Common Entrance From Overseas: 13+ Entry in 2027

Common Entrance (CE) is the paper-based exam, set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB), that many UK senior schools use for 13+ entry, and a child abroad sits it at a registered, approved centre: the current school, the senior school or a non-school venue such as a British Council. Some schools set their own papers for overseas candidates instead. The Summer 2027 written papers, for September 2027 entry, run 7–11 June 2027.

Leading Tuition prepares pupils across the full CE subject range and for the school-specific assessments that have replaced it. Tuition is delivered online via a high-quality video platform, meaning our specialist tutors are accessible to families regardless of location.

Which papers a school sets an overseas applicant, in the school's own words

Whether an overseas applicant sits Common Entrance at all is each senior school's decision, and the wording differs from school to school. Six schools are quoted below, each from its own page read on 4 October 2026; ask each school which entry year its wording serves. The school's page governs, and the first question for any school is which route applies to a child at a school abroad. For the format, subjects and marks of the papers, see our guide to the Common Entrance exam at 13+.

Harrow: Common Entrance in June of Year 8, three subjects as a minimum

Harrow's Year 9 entry page says what an applicant at a school with no Common Entrance preparation should expect: "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". It names English (Core), Science (Core) and Mathematics, with the Additional paper preferred, and adds: "Please note that the Additional Mathematics paper is compulsory for applicants from Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong". For a child in Year 8 in 2026-27, "June of Year 8" is the Summer 2027 sitting, for September 2027 entry.

The same page expects the Mental Arithmetic paper as part of Mathematics (Core). For French it says "If taking French, we would ideally like him to sit the speaking and listening examinations in French in May if possible", with the reading and writing paper in June of Year 8. Harrow's FAQ answers the overseas question directly: "Yes, although those not following the Common Entrance syllabus are only required to take a limited range of papers in the core subjects, for setting purposes." It also says "Applicants who do not receive specific preparation for CE are not disadvantaged." Our Harrow School 13+ page covers the school's other stages.

Oundle: its own examination for overseas applicants, and two months to query

Oundle's 13+ entry page lists 2027 among its upcoming years of entry: "We would be delighted to hear from families considering 13+ entry in 2027." It separates the routes. For UK schools: "For most pupils joining Oundle at 13+ from a UK school, entrance is through Common Entrance, sat in June of Year 8." For overseas applicants: "All overseas applicants sit the Oundle Entrance Examination in November of Year 8, also with papers in Mathematics, English, Science and normally a Modern Foreign Language, alongside an interview and Cognitive Ability Test."

Oundle's international pupils page lists 13+ entry as "Entry is by written examination in January before entry in September." The two pages give different months for overseas candidates at 13+, so the month, and the entry year it applies to, is a question for Oundle's admissions office in writing. Our Oundle School 13+ page carries the school's other arrangements.

Uppingham, Winchester and Rugby: papers set by the school

Uppingham's admissions page says "Pupils from schools that do not offer Common Entrance sit Uppingham’s non-Common Entrance papers". The page also covers overseas candidates, and our Uppingham School 13+ page sets out how those papers are sat from abroad.

Winchester's Winchester Entrance page, which describes the school's own examination, says "All candidates must take Winchester Entrance papers in Maths, English, Science, History and Geography." It continues: "Candidates from UK state schools and schools overseas should take the full range of papers, but be reassured that the prime requirements are Maths and English." Our Winchester College 13+ page covers the route in full.

Rugby's International Applicants page answers the general question. Under its heading "International Applicants: Year 9" it says "The admission process is the same as it is for UK residents." and "We expect all applicants to attend interviews at Rugby in Year 7." On the tests it says "We are happy for applicants to sit our entrance tests overseas under appropriate supervision." The same page adds "The assessment process follows the same steps as all UK-based families, with additional requirements of a UKiset report and the appointment of an accredited guardian."

Rugby's scholarship pages add their own tests. The 13+ Art Scholarship page says "Candidates from overseas or who attend schools that do not prepare for Common Entrance will be required to sit our entrance tests in English, Maths and Reasoning prior to the assessment day." The 13+ Music Scholarship page says "Candidates from overseas or who attend a school that does not prepare for Common Entrance will be required to sit our entrance tests in English and Maths on the same day as the audition." Our Rugby School 13+ page has the school's own route.

