There is a huge choice of schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, taking pupils of all school ages. We can help you find the one that's best for you through our links to sites, our information on the UK education system and our advice on applications.

Why study in a UK school?
Academic success rates are high, and nearly all independent school pupils go to university, mainly in the UK. After going through the UK independent school system, a child will not only have benefited from one of the best educational experiences in the world, but will be a fluent speaker of English, which is becoming the global language of business and commerce.

All independent schools have to be registered with the government education departments in England and Wales, or Scotland or Northern Ireland. Education departments lay down minimum standards of facilities and teaching and can enforce them. All independent schools are inspected by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate in the same way as state schools. There is also an accreditation scheme run by the Independent Schools Council, which carries out inspections.

SCHOOL EXAMS
Most of the courses work towards standard public examinations. This makes sure that qualifications are consistent and recognised. These are usually General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs) for pupils aged sixteen (Scottish Certificate of Education Standard Grades in Scotland), and A-levels for pupils aged eighteen (Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers in Scotland). Some Scottish independent schools also offer GCSEs and A-levels as an alternative or exclusively. It is possible to study for the International Baccalaureate at many independent schools.

Tutorial colleges are usually for those aged sixteen and above. They offer a wide range of courses in small classes, including career-based courses and access courses. They also run one year courses to re-sit A-levels (which usually take two years).

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The fees you pay to attend independent school include your course fees, accommodation and may include some or all extracurricular activities, but it's to check exactly what is included with the school. You may be asked to pay extra for language tuition.

Fees vary from school to school and are at the discretion of the institution; there are no national standards. You should expect to pay a minimum of £8,000 per year and fees can be as high as £25,000.

HOW TO FIND BEST SCHOOL FOR YOU?
Finding the best school for your child is easy. Procedure for applying can vary from school to school but there are some general steps that are explained below.

Finding a school
Step one is to start searching for a school. One of the best places to start searching for schools is the Education UK website or Independent Schools Council Information Service (ISCis), which has a comprehensive and searchable database of its member schools. Other sites that you can use are Scottish Council of Independent Schools and Hobsons Guide to UK Boarding Schools.

Bear in mind that early application is strongly recommended. Applications for entry at the start of a new academic session (late August or early September, depending on which school) should preferably be made during the autumn months of the previous year. Application deadlines should be checked with individual schools.

Contacting the school and making an application
After you have found the school that suits your needs, step two is to contact the school and check their application procedure and school requirements. One of the requirements may also  include some sort of assessments and interviews and are usually held in the spring term - in January, February and March - although this varies from school to school. Special entry arrangements apply for pupils outside UK and for those whose first language is not English. You may also be required make advance payments for school fees. Please have in mind that Serbian citizens require visa for UK. More information about consular issues you can find on website of the UK Embassy in Belgrade.

Final preparation
Once entrance requirements have been met and the offer of a place confirmed, plans for the immediate future can be finalised.  Arriving in the UK early will allow an opportunity to visit the school before your child starts. It will give you the chance to meet the prospective housemaster or housemistress, to obtain the school uniform and to see something of the school.

Please have in mind that this is only general guide in applying for school in UK. More precise information are available at the school of you interest. Please have in mind that British Council in Serbia is not organising study in the UK. For other information about finding a school in the UK please don’t hesitate to contact us.