Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, Catholic Benedictine, 11 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | York, North Yorkshire |
| Entry points | 11+, 13+, 14+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Computer-based CEM assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning on an assessment day at the school, then a 50% Common Entrance average or equivalent for prep school joiners |
| Test provider | CEM computer-based assessment (Maths, English, Non-Verbal Reasoning) set by the school; Common Entrance sat later by prep school joiners at 13+ |
| Day fees (2026/27) | £13,883 per term including VAT (College day, Years 9 to 13) |
| Boarding fees (2026/27) | £19,935 per term including VAT (College boarding, Years 9 to 13) |
| Assessment date | Saturday 16 January 2027 (Year 9 entry assessment day for children in Year 6 or 7); Basil Hume Scholarship assessments 26 to 27 November 2026. Confirm with the school as the linked page title differs. |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, arts, sport and JCB awards from Year 7 to Sixth Form; means-tested bursaries and Randag Fellows |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 37.13 (average grade B-) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly. Compare fees at other independent schools.
How do you get into Ampleforth College? Children join in Year 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 by registering with the admissions office, sitting a computer-based CEM assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, and meeting the Registrar, with Year 9 (13+) and Year 7 (11+) the usual routes into the school. Sixth Form entrants are judged on predicted GCSE grades, reports and an interview instead of that test.
The school describes the assessment as needing no specific preparation, and offers follow a Head's reference from the child's current school. The sections below set out each entry point, the stages in order, the scholarship and bursary routes and the fee structure, all taken from the school's own admissions pages.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 and Year 8 (Junior House) | Computer-based CEM assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning over two days at the school, sat mostly in January of Year 6 | Interview with the Registrar and an afternoon of activities with prospective classmates | Not published |
| 13+ | Year 9 | Computer-based CEM assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning on an assessment day at the school, then a 50% Common Entrance average or equivalent for prep school joiners | Interview with the Registrar and an afternoon of activities with future peers | Not published |
| 14+ | Year 10 and Year 11 | Assessment at the school in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with offers depending on school reports, results and interview | Interview with the Registrar | A number of new pupils join Year 10 each year; no figure published |
| 16+ | Year 12 | Predicted GCSE grades (minimum of three Grade 6s and two Grade 5s), latest school reports and a satisfactory Head's reference | Interview with the Registrar, in person or virtual | Around 40 additional students join Year 12 each year |
Entry points and places
Ampleforth admits pupils into every year group from Year 7 to Year 12, with a separate admissions page for each stage. Year 7 and Year 8 form Junior House, Year 9 is the 13+ entry into the main College, Year 10 is the usual joining point for the two-year GCSE course, and Year 12 opens the Sixth Form.
The school publishes a number of places for only one stage: around 40 additional students join Year 12 each year. The Year 10 page says only that a number of new pupils join, and the Year 7 and Year 9 pages give no figure.
- Year 7 and 8 (11+): entrance test, Registrar interview, afternoon of activities
- Year 9 (13+): the same test and interview, then Common Entrance for prep school joiners
- Year 10 and 11: assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, plus interview
- Year 12 (16+): predicted GCSE grades, reports, interview and Head's reference
How the 13+ assessment works
The 13+ assessment is a computer-based CEM test in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, taken at Ampleforth over the course of a single day. The school states that no specific preparation is required, so the test sets out to show how a child reasons and reads, whatever syllabus has been covered.
Most applicants sit it in January of Year 6 or Year 7, and children who apply in Year 8 sit it in November of that year. After lunch, candidates join an afternoon of activities with future peers.
Offers go to children who perform well. Those joining from a UK prep school must also reach a 50% average in Common Entrance, sat in June of Year 8, and pupils outside that system need an equivalent pass in their own Year 8 curriculum.
13+ tutors
Hannah
Master TutorI am a UK-qualified teacher with 15+ years across private and state schools in the UK and abroad, and hold a BSc from LSE and a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation. My approach is personalised, confidence-building and rigorous.
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Johanna
Expert TutorI have two decades' teaching experience in English Literature, English Language and Philosophy, and hold a PhD in English Literature. I teach GCSE, A-Level, Oxbridge entrance and UCAS personal statements. My approach is person-centred, working through dialogue and ongoing assessment.
Enquire about this tutorRegistration and the admissions timeline
Registration comes first, because the school requires it before any formal assessment begins. Parents complete a registration form and pay a non-refundable fee, and the school asks for copies of recent reports at the same time.
The recommended point is the beginning of Year 6 for Year 7 entry, the beginning of Year 7 for Year 9 entry and the beginning of Year 11 for Sixth Form entry. Later applicants are asked to contact Admissions to check availability.
- Register and send school reports
- Sit the entrance assessment and attend the interview and activities
- Receive an offer after the assessment day
- Accept by signing a confirmation form and paying a confirmation deposit, which the school refunds at the end of the child's time there
- Choose a House and attend welcome events
- The school then seeks a reference from the Head of the current school
Interviews and references
Every applicant is interviewed by the Registrar, whether they join at 11+, 13+, in Year 10 or 11, or at 16+. At 11+ and 13+ the interview sits alongside the afternoon of activities that follows lunch, and Sixth Form candidates may be interviewed virtually if a visit is not possible.
