# UK boarding schools, from Singapore.

Source: https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/boarding-schools/uk

This guide is for Singapore families considering boarding schools in the UK. It explains the main entry points, how Singapore's January school year maps to the UK's September year, the entrance tests schools use, and visas and guardianship for students under 18, with links to official sources. British education is where ELT began, in London in 1984.

## 11+, 13+ and 16+.

| Entry | UK year group | Typical selection |
|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 | School's own exams, sometimes a pre-test; UKiset for many overseas applicants |
| 13+ | Year 9 | ISEB Pre-Test, then Common Entrance or the school's own exams; UKiset for many overseas applicants |
| 16+ (Sixth Form) | Year 12 | School's own tests in A-Level or IB subjects, interview |

Each school sets its own requirements. See [11+ and 13+](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/11-plus-13-plus) and [UKiset](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/ukiset).

## Two school calendars.

Singapore's local school year runs from January to November. UK school years start in September, and year groups are set by age on 31 August. A child in a Singapore local school is therefore part-way through a Singapore year when the UK year begins, and children born in different months of the same year can fall into different UK year groups.

Your coordinator maps your child's date of birth to the UK year group first. See the table in the [application timeline](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/application-timeline).

## What schools use.

- **UKiset**: Used by many schools for overseas applicants. [Guide](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/ukiset)
- **ISEB Pre-Test**: Used by some senior schools before 13+ entry. [Guide](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/iseb-pre-test)
- **School exams and Common Entrance**: English, maths and, at 13+, science. [Course](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/11-plus-13-plus)
- **Interview**: Many schools interview, in person or online. [Course](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/interview)

## For students under 18.

- Students aged 4 to 17 at independent schools usually apply for a Child Student visa. See [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa).
- Schools often require overseas boarders to have an educational guardian in the UK. ELT does not arrange guardians; we give you a list of providers to choose from (to be confirmed), and say if we receive a referral fee from any of them.
- Some guardianship providers are accredited by [AEGIS](https://aegisuk.net/).

## Time and distance.

The UK is 8 hours behind Singapore, or 7 during British Summer Time. After entry, lessons move to your child's UK timetable and reports still come to you in Singapore — see [tutoring for boarding school students](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/tutoring/boarding-school-students).

Fees are set by each school; boarding adds to tuition. Examples of schools: (to be confirmed)

## Partner schools.

Where we list schools, partner schools are marked. ELT may receive a referral fee from partner schools; this does not change the order in which we suggest schools. See [school applications](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/school-applications).

## Families ask.

**Which entry point suits a Singapore student?**

It depends on date of birth, current school and the schools you choose. 13+ is a common entry to many boarding schools; 11+ and 16+ are also possible.

**Do you guarantee a place?**

No. Schools decide admissions.

- [Independent Schools Council (ISC)](https://www.isc.co.uk/)
- [GOV.UK — Child Student visa](https://www.gov.uk/child-study-visa)
- [ISEB — Independent Schools Examinations Board](https://www.iseb.co.uk/)
- [UKiset](https://www.ukiset.com/)
- [AEGIS — guardianship accreditation](https://aegisuk.net/)

## Related

- [What is UKiset?](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/ukiset)
- [The ISEB Pre-Test](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/guides/admissions/iseb-pre-test)
- [Boarding school preparation](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/boarding-school-preparation)
- [Countries compared](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/boarding-schools)

## Map your route.

Tell us your child's date of birth, school and year.

- [Book a consultation](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/trial)
- [Boarding school preparation](https://www.eltschool.org/sg/en/courses/boarding-school-preparation)

Updated: 2026-10-28

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International education, supported one to one — from school subjects to the next school and university, with one coordinator throughout.

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