UK Education Guide · 03

Entrance exams explained

UKiset, the ISEB Common Pre-Test, Common Entrance, CAT4, schools' own papers and 16+ exams, compared.

← All guidesLast checked: Oct 2026

There is no single UK entrance exam. Most independent schools combine a shared screening test with their own papers and an interview. Here is what each one is, and which of the schools we profile mention it.

Side by side

	UKiset	ISEB Common Pre-Test	Common Entrance (13+)	CAT4	School's own exams	16+ entrance papers
Set by	UKiset, with Cambridge University Press & Assessment	Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB)	ISEB sets the papers; the senior school marks them	GL Assessment	The school itself	The school
Who it's for	International applicants to many UK independent schools, often non-native English speakers	11+ and 13+ candidates to schools that subscribe to it	Mainly pupils at UK prep schools moving on at 13 (and some at 11)	Ages 6–17+; used by some schools for overseas or remote applicants	Applicants to that school, at any entry point	Entry to Year 12 for A level or IB
Format	About 3 hours: online with an invigilator or at an approved centre	Online, adaptive, multiple choice; about two hours in all; sat once a year, often at the child's current school	Written subject papers, often sat at the prep school	Digital or paper; reasoning, not curriculum knowledge	Written papers, online tests, interviews, group activities or an assessment day	Subject papers for the A level or IB subjects chosen, plus interviews; offers often conditional on GCSE results
Subjects	Adaptive reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, maths); English reading and listening; a handwritten essay	English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning	English, maths and science, plus chosen humanities, languages or classics	Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning	Usually English and maths, often reasoning; some add languages or science	Usually 2–4 papers in intended subjects; English proficiency for non-native speakers
Timing	Any time before the school's deadline; a report is valid for one year, with a gap of about four months between attempts	Mostly Year 6 (autumn); some 13+ schools test in Year 7	Spring or summer of Year 8, usually after a place has been offered	Set by the school	Varies; often November–January before entry	Autumn of Year 11, roughly a year before entry
How it's scored	Standardised scores, stanines (1–9) and percentiles, plus a CEFR level for English; no pass mark	Age-standardised scores (average 100), shared with every school you apply to; parents do not usually see them	Marked by the receiving school against its own required standard	Standard age scores (average 100) with confidence bands	The school's own marking, combined with interview and reports	School's own marking; final offer usually set as GCSE grades

UKiset

Set by: UKiset, with Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Who it's for: International applicants to many UK independent schools, often non-native English speakers
Format: About 3 hours: online with an invigilator or at an approved centre
Subjects: Adaptive reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, maths); English reading and listening; a handwritten essay
Timing: Any time before the school's deadline; a report is valid for one year, with a gap of about four months between attempts
How it's scored: Standardised scores, stanines (1–9) and percentiles, plus a CEFR level for English; no pass mark

ISEB Common Pre-Test

Set by: Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB)
Who it's for: 11+ and 13+ candidates to schools that subscribe to it
Format: Online, adaptive, multiple choice; about two hours in all; sat once a year, often at the child's current school
Subjects: English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning
Timing: Mostly Year 6 (autumn); some 13+ schools test in Year 7
How it's scored: Age-standardised scores (average 100), shared with every school you apply to; parents do not usually see them

Common Entrance (13+)

Set by: ISEB sets the papers; the senior school marks them
Who it's for: Mainly pupils at UK prep schools moving on at 13 (and some at 11)
Format: Written subject papers, often sat at the prep school
Subjects: English, maths and science, plus chosen humanities, languages or classics
Timing: Spring or summer of Year 8, usually after a place has been offered
How it's scored: Marked by the receiving school against its own required standard

CAT4

Set by: GL Assessment
Who it's for: Ages 6–17+; used by some schools for overseas or remote applicants
Format: Digital or paper; reasoning, not curriculum knowledge
Subjects: Verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning
Timing: Set by the school
How it's scored: Standard age scores (average 100) with confidence bands

School's own exams

Set by: The school itself
Who it's for: Applicants to that school, at any entry point
Format: Written papers, online tests, interviews, group activities or an assessment day
Subjects: Usually English and maths, often reasoning; some add languages or science
Timing: Varies; often November–January before entry
How it's scored: The school's own marking, combined with interview and reports

16+ entrance papers

Set by: The school
Who it's for: Entry to Year 12 for A level or IB
Format: Subject papers for the A level or IB subjects chosen, plus interviews; offers often conditional on GCSE results
Subjects: Usually 2–4 papers in intended subjects; English proficiency for non-native speakers
Timing: Autumn of Year 11, roughly a year before entry
How it's scored: School's own marking; final offer usually set as GCSE grades

Our profiled schools that mention it

UKiset (8)

ISEB Common Pre-Test (16)

Common Entrance (13+) (0)

None of our current profiles names this test. Many UK prep-school pupils still sit it; ask us about a specific school.

CAT4 (2)

School's own exams (12)

16+ entrance papers (7)

Based on what each school's profile says today. A school not listed may still use the test, and requirements change each year.

Reading a standardised score

UKiset, the Pre-Test and CAT4 all report on a scale where 100 is the average for the child's age and most children score between 85 and 115. Stanines group the same scale into nine bands, 5 being average. Schools set their own thresholds; there is no national pass mark.

Our School Entrance Exam course →

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026

This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules, fees and dates change: always check the official source (GOV.UK, the exam board or the school), or ask us.

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