Schools · Countries compared
Choosing a school abroad,
wherever you live.
This page sets out, country by country, what families need to know when they look at boarding and international schools outside their own country: the curricula taught, the ages at which students usually join, the entrance tests schools use, when the school year begins and what is asked of students under 18. ELT was founded in London in 1984, and we look at schools in every country through that British education lens.
On this page
01 / Compared
The main countries, at a glance.
| Country | Curricula you will often see | When students usually join | Entrance tests (examples) | School year begins | Students under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United KingdomCountry guide | GCSE / IGCSE, A-Level, IB at some schools | 11+, 13+, 16+ | UKiset, ISEB Pre-Test, 11+ and 13+ exams, CAT4, interview | September | The school may require an educational guardian in the UK |
| Switzerland | IB, British, American and Swiss programmes （to be confirmed） | Set by each school （to be confirmed） | The school's own tests (often English and maths), interview （to be confirmed） | August to September （to be confirmed） | （to be confirmed） |
| USA | American high school diploma (AP), IB at some schools （to be confirmed） | Mainly Grades 9 to 12 （to be confirmed） | SSAT, ISEE, English tests, interview （to be confirmed） | Late August to September （to be confirmed） | （to be confirmed） |
| Australia | State curricula, IB at some schools （to be confirmed） | Set by each school （to be confirmed） | AEAS, the school's own tests （to be confirmed） | Late January to early February （to be confirmed） | Welfare arrangements are needed for students under 18 （to be confirmed） |
| International schools in Asia | IB, British (IGCSE, International A-Level), American and others | Set by each school | CAT4, the school's own tests, English, interview; UKiset at some schools | Mostly August to September; check each school （to be confirmed） | Boarding and guardianship rules vary by school |
United KingdomCountry guide
- Curricula you will often see
- GCSE / IGCSE, A-Level, IB at some schools
- When students usually join
- 11+, 13+, 16+
- Entrance tests (examples)
- UKiset, ISEB Pre-Test, 11+ and 13+ exams, CAT4, interview
- School year begins
- September
- Students under 18
- The school may require an educational guardian in the UK
Switzerland
- Curricula you will often see
- IB, British, American and Swiss programmes （to be confirmed）
- When students usually join
- Set by each school （to be confirmed）
- Entrance tests (examples)
- The school's own tests (often English and maths), interview （to be confirmed）
- School year begins
- August to September （to be confirmed）
- Students under 18
- （to be confirmed）
USA
- Curricula you will often see
- American high school diploma (AP), IB at some schools （to be confirmed）
- When students usually join
- Mainly Grades 9 to 12 （to be confirmed）
- Entrance tests (examples)
- SSAT, ISEE, English tests, interview （to be confirmed）
- School year begins
- Late August to September （to be confirmed）
- Students under 18
- （to be confirmed）
Australia
- Curricula you will often see
- State curricula, IB at some schools （to be confirmed）
- When students usually join
- Set by each school （to be confirmed）
- Entrance tests (examples)
- AEAS, the school's own tests （to be confirmed）
- School year begins
- Late January to early February （to be confirmed）
- Students under 18
- Welfare arrangements are needed for students under 18 （to be confirmed）
International schools in Asia
- Curricula you will often see
- IB, British (IGCSE, International A-Level), American and others
- When students usually join
- Set by each school
- Entrance tests (examples)
- CAT4, the school's own tests, English, interview; UKiset at some schools
- School year begins
- Mostly August to September; check each school （to be confirmed）
- Students under 18
- Boarding and guardianship rules vary by school
Each school sets its own fees, including any boarding fees. Requirements differ from school to school, so the school's own admissions pages are the final word.
02 / Where to begin
Questions that narrow the list.
Families outside our market regions start from very different places, so we do not rank these countries. A few practical questions usually narrow the field quickly: how many hours' difference you can manage for calls and visits, how your child's current school year lines up with the new school's, which curriculum your child is following now, and how far your child will travel at the start and end of each term.
If the UK is on your list, the UK guide explains entry at 11+, 13+ and 16+. The application timeline shows how to place your child in a UK year group from their date of birth, whatever calendar their current school follows.
Preparation for entrance tests, interviews and applications is covered in boarding school preparation.
03 / Guides
Read further.
- Country guideUnited KingdomEntry at 11+, 13+ and 16+, tests, visas and guardians.
- Guide · TimingApplication timelineFrom your child's date of birth to a UK year group and the steps before entry.
- Guide · Entrance testsWhat is UKiset?The online test UK schools may ask overseas applicants to take.
We add guides for further countries when families ask about them.
Partner schools.
When we name schools, partner schools carry a mark. ELT may receive a referral fee from a partner school; it has no effect on which schools we suggest or in what order. More on this under school applications.
About this article
- Written by
- （to be confirmed）
- Reviewed by
- （to be confirmed）
- Last updated
- 2026-10-31
Weigh the options with a coordinator.
Let us know where you live, your child's age and current school, and the countries on your list.