International Admissions

Students from overseas have been an important part of Monkton for many years. At present, we have students from about 15 different countries. Students settle into boarding really quickly with the help of their Houseparents, their Tutors and their 'buddies' - a pupil who will show them the ropes and support them in those first few weeks when everything is so unfamiliar.

The friendships made across the different cultures are one of the great strengths of being a boarder here at Monkton. Overseas students can join the International Committee of Monkton which provides a social focus for all the students in the school who wish to share their international perspective. The committee organises cultural events and trips to some wonderful locations in the UK and also invites visiting speakers.

International Applicants

Entrance requirements 

Along with many other top independent schools in the UK, Monkton Combe School uses a cognitive ability test (CAT4). The test is the UK and Ireland’s most widely-used test of reasoning abilities, which measures verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning. 

In addition to the CAT4 test, we will require students with English as a second language to complete a written EAL paper, and provide their most recent school report. Alongside this, we will request a reference from their current school once we have been granted permission by a parent/guardian.

Once all of the tests and references have been received, the documents will be forwarded to our Senior Leadership Team for review. They will advise if the applicant can move ahead to an interview, which will either be completed in person or online.

Visa arrangements

Monkton Combe School is a licensed sponsor for the UKVI for international students applying for a child student visa which applies to international students wishing to come to the UK to study. When the offer of a place at Monkton has been accepted and the deposit paid, the School will provide the student with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) letter. A Child Student Visa Compliance charge of £125 will be added to the termly fee invoice for all students who are sponsored by the School for child student visa purposes.

Further information regarding applications for child student visas can be found at www.gov.uk/child-study-visa or by contacting the school's nominated immigration specialist partner Sable International.Sable is our trusted partner for all child students and UK Immigration applications. The company has been providing immigration services for over 30 years and is regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. We have retained Sable’s services to ensure all UK immigration applications are prepared in compliance with UKVI requirements.

Guardians 

The School requires that all students from overseas have a guardian resident in the UK and that they notify the School of the name and address of the guardian before they arrive. Guardians receive a letter outlining the School’s expectations of the guardian’s role.

International Agent Representatives

Monkton has a number of partnered agents in different countries, who can provide information, advice and assist with all aspects of the application process for international students. Please contact the Admissions Team for further information or if you are interested in becoming one of our partnered agents - [email protected]