ISEB Pre Test Hong Kong: UK Boarding Entry at 13+, 2026-27

1. Home
2. 13+
3. From overseas
4. Hong Kong

The ISEB Common Pre-Test is the online first stage some UK senior schools use for Year 9 (13+) entry, sat in Hong Kong at an approved invigilation centre such as the British Council Hong Kong, which books only after the school approves. Dulwich College holds its boarding entrance examinations for Hong Kong applicants in Hong Kong on Sunday 25 October 2026, and Sevenoaks School lists a Hong Kong assessment day on 9 January 2027 for September 2029 entry.

Leading Tuition prepares pupils across the full CE subject range and for the school-specific assessments that have replaced it.

Which England cohort does a Hong Kong form or ESF year put a child in?

Every date on this page serves one entry year, so the first job is to place the child. England counts a child’s year from birth date. The Department for Education defines it: “We use the phrase ‘normal age group’ to mean the year group a child would have been in had they entered school in the September following their fourth birthday.” A child born from 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2014 is therefore in Year 8 in 2026-27 and joins Year 9 in September 2027 (our arithmetic from that definition).

Hong Kong counts by calendar year. For Primary One in September 2027 the Education Bureau says “all Hong Kong children born on or before December 31, 2021, who have not attended any primary schools and have never been allocated a Primary One (P1) place, are eligible to join the Primary One Admission (POA) System for admission to P1 in September 2027”. The ESF schools write the same logic into their year groups: “Students are placed in year groups according to their date of birth (1 January – 31 December). Students usually start Year 1 during the calendar year in which they turn 5 years old.” Its secondary admissions page adds: “Students start Year 1 in the year they turn 5 years old, and will start Year 7 in the year they turn 11 years old”.

Winchester College’s 13+ guide prints a year-group table whose header reads “Age England Wales Scotland USA /Canada India Hong Kong China Germany France Spain Japan Australia”. Its Hong Kong column sets England’s Year 8 beside F1 and Year 9, the 13+ row, beside F2: “12 – 13 Year 8 S1 Grade 7 Class 7 F1 Junior 1 Klasse 8 5e 1º ESO Junior High Year 7” and “13+ 13 – 14 Year 9 S2 Grade 8 Class 8 F2 Junior 2 Klasse 9 4e 2º ESO Junior High Year 8”.

The table is our arithmetic from those rules: a typical placement, which a school can vary.

Source: our arithmetic from the Education Bureau, ESF and Department for Education wording quoted above, and Winchester College’s table for the form order.

The form does not set the cohort; the birth date does. A Form 1 child born in October 2014 is in England’s Year 7 cohort and enters Year 9 in September 2028, while a Form 2 child born in October 2013 is in the September 2027 cohort. The which-year-group guide has the same arithmetic for 11+ entry.

Where is the ISEB Pre-Test sat in Hong Kong, and who approves the venue?

ISEB opens the test to overseas pupils: “The tests can be taken by pupils in the UK and overseas.” It gives the window as “between August and May of each academic year” and leaves the deadline to each school: “Each senior school has a different deadline for when they want tests completed. If you are applying to multiple schools, then your child should take the tests before the earliest deadline.” The ISEB Pre-Test guide covers what the test contains. ISEB’s wording on venues:

• “Children take the ISEB Common Pre-Tests at an approved invigilation centre.” The list that follows includes prep schools, senior schools, registered governmental or educational locations and “British Councils worldwide”.
• “If your child’s current school does not usually host the Pre-Tests, it is quick and easy for them to get set up as an invigilation centre, and ISEB can support them throughout the process.”
• “Unfortunately, a parent or guardian cannot add a venue as a new invigilation centre.” “Parents and guardians should always confirm that their child can take the tests with the invigilation centre before selecting them during registration.”
• “If there are none in your area, contact ISEB for support sourcing an approved invigilation centre.”

The British Council Hong Kong sets out its booking steps on its entrance exams page: “If your child needs to sit an entrance exam to gain admission into a UK boarding or an overseas school, we can administer the entrance exams in Hong Kong. We also administer exams for Independent Schools Exams Board (ISEB) and UKiset.” The order of steps matters: “Inform the school or institution that you or your child would like the exam to be administered at British Council Hong Kong. Once the school or institution has given their approval for you to take the exam with us, submit Exam request form.” Its sessions have fixed hours: “Number of Sessions (Monday to Friday only, excluding public holiday)”, with “Morning Session: Starts at 10:00 a.m. and finishes by 1:00 p.m. ; or Afternoon Session: Starts at 2:00 p.m. and finishes by 5:00 p.m.”

Some school dates fall outside those days. Dulwich College’s Hong Kong date, 25 October 2026, is a Sunday, and Dulwich says “Registered applicants will be notified of the dates and venues.” Where a school asks for UKiset, “UKiset can be taken anywhere in the world through online invigilation.” The UKiset explainer covers the content, and the time-zones guide covers the clock difference when a school books a video slot from Hong Kong.