St Paul's: a Common Entrance condition that may attach to an offer

St Paul's 13+ selection procedure page is written for 13+ 2029 entry. On offers it says: "Offers made to boys who do not attend schools following St Paul’s prescribed curriculum in Years 7 and 8 will be subject to the same conditions on progress, conduct, and report, but we reserve the right to place additional conditions upon the offer. For example, one condition may be that they achieve a minimum of 70% in prescribed subjects at Common Entrance." The scope is boys at schools that do not follow St Paul's prescribed curriculum in Years 7 and 8. Whether a school abroad falls inside that scope, and which Common Entrance session would apply, are questions for the school's registrar in writing. Our St Paul's School 13+ page covers the earlier stages.

Where a child abroad can sit the papers, and who must approve the room

ISEB's centre registration form, the 2025-26 edition, states the rule: "All pupils taking the CE examinations must do so at a registered and approved examination centre." It names three kinds of centre. The first is the current school, described as "a UK prep school, maintained primary or junior school or international prep or junior school". The second is the senior school, "if the pupil is sitting the test at one of the schools to which they have applied". The third is an "approved educational or governmental independent exam venue, known as a ‘non-school venue’, such as a British Council".

Approval runs through the senior school. On the same form a centre confirms: "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 form adds "Written confirmation can be a form or an email." and "This form should be stored securely for 24 months from the issue." ISEB's families toolkit gives the same instruction from the family's side: "If your child's current school is not able to do so, you will need to source an appropriate examination centre in agreement with the senior school to which you are applying."

The form puts two questions to each centre that matter to a family sitting at a school or venue it has no link to. The first is "Does your Examination Centre accept external candidates?" and the form defines the term: "External candidate refers to a candidate that does not currently study with you or have previous connection to your centre." The second is "Do you charge a fee for invigilating the examinations?" A family should put both questions to the centre before anything is submitted. ISEB's parent guidance, dated 19 May 2022, sets out the order: "You should also ensure that the sitting centre has agreed to administer and invigilate the examinations, before the registration form is submitted to ISEB for processing." It also says "It is your responsibility to locate and organise a sitting centre for your child to sit the examinations."

Who may invigilate is set by ISEB's examination regulations, whose linked PDF is the August 2025 to June 2026 edition. Among the duties of heads of centres: "Ensure that a teacher who teaches the subject being examined, or who has prepared candidates for a particular examination, is not the sole invigilator" and "Ensure that any relative or friend of a candidate in the examination room is not the sole invigilator". The centre form says "You can have up to three invigilators per centre." Whether a child's home tutor counts as a teacher who has prepared the candidate is a question for the centre, in writing.

How the papers reach a centre abroad and how the scripts come back

ISEB's regulations say "Question papers are despatched approximately two weeks before the relevant examination period." For centres outside the UK, ISEB's parent guidance dated 19 May 2022 adds: "Overseas parcels are sent by DHL. You are advised to check with the sitting centre that the papers have been received and are being stored securely." That guidance is older than the 2025-26 regulations, so the courier is worth confirming with ISEB's CE support portal when the sitting is booked.

On marking, ISEB's regulations say "The ISEB Board expects all papers to be marked by the senior school for which a candidate is registered." The regulations then include a paragraph written for centres abroad: "Sitting centres outside the UK should check with the relevant senior school how they wish to receive candidates’ examination scripts. Some senior schools may require overseas sitting centres to scan, fax, email or post candidates’ examination scripts on a daily basis." The next sentence gives the alternative: "Others may require scripts to be posted in a single packet on the last day of the examination period and sent by the quickest and most reliable service." Which of the two applies is the senior school's choice, and it is one of the questions in the last section.

On timing, ISEB's regulations state "There are no published start times for examination sessions, but the timing prescribed for each examination must be strictly observed." and "Centres can conduct examinations in any order as long as the examination is taken on the timetabled day." They add "Candidates are not permitted to take an examination before the date shown on the timetable." Language listening papers sit on fixed days. For Summer 2027, ISEB's 13+ timetable shows French listening on Tuesday 18 May 2027, Spanish on Wednesday 19 May 2027 and German on Thursday 20 May 2027, with speaking on any of 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 May 2027.

