apply basis. Applications close 31st May or when fully booked.
2025 course applications
Apply to the first UWC Atlantic summer education course for adults and take part in this unique opportunity
Apply
Programme
Thursday
Arrive in the afternoon and check in to your onsite boarding accommodation before familiarising yourself with the stunning 122-acre UWC Atlantic campus. In the evening, enjoy dinner in the grand Dining Hall of St Donat’s Castle. As a group, you will get to know one another and take part in an opening briefing led by Tom Partridge, Head of UWC Atlantic Experience.
Friday
Start the day with a morning energiser before breakfast and the daily briefing.
You’ll then immerse yourself in a one-day experience of the Systems Transformation Pathway, an innovative approach to education designed to equip learners with the skills to drive meaningful change.
Morning Session
Engage in interactive, group-based workshops exploring:
- Systems thinking and complexity
- Power structures and their influence
- Regenerative leadership
- Futures thinking and design
Through collaborative exercises, critical thinking challenges, and applied problem-solving, you’ll examine how the four core Impact Areas—Migration, Food, Biodiversity, and Energy—interconnect in the challenge of building a just and sustainable future. You will also be introduced to emerging tools in systems transformation, learning to analyse complexity, identify leverage points, and design interventions that tackle root causes rather than symptoms of global challenges.
Afternoon Session
After lunch, take your learning beyond the classroom with field-based applications across the UWC Atlantic campus. Key locations such as The Valley, Swap Shop, the Pond, and Moondance Café will serve as living-learning labs. You’ll engage in hands-on activities to observe and analyse complex systems, gather data, and collaborate on sustainable interventions. This experience will reinforce critical thinking, teamwork, and adaptive leadership, empowering you to apply systems transformation in real-world contexts.
After an inspiring day, unwind with dinner in the Dining Hall, followed by a sunset activity led by the UWC Atlantic Experience team.
Saturday
Begin the morning with an energising session before breakfast and the daily briefing.
Today, embark on an underground adventure as you explore the hidden world beneath Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Equipped with head torches and specialist gear, you’ll navigate through fascinating rock formations, underground waterways, and hidden passageways.
Caving is an integral part of the student learning journey at UWC Atlantic, offering a unique opportunity to challenge yourself, test your resilience, and develop leadership skills. Along the way, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the geology that shaped South Wales’ landscapes and the foundations of life on the surface.
Concerned about small spaces? Don’t worry—our experienced and qualified cave leaders will ensure a safe, enjoyable experience, guiding you through carefully selected routes tailored to the group’s abilities. They’ll highlight key geological features and facilitate challenges to enhance your underground exploration.
After returning to campus, enjoy a formal three-course dinner with wine, where you’ll meet past and present associates of the College, sharing experiences and insights from the UWC community.
Sunday
For the final day, awaken your senses with an energising cold-water dip before breakfast.
Then, embark on a historical guided tour of St Donat’s Castle, tracing its history back to the 12th century, long before UWC Atlantic became its home.
Gather for a closing briefing, reflecting on your experience before bidding farewell—re-energised and equipped to embody the UWC mission and values in your journey ahead.
Accommodation
You will all live together in an on-campus boarding house with dormitory-style accommodation. The house has a total of twelve dormitories split between two levels and each room is made up of four single beds per room. There is the option to book a single occupancy room or twin-occupancy room. The house has a kitchen and a shared common room.
Nutrition
There will be three nutritious meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner and all dietary requirements can be catered for. On-campus meals will be enjoyed in the spectacular Dining Hall and on days when the group will be off campus, a packed lunch will be provided. The house will also be equipped with supplies including coffees, teas, bread, jams, cereals, fruits and biscuits.
About UWC Atlantic
UWC Atlantic is the founding College of the UWC movement and offers transformative education for 16-19 year olds from around the world. Based on the 122-acre St Donat’s Castle campus on the coastline of South Wales, UK, we extend our outreach and host further education and learning experiences throughout the summer.
Viewing education as an experimental, experiential lifelong journey, the UWC movement has moved away from rigid frameworks and created a ‘no-limits’ approach that challenges traditional boundaries between the curricular and co-curricular and enables students of any age to discover their sense of self and purpose in our ever-changing world.
Applying to the UWC Atlantic Masters Experience
Application Criteria
The UWC Atlantic Masters Experience is a residential programme for adults, running from Thursday 19th June to Sunday 22nd June 2025. The course capacity is 12-24 participants.
You will be expected to arrive between 4-6pm on Thursday. The course ends at midday on Sunday.
To be eligible, applicants must be 18 or older on the programme’s start date. No prior experience or affiliation with UWC is required—this opportunity is open to anyone interested in experiencing or reconnecting with the values of the UWC mission. This includes alumni, alumni of other UWC colleges, parents and individuals who were unable to experience a UWC education. Groups of friends and networks who wish to share the experience together are encouraged.
Students currently studying at a UWC College are not eligible to apply.
You must be within reasonable health to take part in the physical activities. If you are unsure, please contact us.
We host a range of summer education programmes for 12-17 year olds; visit here for more information.
Fees
The cost of the program is £595 per person for a twin-occupied room or £695 per person for a single-occupied room.
If you are booking solo and choose a twin-occupied room, you will be paired with another participant of the same gender, based on the gender indicated on your official identification.
The fee is per person and includes all programme costs, accommodation, and catering. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from the College.
How to apply
If you’re interested in joining AME, please complete the application form. If your application is approved, an invoice will be sent due for payment within 14 days. If you require a payment plan or to extend the payment deadline, please discuss this with us. Unfortunately, at this time we do not offer scholarships; please only apply if you can cover the full costs of the AME programme.
The closing date for applications is 31st May 2025; however, we recommend booking as soon as possible as there are limited spaces for the programme. Before you apply please ensure that you have read the terms and conditions documents.
About Us
The UWC Atlantic Masters Experience (AME) is a residential course run by UWC Atlantic Experience – a team within UWC Atlantic dedicated to delivering exceptional summer programmes.
The campus is based in the rural 12th-century St Donat’s Castle in Wales and encompasses 122 acres of land including its own woodland, seafront, farm and valley.
Sitting on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, activities will take place close by, with some activities taking place in other areas of natural beauty in South Wales.
Contact Us
If you need to get in touch, don’t hesitate to contact us by email info@uwcatlanticexperience.com or call (+44) 1446 799 000.
Location
UWC Atlantic
St Donat’s Castle
Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan
Wales, UK
CF61 1WF
