International Pupils

Dean Close Foundation schools are home to almost forty different nationalities.  We celebrate this and take enormous pride in the unique atmosphere such a demographic provides.  

International pupils can join us from Year 3 (ages 7+ to 13). 

HOW TO APPLY
Pupils applying for boarding places from homes outside of the United Kingdom are asked to apply via an educational agency.  The main reason we require this is to help pupils through the selection process, assist with paperwork, legalities and translation.  In addition, since every pupil seeking to enter the School is required to take an entrance examination, it is necessary for a registered body to administer the testing. For international pupils who are not able to visit us during the admissions process we conduct Skype interviews.  If a pupil is already studying within the United Kingdom, they are invited to visit Dean Close where we can meet with them in person.

Pupils applying for day places can apply directly to our Admissions teams via the email addresses listed below.

LEVEL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIRED
Depending upon the point of entry, a reasonable level of fluency in the English language is required in order to access the curriculum.  However, a few pupils enter the Prep School with no English and are given intensive English as a Foreign Language lessons to help them during their first couple of years in the School.  This level of support can also be continued on into our Senior School if required.

English as a Foreign Language lessons are available at both the Preparatory and Senior School.

GUARDIANS
All international pupils must have a guardian based in the United Kingdom, not only to be a point of contact but to be able to arrange accommodation during holidays and exeat weekends. The School can recommend highly reputable guardian agencies but is not able to arrange guardianship for parents.

APPLYING FOR A VISA
The Dean Close Foundation is a Tier 4 sponsor and is able to sponsor pupils who are not nationals of a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland to come to the United Kingdom to study at Dean Close St John's.

Parents are asked to inform the Admissions teams upon initial contact if their child will require sponsorship from us.