Uppingham School typically welcomes in excess of 200 new pupils each year.
Pupils join Uppingham at four key entry points: the Lower School (Year 7 and 8), Fourth Form (Year 9), Lower Fifth (Year 10) and Sixth Form (Year 12).
Most of the pupils at Uppingham are full boarders from the age of 13, with a dedicated day house for day pupils, and day-in-boarding places within boarding houses. More information about day and day-in-boarding places can be found here.
The first step of your journey with us is to decide when you would like your child to join the school
You can see your child's application journey using our calculator below.
The next step in your journey is to register your child for admission. Prospective pupils may be registered for admission at any age, and the process is quickly and easily completed online.
You can complete the registration form and pay the £250 registration fee (inclusive of VAT) using the link below.
Uppingham is best experienced in person, and we strongly encourage all families to come and join us for a Visiting Day, Individual Visit, or one of our additional Admissions Events.
You can find more information using the link below.
Pupils wishing to join Uppingham must complete a number of assessments before being formally offered a place. You can find information about this process at each of our entry points below.
For entry into Year 7 or 8, the assessment consists of an online computerised test in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, Maths and English. There will also be a short interview with a member of staff.
The Lower School test and interview process typically takes place in the Spring Term prior to entry the following September.
The majority of pupils applying for a place at Uppingham sit pre-tests during September to December of Year 7. There are two parts to our pre-tests:
1. Remote online assessment
Our online assessments are provided by Quest and comprise fifteen minutes each of verbal and non-verbal reasoning and thirty minutes of both maths and English. Ordinarily the online assessments would be completed at a candidate's current school but if this is not possible, they do so at a solicitor's office, via an approved agent or at a recognised independent examination centre (e.g. British Council). They can also take place here at Uppingham.
Quest provides its own parent guidance, as well as a Familiarisation Assessment that allows the candidate to complete practice questions, so they feel confident and prepared. These can be accessed here. Please be aware that we only use the Maths, English, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections.
2. Interview and Extended Writing Task
Candidates complete a 20-minute interview with a member of Uppingham staff. The interview and online assessments may take place in either order, and can be separated by several weeks.
Candidates also complete a 30-minute extended writing task, either during their interview visit to Uppingham or separately, if required.
Overseas candidates facing considerable travel may complete the interview and written assessment remotely. Parents requiring remote assessment must arrange invigilation at one of the following:
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, Uppingham staff cannot supervise remote testing. Interviews not held in person may be conducted individually via Microsoft Teams from the candidate’s home or school.
All candidates taking part in our pre-tests need to be registered in advance of arranging assessments.
Any application must also be supported by a reference from the candidate's current school, and we seek your permission to request this.
A sample extended writing paper is available on request from [email protected].
Further assessments take place in Year 8 to enable accurate setting for those already offered a place and for applicants new to the process who have yet to sit any testing with us.
Pupils at prep schools offering Common Entrance sit the examinations in Year 8 and are expected to achieve an average mark of 55%.
Pupils from schools that do not offer Common Entrance sit Uppingham’s non-Common Entrance papers: Mathematics (40 minutes) and English comprehension (40 minutes). These are taken at Uppingham from the Autumn term of Year 8 onwards for entry the following September and include an interview with a houseparent. Where necessary, overseas candidates may take the tests remotely as above.
Candidates taking our Academic Scholarship examination, do not need to sit our non-Common Entrance papers. More information can be found in our Scholarships section.
An updated reference from the candidate’s current school is also required during Year 8.
The structure of our houses creates places for pupils wishing to join Uppingham in Lower Fifth either for four years or for one year only. These candidates visit, register and take the entrance tests during Year 9.
The entrance tests comprise Mathematics (60 minutes) and English comprehension (40 minutes). Candidates who are not taught in English write an essay instead of completing the comprehension paper. The tests may be taken overseas where necessary.
Candidates also complete a 20-minute interview with a member of Uppingham staff. The interview and tests may take place in either order and can be separated by several weeks.
Applications must also be supported by a reference from the candidate's current school, and we seek your permission to be able to request this.
Candidates applying for 16+ entry follow either the Sixth Form Test and Interview route or take the Sixth Form Scholarship Examinations. The Test and Interview route comprises three papers:
Past and sample papers are not available.
All Sixth Form candidates sit Uppingham’s standard Mathematics and English papers, whether applying through Test and Interview or Scholarship.
Overseas candidates facing considerable travel may complete interviews and written assessments remotely, including most scholarship assessments; the Sports Scholarship is generally excluded. Parents must arrange invigilation at one of the following:
Uppingham staff cannot supervise remote testing. Interviews not held at Uppingham may be arranged individually via Microsoft Teams from the candidate’s home or school.
Candidates must register before assessments are arranged. Offers for Sixth Form places are made on or after 1 December each year for the following September.
Every candidate has at least one interview with a senior member of staff to explore their enthusiasm and academic suitability for A levels at Uppingham.
Any application should also be supported by a reference from the candidate's current school, and we seek your permission to be able to request this.
Upon completing the admissions process and fulfilling the entrance requirements, the Admissions Department will contact you to formally offer your child a place.