How to Apply for a Place at a Boarding School

English boarding schools provide some of the best educational facilities in the country, although fees can be as much as an average UK salary. There are approximately 700 boarding schools in the UK offering mixed and single sex education. Competition for places is intense and good schools can often become fully booked a year before entry. It is important to make a good application.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Complete an application or registration form. This is an official request on behalf of the pupil to be admitted to the school, normally for the start of the UK school year in September. Parents will be asked to ensure that the child will conform to the rules and regulations of the school and that they can pay the fees when necessary.
2. Agree to advance payment of all fees and payment of registration fees, which are not normally refundable. In some cases, you may also be asked to pay acceptance fees, which are normally retained against the final term’s accounts and sign a contract.
3. Apply to more than one boarding school. Try not to apply for too many as it is important to think about whether the applicant and the school are suited. Many schools require children to sit entrance examinations as part of their application and it may not be advisable to force your child to prepare for more of these than necessary.
4. Satisfy the boarding school’s entry requirements, which will include taking a test or exam and possibly attending an individual interview. If it is not possible for the overseas applicant to be in the UK at the normal time of an exam, special arrangements can usually be made either by examining the pupil during a visit to the boarding school or by sending papers to an approved examination centre in the pupil’s home country.
5. Provide ndividual preparation and coaching. Boarding schools generally provide sample papers to assist pupils and there are often local teachers able and willing to offer help and advice. If there are difficulties do not be afraid to ask for advice from the schools involved.
6. Seek aid. Many boarding schools offer scholarships and awards for pupils aged 11+, 13+ and 16+. There are also financial awards for music, drama, art and sport. Scholarship candidates normally sit more advanced papers than the normal entrance exams, mainly in March, April and May. Further details regarding scholarship exams can be obtained from individual schools. Other forms of financial assistance may also be available for parents with a low income.

Tips & Warnings

• If your academic year runs from January to December, your child is likely to be one term behind pupils in the UK of the same age. It may be better for pupils to enter the UK system in the September following the IGCSEs, rather than try to catch up the lost ground over the year of the GCSE exams.