The reference comes from the Head of the child's current school and is requested after a place is accepted. If that Head raises a concern, the school reserves the right to reassess its offer, and Sixth Form offers state a satisfactory Head's reference as a condition.
What 16+ entry requires
Sixth Form entry requires predicted GCSE grades of at least three Grade 6s and two Grade 5s, together with the latest school reports. At registration the school asks to see both, and an interview with the Registrar follows, either in person or virtually.
Most offers are made in December of Year 11, subject to the required GCSE grades and a satisfactory Head's reference. Shortlisted candidates are invited to taster lessons in their chosen subjects in March of Year 11, with an optional overnight stay in a boarding House.
Scholarships and bursaries
Ampleforth offers scholarships at Year 7 and 8, Year 9 and Sixth Form, and means-tested bursaries for new applicants. Development Awards at Years 7 and 8 cover Academic, Sport, Music, Dance and Drama and are assessed alongside the entrance assessments; Academic and Sport awards carry a 10% fee remission. Year 9 Basil Hume Scholarships and Sixth Form Senior Scholarships are honorary, though Music scholars receive music tuition.
The JCB Scholarship is a Sixth Form award in Engineering or Business, assessed at JCB headquarters. A pupil may hold no more than two awards, and each scholarship carries its own application fee.
Bursary applicants must show that help with fees is needed and that they have approached educational trust funds. The school publishes no maximum share of fees. The Randag Fellows award supports some Catholic pupils who join in Year 9, subject to annual means testing.
Fees and what they include
Fees are published termly in four bands: College boarding and College day for Years 9 to 13, and Junior boarding and Junior day for Years 7 and 8. Each band shows the fee and VAT separately, and the termly total includes VAT, with an annual total alongside.
The fees page does not list what the fee covers. It says extras are kept to a minimum and made optional where possible, with charges such as music lessons set out in a Fees and Charges document from Admissions or the parent portal.
A 10% sibling discount applies to younger siblings of new families. Children of Armed Forces and Diplomatic Service personnel receiving the Continuity of Education Allowance pay only the mandatory 10% of boarding fees, and no other discount applies alongside it.
Where pupils join from
Pupils join from independent, state and international schools, and Junior House at Years 7 and 8 is the school's own entry point for younger children. The school names no feeder or partner schools on its admissions pages.
Joiners at 13+ from UK prep schools carry a conditional offer that depends on a 50% Common Entrance average. Those from schools that do not sit Common Entrance need an equivalent pass in their own Year 8 curriculum, and the school adds that Year 10 is the usual point for overseas applicants.
How to prepare
Preparation for the CEM test usually means familiarity with the computer-based format across Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, since the school asks for no specific preparation. Short, regular practice with non-verbal puzzles and reading comprehension tends to build ease on screen without adding pressure.
For the interview with the Registrar, it helps a child to talk comfortably about their school, interests and reasons for wanting to join. Children joining from prep schools should plan Year 8 revision towards the 50% Common Entrance average, and Sixth Form applicants should keep predicted GCSE grades at three Grade 6s and two Grade 5s or above.
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Preparing for the Ampleforth College 13+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Ampleforth College 13+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
The tutors we match to 13+ preparation are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families in the North of England and further afield work with us online, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 13+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact.
Read more about our 13+ Common Entrance tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you get into Ampleforth College?
- Register with Admissions before any assessment, then sit the computer-based CEM test in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning and meet the Registrar. Sixth Form applicants are assessed on predicted GCSE grades, reports and an interview. Offers follow, then acceptance with a confirmation deposit, and the school seeks a Head's reference.
- What is the Ampleforth College entrance exam?
- It is a computer-based CEM assessment in Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, taken at the school, with an interview and an afternoon of activities. The school says no specific preparation is required. Prep school joiners at 13+ also need a 50% average in Common Entrance, sat in June of Year 8.
- How much are Ampleforth College fees?
- Fees are published termly in four bands: College boarding and College day for Years 9 to 13, and Junior boarding and Junior day for Years 7 and 8, with VAT shown separately. A 10% sibling discount applies for new families. The current figures are in the fees field above.
- Does Ampleforth College offer scholarships and bursaries?
- Yes. Development Awards run at Years 7 and 8, Basil Hume Scholarships at Year 9 and Senior Scholarships in the Sixth Form, plus a JCB Scholarship in Engineering or Business. Means-tested bursaries are limited, and applicants must show that help with fees is needed. No maximum share of fees is published.
- When should families register for Ampleforth College?
- The school recommends registering by the beginning of Year 6 for Year 7 entry, the beginning of Year 7 for Year 9 entry and the beginning of Year 11 for Sixth Form entry. Registration must precede any assessment, and later applicants should contact Admissions to check availability.
- What do you need for Ampleforth College sixth form entry?
- Predicted GCSE grades of at least three Grade 6s and two Grade 5s, the latest school reports and an interview with the Registrar, which can be virtual. Offers are subject to the required grades and a satisfactory Head's reference. Around 40 additional students join Year 12 each year.
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