# Application timeline, from any calendar.

Source: https://www.eltschool.org/intl/en/guides/admissions/application-timeline

UK boarding schools start their year in September and place students by age on 31 August. This guide shows how to find your child's UK year group from their date of birth, wherever they go to school now, and then lists the stages of an application counted back from September entry.

## Age to UK year.

| Age on 31 August | UK year group in September | Entry point |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Year 7 | 11+ |
| 12 | Year 8 | — |
| 13 | Year 9 | 13+ |
| 14 | Year 10 | — |
| 16 | Year 12 (Sixth Form) | 16+ |

Based on the UK's 31 August cut-off. Schools apply their own age rules and may place a student differently, so confirm with each school.

## Where your child's year starts.

| Current school year starts | What to check |
|---|---|
| August or September | The move usually lines up with the UK year; confirm the year group with each school |
| January or February | Your child will leave part-way through a school year; check which UK year group applies and which topics the new class has already covered |
| Another month | Map the date of birth to a UK year group first, then plan the months between the two calendars |

Your coordinator checks the age rules of the schools you choose.

## Counting back from September.

| Stage | What happens | When (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Compare countries and schools | Draw up a shortlist; visits or virtual tours | Two to three years before entry (to be confirmed) |
| Register | Apply to each school before its deadline | Set by each school |
| Pre-tests and UKiset | Online tests used early in selection | Often around two years before 13+ entry (to be confirmed) |
| Exams and interviews | School exams, Common Entrance or the school's own papers; interviews | Set by each school |
| Offers | Accept a place and pay a deposit | Set by each school |
| Visa, guardian and travel | Child Student visa, educational guardian, flights | The months before entry |
| Start | Join the school in September | — |

## Families ask.

**We are starting late. Is it still possible?**

Often, depending on the schools and the entry point. A coordinator can check the deadlines for the schools you have in mind.

**Can my child join a younger year group?**

Some schools allow this and others do not; it is each school's decision.

- [GOV.UK — school admissions and starting age](https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-starting-age)
- [GOV.UK — Child Student visa](https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa)
- [ISEB — Independent Schools Examinations Board](https://www.iseb.co.uk/)

## Related

- [Boarding school preparation](https://www.eltschool.org/intl/en/courses/boarding-school-preparation)
- [UK boarding schools](https://www.eltschool.org/intl/en/boarding-schools/uk)
- [What is UKiset?](https://www.eltschool.org/intl/en/guides/admissions/ukiset)

## Work out your timeline.

Send us your child's date of birth, current school and the country you live in.

- [Book a consultation](https://www.eltschool.org/intl/en/trial)

Updated: 2026-10-31

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ELT School — one-to-one online lessons with native English-speaking specialists. Founded in London in 1984.

ELT School is operated by ELT Education Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and ELT School of English Ltd. (London, United Kingdom). All lessons are contracted with ELT Education Inc.