Which schools place a 13+ stage in Hong Kong, and for which entry year?

Of the 13 schools whose 13+ pages were read on 4 October 2026 for this page, 8 name Hong Kong: Dulwich College, Charterhouse, Harrow School, Tonbridge School, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Brighton College, Sevenoaks School and Winchester College. Whitgift and St Paul’s are included because they name only a British Council location, not Hong Kong, and are not among the 8. Each row gives the school’s own words, linked to the page that holds them, and the entry year they serve. Dates are written against Sunday 4 October 2026. The guide to UK boarding schools for Hong Kong and Singapore families lists schools; this page does not repeat it.

Year 9 entry in September 2027 (Year 8 in 2026-27)

Source: each school’s own admissions page or PDF, linked in the quotations, read on 4 October 2026.

Year 9 entry in September 2028 (Year 7 in 2026-27)

Source: Sevenoaks School, Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Charterhouse admissions pages, linked in the quotations, read on 4 October 2026.

Year 9 entry in September 2029 (Year 6 in 2026-27)

Source: Sevenoaks School, Harrow School, Tonbridge School, St Paul’s School and Winchester College pages, linked in the quotations, read on 4 October 2026.

Two more 13+ pages say where the first stage can be sat. Eton College’s sentence is general and is not written for overseas candidates: “Stage 1: Autumn term of UK School Year 6 All boys sit the ISEB Common Pre-Tests during October or November, either at their current school or at an agreed centre.” Wellington College’s is addressed to them: “Stage 1 (Oct/Nov Year 6) Candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test, an age-standardised series of tests in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. These tests are usually completed at the current school although a small number of candidates may take them at Wellington College. Overseas candidates can take the test at a British Council or an approved testing centre.” The British Council Hong Kong books only after the school approves, so whether a school accepts a sitting at that office is a question for the school in writing.

What Parents Say

DP

Deborah Prior

★★★★★

Confidence and progress

My son was low in confidence after COVID and the gaps in learning were building up. Using this service helped plug those gaps, rebuild confidence, and improve his ability to learn properly again.

NI

Nicola

★★★★★

Amazing tutors!

We arranged maths and English tuition ahead of GCSEs and both tutors were brilliant. My daughter's grades improved, and by results day she achieved two grades higher than in her mock exams.

See more reviews on Trustpilot

91% of our students achieve their desired grades, and we are rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026. A free consultation is the place to start for a child in Year 6, 7 or 8.

Which later stages still need a visit to the UK?

A first stage in Hong Kong does not tell a family where the second one happens. These are the schools’ own sentences, each with its entry point.

• Harrow School, Year 9 standard route: “If an applicant passes the ISEB CPT, we will invite him to sit the Harrow Test at the School in the Spring term of Year 6. The Harrow Test consists of one 20-minute interview with a House Master, a computerised English and Maths assessment (one hour in total) and a classroom-based group activity (20 minutes).” Harrow’s FAQ asks whether overseas applicants should attend a UK prep school or remain abroad and answers “Around 50% of those who take up a Year 9 place do attend a UK prep school.”
• Harrow School FAQ, late applicants: to “What happens if an applicant misses the application deadlines?” the answer includes “Unfortunately, we cannot assess late applicants from overseas schools.” That answer names no entry year, so whether it applies to a Year 9 Late Applicant is a question for Harrow in writing.
• St Paul’s School, Year 9 (13+): “If, following the review of the pre-test result and school report, the candidate is selected to sit the written assessments, these can be taken at a British Council Office, or similar approved invigilation centre. Having reviewed the examination results we will advise if the candidate will be called for interview. If so, this must take place in London at St Paul’s School.” “We will endeavour to interview overseas applicants on the Saturday of their choice so that, should they be offered a place on the Main List, parents can secure a place at a UK prep school for the two years before joining us.”
• Eton College, Stage 2: “Boys who are successful at Stage 1 come to Eton for assessment”. Wellington College, 13+: “invited to spend a day at Wellington”.

Four questions are worth putting to a school in writing: will you approve a sitting at the British Council Hong Kong, which later stage can be held by video, what does visa sponsorship cover, and is a place tied to the parents living in the UK? The video interviews guide covers interview formats.

How does Common Entrance work for a child at a Hong Kong school?

Common Entrance at 13+ is the Year 8 examination for children whose schools use it. ISEB sets the calendar: “There are three CE at 13+ examination sessions each year, in November, January and May/June.” The British Council Hong Kong is a possible invigilator: “We provide invigilation services for the Common Entrance Exams by ISEB.” ISEB’s form for exam centres adds: “I understand that my test centre will need to have written confirmation from each of the candidates’ prospective senior schools confirming our venue and staff can act as an examination centre for the school and candidate/s.” The papers are covered in the Common Entrance guide.

