General Application Form
The first step in applying to Sevenoaks School is to send us a completed general application form. This can be downloaded from the downloads page.
The deadline for applications is 1 September of the year preceding entry, but we advise applicants to submit the general application form a little earlier than that. This application form is only the first step: after an application is made, we will send the registration forms (see below). These ask for more substantial information and will therefore be sent around June of the year preceding entry (or by return for later applications). It is advantageous to return the registration forms by 1 September.
The registration fee covers the cost of processing the application and the entrance tests. The charge is £100 for day applicants; £150 for boarders resident in the UK; and £200 for boarders whose parents live overseas. A payment form for debit/credit cards can be downloaded from the downloads page.
Candidate's/Parents' details
The information given on the general application form is used for all our communications. It is therefore important that you notify us of any change of email, postal address or circumstances during the application process. This is particularly important if you have applied some years in advance of entry.
Candidate's present school
Before we can offer a place, we must receive a reference from the candidate's present school. Under some circumstances parents prefer not to inform the school in the early stages; however, we must ask for the reference in good time and before the offers are decided in November.
Applications to other schools
As we have a limited number of places available, we recommend that all applicants consider an alternative school or schools. It is interesting for us to know which other schools the candidate is applying to, but it does not influence our admissions process in any way.
Visiting the School
While it is not always practical for overseas candidates to visit the school, we do encourage all applicants to come to Sevenoaks if possible. During a visit, we offer a tour of the campus and the boarding house (if appropriate), and the candidate has an informal interview with the Sixth Form Registrar to discuss their application.
It may be possible to arrange a video interview with the Sixth Form Registrar over Skype. To organise this, please email the assistant Sixth Form Registrar, Mrs Emily Smith.
Please note that it will not be possible to meet with the Sixth Form Registrar on the day of the entrance tests. Visits and interviews must be arranged separately.
We regret that we are not able to offer a scholarship to any student that has not previously been interviewed by the Sixth Form Registrar.
Registration forms
After receiving the general application form, we will send out (around June) a set of further forms. These include registration for entrance tests; application for scholarships and bursaries; IB subject choices; educational support; language support; and a request for a personal statement. We also send further information regarding the entrance tests (see below). Please note that these forms are not available online.
Registration for entrance tests
We expect students in the UK to come to Sevenoaks School to sit their tests at the beginning of November. Overseas applicants are also welcome to come on that day, although most will prefer to take the tests in their home country at the end of October. Please note that it will not be possible to meet with the Sixth Form Registrar on the day of the entrance tests. Visits and interviews must be arranged separately.
Candidates taking the tests overseas must arrange a suitable venue and an invigilator beforehand. The candidate's school is often the most convenient option, or the British Council or a similar authorised centre. Please note that we are unable to enter into correspondence with such centres: all organisation is the responsibility of the candidate or the candidate's parents.
Please write the invigilator's email address accurately: otherwise we will not be able to send the tests. We also request that all invigilators use an official school or institution email address rather than a personal one.
If the candidate is applying through an agency, it is usually not acceptable for the tests to be taken on the agency premises.
Scholarships & Bursaries
The registration form invites candidates to express an interest in co-curricular scholarships and/or bursaries.
Please note that a candidate can only be considered for one co-curricular scholarship as we expect a significant time commitment from our scholars.
All candidates are considered for academic scholarships: there is no need to make a separate application. Academic scholarships are offered with places in December, and are based on performance in our entrance tests and general academic information such as school reports.
Scholarships in Sport, Art and Drama are assessed after places have been offered in December. If a candidate is offered a place, we then invite them to the assessment day at Sevenoaks which is usually some time in February. We are not able to offer a Sport, Art or Drama scholarship to a student who does not attend the assessment.
Candidates who express an interest in a Music scholarship will be contacted by the Music Department to arrange an audition, or to request a CD/DVD of the candidate. Auditions take place in November.
Bursaries offer financial support for those who are unable to afford the full fees. Bursaries are means-tested and preference will be given to local day candidates. We will send a bursary application to any candidate indicating their interest on the registration form.
IB Subject choices
Please note the instructions carefully. For information on the various courses available at Sevenoaks, see the International Baccalaureate booklet which can be downloaded from the downloads page.
Note also that the information given on this form determines the entrance tests that the candidate will sit (see below), namely the three Higher Level choices. In some circumstances it may be advisable for a candidate to test in a subject they do not intend to take for Higher Level. This is acceptable, although we are only able to give detailed advice about subjects that have been tested.
Please note that for Economics, Psychology and Philosophy Higher Level no previous study of the subject is required. For the requirements of other subjects, see the International Baccalaureate booklet available on the downloads page.
All of our Sixth Form students follow a 6-subject diploma with 3 Higher Levels. It is not possible for a student to pursue 4 Higher Level subjects or an extra Standard Level subject.
Educational support
These forms must be completed in full, even if the candidate has no educational needs.
Language support
The information given on the language support form enables us to advise candidates on suitability for various courses, particularly A and B languages. Please complete this form as fully and honestly as possible: this information allows us to provide appropriate support and recommendations for language study.
Based on the information given on this form we may request that a candidate sits an English Language test with their other entrance tests.
School reports and other information
We ask for every candidate to send in their latest school reports or grade transcript. These can be supplemented by later reports. Earlier reports are also welcome but give less up-to-date information.
We are happy to include in our assessment any other relevant documents that you wish to send.
Personal Statement
The Personal Statement is an opportunity for the candidate to inform us of their wider interests. At Sevenoaks School we place great emphasis on the contribution a student makes to the co-curricular life of the school. Therefore the Personal Statement is an important part of the overall assessment.
The IB CAS programme requires all students to be involved in creative, sporting and service activities. The Personal Statement allows us to assess a candidate's suitability for this aspect of the diploma.
There is no particular format expected. A full account of the candidate's achievements and interests is all that is required.
The Tests
Every candidate is tested in the three Higher Level subjects they select on the Subject Choices form, plus Standard Level Maths (if Maths is a Higher Level choice, there will be an additional Higher Level Maths paper). Non-native English speakers may also be asked to sit an English Language test, depending on their circumstances and the information given on the Language Support form.
All tests are 1 hour long.
Sevenoaks School welcomes students from all educational backgrounds. As a consequence, our tests are broad and where possible do not require knowledge of specific topics (eg History, English, Languages etc). For Maths and the Sciences we ask a range of questions, most of which should be accessible to all candidates.
There is a list of recommended textbooks in some subjects for those who wish to prepare for our tests. They may also be of help to those who have been taught in a language other than English.
Every candidate receives a document giving advice for the individual entrance tests. This information is necessarily brief but is intended to help the candidates prepare. We regret that the Admissions office is unable to give further information regarding the content of the tests.
Offers
Offers of places are sent by postal mail and email at the beginning of December. Around 80 students per year can be accepted: in recent years we have received many more applications and have therefore been obliged to turn down good candidates.
We hope to keep a small number of candidates in reserve, in case a place is not accepted or arises for other reasons. Unfortunately it is impossible to predict the chances of a place arising in the future. We are aware of the difficulties this may present to parents considering other offers, but we feel that keeping a candidate's details on file is preferable to a straight rejection. We encourage you to contact us if you are facing a deadline from another school.
We consider our reserve candidates as a pool, not a list: there is no ranking order or priority. When a place becomes available, we offer to the most suitable candidate given the vacancy.
Please note that we are unable to give feedback on our entrance tests as they are designed only for our internal use and do not correspond to any external criteria. Please refer to the candidate’s current school for detailed study advice.
For more information, please contact us using the Sixth Form Admissions Contact Form.