Key Deadlines for UK Boarding Schools
Applying to top UK boarding schools requires careful planning. Whether your target is Eton, Harrow, Wycombe Abbey or other elite schools, knowing critical deadlines is key to securing your place.
General Application Timeline
Top UK boarding schools have a structured admissions cycle, with key stages:
Registration Deadlines
Students need to register 1–3 years before entry into Year 7 (11+), Year 9 (13+) or Year 12 (16+), which requires a non-refundable application fee of £400 to £500. In general, more competitive schools require earlier registration. The most common entry point is Year 9 and Year 12.
For Year 9 entry, students need to register between Year 5 and 6. For Year 12 entry, students need to register from the end of Year 10 to the start of Year 11. While for some schools, registration will guarantee an interview, for other schools, students must sit and pass tests before being shortlisted for an interview.
Application and Assessment Process
For Year 9 applicants, once students enter the assessment process, they will need to apply for the ISEB Common Pre-Test, a computerized multiple choice test covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and Mathematics, which takes 2.5 hours. Students typically complete this age-standardized test in the fall term of Year 6. Students may also be asked to complete a written test, provide information about academic and co-curricular interests, and references.
Year 12 applicants need to submit their applications by September of Year 11. They will also need to submit a CV, recent school report, a handwritten letter to the Head, passport copy and academic reference. If these are satisfactory, they may be required to sit an online test in maths, vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning. Other schools may require testing in the students chosen A-level subjects, further rounds of testing, interviews and school tours. More competitive schools have more rigorous assessment procedures and some only offer 20 places in Year 12.
Scholarships
Year 9 applicants usually need to submit scholarship applications between Year 7 to Year 8. Year 12 applicants usually need to submit scholarship applications at the time of applying, ie September of Year 11. Scholarships may be for academic, sports, music, drama or art. Some scholarships do not offer much financial assistance but are prestigious awards.
Interviews & Offers
Some schools will invite Year 9 applicants for an interview upon application, whereas selective schools will only invite students for interviews who have scored high marks in tests. The schools may also offer on campus tours. Offers are typically made in Year 6 or Year 7, with students required to accept their place within 1 month.
Year 12 applicants will typically receive an offer by December of Year 11. They are required to achieve their expected GCSE results which need to be submitted in the summer between Year 11 and Year 12.
Non-UK applicants should carefully check each school’s application requirements, such as UKiset testing and visa processing time.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the application process or have any questions about the timeline, please contact us below.
A student on the way to classes
英国顶尖寄宿学校关键申请时间节点
申请英国顶尖寄宿学校需周密规划。无论是伊顿公学、哈罗公学、威雅公学还是其他精英学府，掌握核心截止日期是获得入学资格的关键。
通用申请时间轴
英国顶级寄宿学校采用分阶段的标准化招生流程：
注册截止日期
学生需在入读7年级（11+）、9年级（13+）或12年级（16+）的1-3年前完成注册，并缴纳400至500英镑不可退还的申请费。通常，竞争越激烈的学校要求注册越早。最常见的入学点是9年级和12年级。
9年级入学：需在5-6年级期间完成注册
12年级入学：需在10年级结束至11年级初完成注册
注：部分学校注册后即安排面试，而其他学校需通过笔试筛选方可进入面试环节
申请与评估流程
9年级申请人：
进入评估阶段后需参加ISEB统一预测试（机考选择题，含文字推理、非文字推理、英语和数学，时长2.5小时），通常在6年级秋季学期完成。部分学校还会要求笔试、提交学术与课外活动陈述及推荐信。
12年级申请人：
需在11年级的9月前提交申请材料（包括简历、近期成绩单、手写给校长的自荐信、护照复印件及学术推荐信）。通过初审者需参加数学、词汇与非文字推理在线测试，部分学校还会加试A-Level选考科目、多轮笔试、面试及校园参观。顶级学校评估流程更严格，部分12年级仅开放20个名额。
奖学金申请
9年级：通常在7-8年级期间提交申请
12年级：与正式申请同步（即11年级9月）
奖学金类型涵盖学术、体育、音乐、戏剧或艺术领域。部分奖项虽经济资助有限，但具有极高荣誉价值。
面试与录取通知
9年级申请人：
部分学校注册后即安排面试，选拔性学校仅邀请笔试高分者参加。录取通知通常在6-7年级发放，需在1个月内确认学位。
12年级申请人：
通常于11年级12月前收到录取，最终入学需在11-12年级暑期提交达标的GCSE成绩。
国际生特别提示
非英国籍申请人需额外关注UKiset考试、签证办理时间等要求。
若您对申请流程感到困惑或需要时间轴咨询，欢迎通过以下方式联系我们。
*注：文中所有年级对应年龄阶段均按英国学制标注，如Year 7指11+岁学生群体。