Each academic year, around 35 new boys enter the Upper School into Year 12 (aged 16+). The majority of the new boys entering the Upper School will be boarders and they join the day boys and boarders moving up from Year 11, making a year group of around 250 students, divided into 23 forms. The number of day places available are limited and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Middle and Upper School Life
Middle and Upper School Life
Senior pupils on life in the Middle and Upper School.
We look forward to welcoming applicants and their families to the College. Tours of the campus will be available from the beginning of May for those looking for admission in September 2025. Please contact our Upper School Registrar by email or phone to arrange your visit, and for help and guidance with the application process.
Applicants should be 16 years old in September 2025 (born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009)
Number of places available
Approximately 30 boarding places. Day places are limited. Applicants for day places will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Upper School Registrar before registering.
Boarding applicants at schools in the UK will be invited to sit our entrance examinations at Dulwich College on Saturday 9 November 2024. Boarding applicants resident in Hong Kong will be invited to sit the entrance examinations in Hong Kong on Sunday 20 October. Boarding applicants in other overseas locations will sit the examinations in their country of residence at the College’s representatives' offices or the British Council in late October by arrangement with the Upper School Registrar. Applicants for day places will be invited to sit our entrance examinations at Dulwich College on Saturday 4 January 2025.
Interview for Shortlisted Applicants
Interviews may take place at Dulwich College or online, on dates to be advised.
Results
Published within three weeks of the examination or interview
Applicants will sit written examinations in each of the three subjects chosen to be studied at A level, except for subjects such as Theatre Studies, Physical Education, Art, and Design & Technology, where assessment will be by interview and a portfolio of work may be requested. Subject choice is important and applicants are advised to consider the Upper School Curriculum Guide carefully, and contact the Upper School Registrar to discuss your son's A level options and future plans. Applicants for whom English is not their first language will be expected to also pass the College’s English as an Additional Language examination.
Access Arrangements in Entrance Examinations
Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments for applicants based on evidence of need and normal way of working. They can include, but are not limited to, extra time, supervised breaks and use of word processor. Access Arrangements are reviewed by our Learning Support team and granted in line with JCQ regulations. To evidence a need and normal way of working, you will need to submit the following at time of application:
a letter/report from CAMHS, a HPC registered psychologist, a medical consultant, a psychiatrist, a Speech and Language Therapist; or
a letter/report from the Local Authority Specialist Service, Local Authority Sensory Impairment Service or Occupational Health Service; or
a current EHCP
We will also require a letter from the current school stating the pupil's normal way of working
The College needs this information so that it can assess an applicant’s particular needs and (if required) can consult with their parents about the adjustments which could reasonably be made to cater for those needs during the admissions process. Please indicate requirements at time of registration. If there are any changes to requirements, please inform the Upper School Registrar no later than 10 days before the entrance examination.
Interview
Applicants who perform strongly in the entrance examinations are shortlisted for interview which may be conducted in person or online. Our aim is to provide a friendly atmosphere for the interview during which applicants will be given the opportunity to provide further evidence of their academic strengths, discuss their interests, demonstrate how they might contribute to the College community, and have the opportunity to ask any questions they may have.
Requirements for entry to Year 12
The Upper School provides a demanding academic curriculum that requires both intellectual ability and a strong work ethic. It is therefore suitable only for boys who have both qualities.
For all applicants, places are offered based on their performance in the College’s entrance examinations and at interview.
For those applicants currently studying GCSEs, we also require 14 points as a minimum entry requirement, where Grades 8 and 9 = 3 points, Grade 7 = 2 points and Grade 6 = 1 point. We would expect applicants to achieve significantly higher than our minimum grade requirement. GCSEs should include English Language, Mathematics, and a grade 8 in the three subjects to be studied at A level, where those subjects are being studied for GCSE.
Selection
The offer of a place at the College is made based on
the applicant’s performance in the examination
an interview
a report from the Head of the candidate’s present school
Successful applicants who are offered a place are expected to complete two years of study.
Entrants who are required to take IELTS for immigration purposes or as evidence of language proficiency for their university application will be expected to take the IELTS test. Those who need support with this process will be given language preparation sessions and the College can arrange IELTS tests for these students.
Students in the Upper School study A Levels in a range of subjects from Classics to Humanities, Mathematics to Modern Foreign Languages, and the Sciences. The full range of A level subjects offered can be found in the Upper School Curriculum Guide. Further information about the entrance papers for subjects not featured here is available from the Upper School Registrar.
