Guide · Entrance tests
What is
UKiset?
UKiset is an online assessment that UK independent schools may ask overseas applicants to take. It looks at reasoning and English, and schools read the results together with their own exams and interviews. This guide explains what it involves for a student applying from outside the UK.
On this page
01 / What it covers
Sections of the test.
| Section | What it looks at |
|---|---|
| Reasoning | Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning, drawing on GL Assessment's CAT4 （to be confirmed） |
| English | Reading and command of English （to be confirmed） |
| Writing | A short written piece that is passed to schools （to be confirmed） |
Reasoning
- What it looks at
- Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning, drawing on GL Assessment's CAT4 （to be confirmed）
English
- What it looks at
- Reading and command of English （to be confirmed）
Writing
- What it looks at
- A short written piece that is passed to schools （to be confirmed）
The format may change. Check the official UKiset site (opens in a new tab) for the current version.
02 / Who takes it
Who sits the test.
- Students living outside the UK who apply to schools that ask for UKiset （to be confirmed）
- Results go to the schools the family selects, and each school decides how much weight to give them
03 / Applying from abroad
Taking it from home.
How and where UKiset can be taken outside the UK: （to be confirmed）.
Schools usually want UKiset results before their own exams or interviews, so the test date is planned backwards from each school's registration deadline. If your child's current school year does not start in September, confirm the UK year group first — the application timeline shows how.
04 / Preparing
Getting ready.
- Learn the question typesWork through each kind of question so nothing on the day is unfamiliar.
- Strengthen English and mathsReasoning sections draw on vocabulary and number confidence, both of which build over months rather than days.
- Practise under timeTimed sets in the final weeks before the test.
05 / Questions
About UKiset.
Does a student pass or fail UKiset?
No. Schools receive the results and use them alongside their own assessments.
Can the test be retaken?
（to be confirmed）
Is UKiset required by every UK school?
No. Each school lists what it asks for in its admissions requirements.
About this article
- Written by
- （to be confirmed）
- Reviewed by
- （to be confirmed）
- Last updated
- 2026-10-31
Sources
- UKiset — official site (opens in a new tab)ukiset.com
- GL Assessment — CAT4 (opens in a new tab)gl-assessment.co.uk
Plan the preparation.
Tell us which schools you are looking at, your child's age and where you live.