Information as of 18 September 2026. We work to keep it accurate, but details can change or contain errors. Always check the official websites for the latest, correct information.
UK schools and universities guide
UK independent schools choose their own pupils. This page sets out the shared entrance tests, the assessment and visa route for international pupils, and typical fees, then uses Millfield School's published information as one worked example.
Lessons for students in the United Kingdom
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) describes Reception, Year 7 and Year 12 as key intake years. Some independent junior (prep) schools keep pupils until Year 8, who then move to senior school at 13+.[1]
| Year of entry | Main tests or selection | When taken |
|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | 11+ Common Entrance; ISEB Pre-Test | Year 6 (Pre-Test also in Year 7)[2][3] |
| Year 9 | 13+ Common Entrance and CASE; Pre-Test for deferred entry | Year 8 (Pre-Test in Year 6 or 7)[2][3] |
| Year 12 (Sixth Form) | Example: Millfield uses GCSE results, interview and tests | —[5] |
A dash means the information could not be confirmed from published sources. International pupils can also use UKiset.
ISEB's Common Entrance (CE) is the shared exam for pupils moving from prep and junior schools to senior schools, and has been used since 1903.[2]
| Detail | 11+ | 13+ |
|---|---|---|
| Taken in | Year 6 | Year 8[2] |
| Mainly used by | Independent girls' senior schools | Leading prep and senior schools[2] |
| Compulsory subjects | — | English, maths, science[2] |
| Exam sessions | November and January (mostly January) | November, January, May–June[2] |
A dash means the detail was not confirmed on the ISEB page.
Optional 13+ subjects are geography, history, classics, modern foreign languages and theology, philosophy and religion. Scholarship candidates can sit CASE (Common Academic Scholarship Examination), and the receiving senior school chooses which papers pupils sit and marks them.[2]
A set of four online, adaptive entrance tests (maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning) shared by many independent schools. Pupils usually sit them in Year 6 or Year 7, and schools use them to select for Year 7 entry or deferred entry into Year 9.[3]
UKiset was developed with Cambridge University Press & Assessment for international students applying to UK independent schools and British international schools. It measures academic potential and English, and is usually taken online with a remote invigilator. The result, the UKiset Profile, can be shared with several schools, which reduces the number of separate entrance tests.[6]
At ISC schools, 55.7% of pupils whose parents live overseas are in Years 12–13. As an example of Sixth Form entry requirements, Millfield School publishes the following.[1]
| Course | GCSE requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level courses | At least 30 points from best 6 GCSEs[5] |
| BTEC courses | At least 20 points from best 5 GCSEs[5] |
How the points are calculated could not be confirmed from the published information, so check with the school.
Selection at Millfield involves an interview with a senior member of staff and computer-based verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests. International students who cannot visit take UKiset.[5]
603 ISC schools hold a sponsor licence that allows them to accept international pupils on these visas.[1]
ISC schools have 57,214 pupils without UK nationality (10.9%). Of these, 22,941 (4.4% of all pupils) have parents living overseas, and 93.0% of that group board.[1]
The ISC points to VAT on fees and greater difficulty obtaining student visas as likely factors behind the fall in pupils whose parents live overseas.[1]
Independent school fees are normally quoted per term. Average fees at ISC schools are shown below.[1]
Assuming three terms a year, the average boarding fee comes to about £44,940 excluding VAT, or about £53,928 if the full 20% VAT is added. This is an estimate: confirm the number of terms and how VAT is charged with each school.[1]
VAT has applied to private school fees since 1 January 2025, at the standard rate of 20%, and it covers boarding fees too. It also applies to fees paid in advance from 29 July 2024 for terms starting in January 2025 or later.[1][7][8]
Schools have responded to VAT in different ways, and average fees excluding VAT rose 4.4% between January 2025 and January 2026. Average day school fees per term, excluding VAT, range from £4,473 in the North West to £7,580 in London.[1]
One school's published admissions information, to show how the pieces fit together at a boarding school.
Pupils sit it in Year 8, with sessions in November, January and May–June. The receiving senior school decides which papers they take.
UKiset is designed for international students, is usually taken online with remote invigilation, and one result can be used for several schools. At Millfield School, international students who cannot visit take UKiset.
The Child Student visa is only for independent schools and cannot be used for academies or local authority-funded schools.
Up to 6 months before the course starts if applying from outside the UK, or 3 months if applying from inside. You need an unconditional offer from an independent school.
The average ISC boarding fee is £14,980 per term excluding VAT. Assuming three terms, that is about £44,940 a year, or about £53,928 with the full 20% VAT; check actual fees with each school.
ISC schools have 1,400 pupils with Japanese nationality (January 2026): 690 whose parents live overseas and 710 whose parents live in the UK.
Planning to apply to UK universities and schools? Talk to Nansu Juku.
Tell us your year group, your subjects and grades, and where you want to study. We help you plan the scores, subjects and application steps. Consultations for families considering our courses are free.
Checked against each source on 2026-09-17. Entry requirements, deadlines and fees change every year, so always confirm with the official pages for the year you apply.
