Secondary schools abroad

Entrance tests and admission requirements for secondary schools abroad

Current page last update date: 2026-09-02

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Today, international students choose studying abroad because it allows them obtain the skills and knowledge they need for entering to the world's leading universities. SMAPSE offers you more than 700 of the best secondary schools for international students abroad: Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Spain and more. Full immersion in the language environment helps students significantly improve their command of foreign languages and overcome the language barrier. Large campuses, qualified native-speaking teachers, a wide range of activities and an engaging culture — everything makes studying abroad unforgettable.

Please, don't hesitate to contact SMAPSE experts at any time, as they are always ready to help you and answer all your questions.

Alternative destinations

Entrance tests and admission requirements for secondary schools abroad

Selective secondary schools rarely rely on grades alone. Most ask international students to pass a standardised entrance test that assesses academic potential and language readiness against local peers. The three most common assessments come from the UK and the United States, and each fits a different admission option.

UKiset — for British independent and British-curriculum schools

UKiset was founded in 2013 by Gabbitas, a UK educational consultancy operating since 1873, and was developed with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. It is an adaptive test that assesses academic potential and English language proficiency and compares each candidate against British students of the same age. Rigorous identity checks keep results secure and determine a candidate's strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences. With more than 2000 independent schools in the UK, the single UKiset report can be reused across several applications, so a family passes fewer separate entrance exams.

ISEB — Common Entrance and Pre-Tests for UK senior schools

The Independent Schools Examinations Board has designed admission assessments since 1904 and prepares pupils transitioning from prep and junior schools to senior schools at 11+ and 13+. Its Common Entrance examinations are taken at either 11+ or 13+, with Common Academic Scholarship papers offered at 13+, while the online adaptive Common Pre-Tests are taken in Year 6 or 7 and give an age-standardised assessment of ability. Registration for the Pre-Tests is handled by a parent or guardian through the Guardian Admin Portal. The board's reach is broad: more than 620 prep, junior and senior schools have used its examinations, pupils have sat them in over 50 countries, and candidates completed more than 520,000 papers in the last five years.

SSAT — the standard for private schools in the USA and Canada

The Secondary School Admission Test has served North American private schools since 1957. It assesses pupils in grades 3 through 11 on verbal, math and reading skills and adds a non-scored writing sample, divided into Elementary (grades 3-4), Middle (grades 5-7) and Upper (grades 8-11) levels. Candidates choose among three formats: paper, SSAT at Home and Prometric. The test year, which limits the number of sessions a student can take, will run from August 1 to July 31.

What each test costs

SSAT in the USA and Canada, Elementary level: $112 standard or school Flex, $172 Flex with an educational consultant,
SSAT in the USA and Canada, Middle and Upper level: $177 standard or school Flex, $250 Prometric, $263 SSAT at Home, $272 Flex with an educational consultant,
SSAT international testing: $229 at Elementary level, $339 at Middle and Upper level.

Choosing the right test depends on the country and school type: UKiset and ISEB open the door to British independent and senior schools, while the SSAT is the expected option for North American private schools. Specialists from Smapse will support you at every stage of admission, from selecting the assessment to preparing the application.

Learning programs-summary information

Name	Meaning	Equivalent	Min. age	Duration, years	Next stage	Cost
GCSE	General certificate of secondary education	secondary education (non-accomplished)	14	1–2	A-Levels	15,000 USD+
A-Levels	Advanced level	secondary education (accomplished)	16	2	University	15,000 USD+
BTEC	Business and Technology Education Board	secondary special education	14	2–3	University/ work	15,000 USD+
Oxbridge Preparation	Preparing for Oxford and Cambridge	secondary education (accomplished)	17	1	University	15,000 USD+
International Baccalaureate	International baccalaureate	secondary education (accomplished)	16	2	University	18,000 USD+
Foundation/ Pathway Year	Preparatory year	admission to the 1st year of university	17	1	University	14,000 USD+
NCUK	The Northern consortium	2 year university	17,5	1	2 year University of NCUK	13,000 USD+
Special Preparation (Medics/Math/Business)	Specialized training	-	14	optional	optional	4,000 USD+
Academic English	Academic English	Language school	8 +	6–12 months	School or University	8,000 USD+

Advantages and disadvantages of English schools

Advantages	Disadvantages
The opportunity to enter the best universities in England, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Europe, the world	Expensive
High quality of education and academic standards	Strong workload
Perfect English after graduation	The need to change the social environment; it takes time to adapt
Useful contacts	The difficulty of choosing the most suitable school for the child, requires a qualified specialist

Top 21 boarding colleges in England 2027

1	Cardiff Sixth Form College
2	National Mathematics and Science College
3	Abbey College Cambridge
4	d'Overbroeck's College
5	MPW London
6	CATS Cambridge
7	Kensington Park
8	DLD London
9	King's College St Michael’s
10	Bellerbys Cambridge
11	Chelsea Independent College
12	MPW Cambridge
13	Bellerbys Brighton
14	CATS London
15	St Clare's Oxford
16	Bishopstrow College
17	CATS Canterbury
18	Bellerbys London
19	Ealing Independent College
20	Cambridge Tutors College
21	Abbey Manchester

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