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Dates by entry year, and who does the registering

ISEB sets out the pattern: "There are three CE at 13+ examination sessions each year, in November, January and May/June." The table gives the 2026-27 sessions as ISEB's CE at 13+ timetable lists them. Harrow's wording, "June of Year 8", makes the Summer 2027 sitting the one for a child in Year 8 in 2026-27, for September 2027 entry. Which session another school expects is that school's decision.

Sittings in 2026-27, ahead of September 2027 entry

Source: ISEB, CE at 13+ examination timetable, read on 4 October 2026.

Sittings ISEB lists for later years

ISEB also lists dates for the next two years, with this notice on its page: "ISEB is reviewing the examination timetables during the 2026-27 academic year following feedback from prep schools and will publish the timetables for the 2027-28 academic year in due course." The 2028-29 block carries the same notice for that year: "ISEB is reviewing the examination timetables during the 2026-27 academic year following feedback from prep schools and will publish the timetables for the 2028-29 academic year in due course." The dates below are the ones listed.

Source: ISEB, CE at 13+ examination timetable, read on 4 October 2026. The last column applies Harrow's rule from the Year 9 entry page.

Registration for a child who lives abroad

ISEB's families toolkit says "Your child will most likely be registered for CE examinations by their current independent prep or junior school." For a child at a school abroad that does not use CE, ISEB's centre page says "if the candidate’s current school does not use CE or the candidate currently attends a state or international school, their guardian may need to register them with ISEB directly." The toolkit adds that "The senior school to which your child is applying can also advise whether or not you need to register your child." Our guide to the ISEB Pre-Test from abroad covers the earlier online stage, and the 13+ hub for families abroad links the other steps. Families whose route starts at 11+ can start from the 11+ page for families abroad.

Only the first-choice senior school goes on the registration: "please ensure you only register your child for their first-choice senior school when using the registration system." Harrow's FAQ puts the limit from the school's side: "Yes, although he is only permitted to take the Common Entrance (CE) examination for one school."

For the Summer 2026 session, ISEB's registration page gave the parents' window as 27 January 2026 to 31 March 2026, and that window is past. For the Summer 2027 window, check ISEB's registration page. ISEB sets out its entry fees on its fees page for guardians. For the visa side, see our Child Student visa guide; for the year group a child joins, see which year group from overseas.

Extra time after fewer than three years of English-medium study, and dictionaries

ISEB's regulations begin with the dictionary allowance, which has its own condition: "Candidates whose mother tongue is not English are allowed to use English-to-mother tongue dictionaries, where this is their normal way of working." The next sentence gives the extra time: "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."

ISEB's page for schools words it a little differently: "Candidates whose first language is not English are allowed to use English to first language dictionaries." The condition matters more than the wording. The extra time depends on the years studied in English, and the agreement is made in advance with the first-choice senior school. The regulations also say a bilingual dictionary cannot be used in English papers, or in a modern foreign language paper testing one of the languages of the dictionary or a similar language, and that a dictionary used must be "Held in the centre under secure conditions" and "Thoroughly checked to ensure no unauthorised information has been written in the dictionary".

Questions to put to the admissions office and the centre in writing

Where a source stops, the answer has to come from the school or the centre. Each question is tied to a line quoted above.

1. Route. Which route applies to a child at a school abroad: Common Entrance or the school's own papers? Harrow, Oundle and Winchester word this differently, and Rugby says applicants may sit its entrance tests overseas under appropriate supervision.
2. Session and month. Which session do you expect for our entry year? Oundle's pages name November and January.
3. Papers. Which subjects and levels, and is a speaking examination needed in May?
4. Conditions on an offer. Does the condition on offers to boys at schools that do not follow your Year 7 and 8 curriculum apply to a school abroad, and at what mark? St Paul's names 70% in prescribed subjects as an example.
5. Approval of the room. Will you confirm in writing that this centre can act as an examination centre for our child? ISEB's form requires written confirmation from each prospective senior school.
6. Centre and invigilator. Does the centre accept external candidates, charge a fee to invigilate, and who would invigilate, given ISEB's rules on relatives, friends and teachers who prepared the candidate?
7. Clock. Which calendar day does the centre treat as the timetabled day, given its time zone? Agree it with the senior school in writing.
8. Scripts and extra time. Should scripts be scanned and emailed daily, or posted in one packet on the last day? Has the extra time for fewer than three years of English-medium study been agreed in advance?

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