ISEB publishes an allowance for candidates whose first language is not English: “Candidates whose first language is not English are allowed to use English to first language dictionaries. They are also allowed up to 10% extra time if they have studied in the medium of English for fewer than three years. This must be agreed in advance with the candidate’s first-choice senior school.” Harrow sets a rule by place of schooling. For an applicant whose school does not prepare for Common Entrance, Harrow’s Year 9 page says: “An applicant at a school that does not prepare for CE at all, for example a state-maintained school or an overseas school, who has been offered a place at Harrow will be expected to sit CE examinations in three subjects in June of Year 8 as a minimum; namely English (Core), Science (Core) and Mathematics (Core and preferably the Additional paper. Please note that the Additional Mathematics paper is compulsory for applicants from Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong).” That is Harrow’s own arrangement for offer-holders. The overseas arrangements are in the Common Entrance overseas guide.

Which visa route applies to a Hong Kong family, and what changes at 13+?

A Child Student visa is the pupil’s own visa and a BN(O) visa is a family move. The 11+ route from Hong Kong covers the BN(O) visa for state grammar entry, so this section keeps to what changes at 13+. The BN(O) families guide covers life after arrival and the Child Student visa guide goes through the application.

Child Student visa: the pupil studies at an independent school

• Who: “You can apply for a Child Student visa if you’re between 4 and 17 years old and you want to study at an independent school in the UK.”
• When, from outside the UK: “Applying from outside the UK The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you start your course. You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.”
• Which schools: gov.uk lists among what a Child Student cannot do: “study at an academy or a local authority-funded school (also known as a maintained school) or further or higher education institution”
• Parents: gov.uk lists among what a Child Student cannot do: “bring family members (‘dependants’) - if a parent wants to accompany you, they’ll need to apply for a Parent of a Child Student visa” The parent route has its own condition: “Your child must be aged between 4 and 11 when you apply, and be attending an independent school in the UK.” The visa page adds the other way in: “They can only get this visa if either: you’re under 12 years old you have a brother or sister who is under 12 years old and also has a Child Student visa” Winchester’s table gives Year 9 as ages 13 to 14, so a parent’s route at 13+ would depend on that sibling condition (our reading).
• Guardians: “If you live in the UK with someone who is not your parent, they must be one of the following: a foster carer a close relative a nominated guardian - you can only live with them for up to 27 days in a row A nominated guardian must be at least 18 years old. They can be nominated by your parent, legal guardian or school.”

Schools attach their own conditions to sponsoring a pupil. Dulwich College, for Year 9 boarders: “Sponsorship is available for Boarders entering the college from Year 9 (13+) through to Year 12 (16+). We do not sponsor day pupils or weekly boarders for Child Student Visas or Student Visas.” St Paul’s School, for Year 9 and above: “Please note that all pupils sponsored by St Paul’s School must be in full time boarding and they must also have an educational guardian who is a British citizen or has Indefinite Leave to Remain.” The educational guardians guide sets out the guardian side.

BN(O) visa: the family moves together

gov.uk states the route: “If you’re from Hong Kong and are a British national (overseas) you and your family members can apply for a British National (Overseas) visa.” Study is allowed: “study (including at school, college or university)”. For a child: “In most cases, children under 18 need to apply with both parents, unless: one parent has sole responsibility for them one parent already has a BNO visa one parent has the right to live in the UK permanently, for example if they are a British citizen” On where the child lives: “The child must normally live with you, unless they’re either: living away from home to study applying after you’ve already moved to the UK” DfE’s list of routes for children who are part of a family entering the UK includes “Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) ( BNO ) and their dependants who have applied, at the same time, to move to the UK as a family”.

At 13+ a family’s route can decide which schools are open. Westminster School states: “International pupils under the age of 16 must have parents resident in the UK in order to apply for a 13+ entry place at the School.” Whether a BN(O) family that has moved counts as “resident in the UK” is a question to put to the school in writing; the sentence is Westminster’s own arrangement. Whichever route a family takes, book a free consultation to plan around the dates above.

What the Home Office and census numbers count

Neither set of numbers counts families. ISC Table 4.1 counts non-UK pupils of Hong Kong origin in ISC schools, split by where their parents live. The Home Office table counts Child Student visas issued to Hong Kong nationals, by quarter of decision. In its section on pupils whose parents live overseas, the ISC says “Pupil numbers from Hong Kong have also fallen, continuing a downward trend in recent years, with a marked decrease in the latest year.”

Source: ISC Census 2026 and ISC Census 2025, Table 4.1, as printed. The 2026 column order is “Table 4.1 Non-UK pupils by country or country group of origin and parental location Total non-UK pupils Parents overseas Parents in UK % with parents overseas”.

Source: Home Office entry clearance visa outcomes dataset, year ending June 2026 (Excel), sheet Data_Vis_D02. The workbook’s Notes sheet says “Data from Q1 2026 onwards are provisional.” and “An outcome in a given quarter may relate to an application raised in a previous quarter.”

Frequently Asked Questions