A traditional British Boarding School that welcomes the world!
We have a long history of welcoming international applications and currently host students from many parts of the world, including Dubai, China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland. We also have an award-winning portfolio of international schools.
Cranleigh offers international students the opportunity to be part of a modern British boarding school family – enjoying the benefits of a truly beautiful rural English space, alongside proximity to the entertainment and cultural opportunities offered by London.
We are a boarding school in every aspect of our day to day life, where our international students are immersed in British education and social culture.
Cranleigh is committed to creating and maintaining a community that is both diverse and equal. Our international boarders live, study and relax alongside their British counterparts gaining both language skills and a unique cultural perspective of English life. At weekends international students have the opportunity to take part in a varied programme of events and activities including cultural events in London such as gallery and museum visits (for example: Tate Modern, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the British Museum), historical outings (Buckingham Palace, the Cabinet War Rooms, Westminster Abbey) and of course, the wonderful entertainments which London provides access to (the Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet, the West End, Royal Festival Hall.)
We also encourage our international students to share aspects of their unique culture with fellow students, recognising the opportunity this provides for their British counterparts. In this way, our students all learn from each other, gaining a wider global perspective on life.
Our international students always receive English language support in small, mixed-nationality groups where required.
Guardians and Visa requirements
All boarders, including students aged 18 and over, whose parents are either permanently or temporarily overseas, must have a guardian in this country with whom we can make contact should an emergency arise.
This guardian should be a member of the family (but not a student) or a member of a guardianship agency belonging to AEGIS. In routine matters and decisions about hospital treatment, the Housemaster/mistress and then the Headmaster will normally stand in loco parentis.
If your child is offered a boarding place at Cranleigh School and requires a visa to study in the UK, we may be able to sponsor your child. We ask that, prior to submitting the visa application, you pay the first year’s fees in full to assist a smooth process. Our admissions team will guide you through the visa application procedure and provide you with support for any visa enquiries. We do not charge a visa administration fee for this service.
We take our duties as sponsors for educational visas very seriously. Recent changes to the expectations of sponsors by UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) require us to be aware of the immigration status of every one of our students, whether day or boarding and regardless of nationality. You may be required to upload a copy of your child’s passport information page, and visa/biometric information if relevant. This enables us to comply fully with our responsibilities as a visa sponsor. The information you provide will be stored and processed confidentially and securely and the school will process personal data about you and your child in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the School’s Data Protection Notice which is available here.
What is the deadline for overseas applications?
The deadlines listed on this website apply to both UK and international applicants. Applications from overseas are not treated any differently to those from the UK.
Visit Admissions Process pages
How good does my child’s written and oral English need to be?
All subjects are taught in English at Cranleigh School, meaning pupils must have a high level of fluency in English, both written and spoken. All international applicants must therefore complete a UKiset test as part of their application to the school. This can be arranged independently, or through your agent. UKiset is a well established assessment tool used by many British schools to help measure academic potential and English language skills. The results compare candidates against British students of the same age and can be sent to up to five schools as part of your application process.
How many places for overseas students are there each year?
We do not have specific limits on the number of overseas students that we admit year on year, although we do try to ensure that a balance of nationalities is maintained to ensure a truly international experience for any child attending Cranleigh.
Further information and the application process
We welcome agents/parents to contact us prior to registration to arrange an informal discussion regarding applications to Cranleigh. We are happy to discuss the English language requirements and the application process in more detail with you and of course to arrange a private tour of the school at a time to suit you – please contact our admissions team via email in the first instance on admissions@cranleigh.org We look forward to hearing from you!
How do I apply?
Please view our 13+ and 16+ application process (links below) for submission dates as these are the same for international applicants. We are always happy to consider late applications where places allow.
- Register using our online portal
- UKiset – For applicants wishing to apply to Sixth Form (16-18|) we have partnered with UKiset to support our assessments across the globe. Overseas applicants seeking entry in the Sixth Form only (16-18) are required to submit a UKiset result. This is an adaptive cognitive online test taken in English which assesses a pupil’s underlying academic ability.For more information or to register for the test please visit the ukiset website or contact UKiset at enquiries@ukiset.comOnce registered, the UKiset team will be in touch to make arrangements; no additional third parties are required. This includes organising an approved UK or international test centre where the candidate sits the test, or for online invigilation in the comfort of your own home.The deadline for submission of UKiset to Cranleigh for Sixth Form entry is 1st November in the year preceding entry (prior to your Holistic Assessment Day).
- Our friendly admissions team will invite you to submit your UKiset report.
- We will then invite you for further assessment either in school or via Zoom. This will include an interview.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
