Winchester College Admissions Guide and Tutoring

Winchester College Admissions Guide and Tuition

Winchester College

Winchester College is one of England’s oldest and most prestigious independent schools, founded in 1382 by William of Wykeham. Historically a boys’ boarding school, it now admits girls into the Sixth Form and offers a combination of boarding and day places. Known for its strong academic culture, distinctive tutorial-style teaching model (known as “Div”), and emphasis on intellectual curiosity, Winchester maintains a rigorous curriculum alongside a broad co-curricular programme spanning music, sport, the arts, and community service. The school is recognised for its scholarly tradition and for producing consistently strong examination results while fostering independent thinking and character development.

Winchester offers two admissions routes: 13+ entry and 16+ entry.

Since 2008, British Tutors has supported families in Hong Kong, Singapore, and across the region, guiding candidates through the Winchester application process and preparing them for success at every stage. Our team of UK School Entrance tutors is carefully selected for their expertise in preparing students for Winchester exams and interviews, as well as for their ability to inspire and motivate learners.

Sixth Form Entry (16+)

Winchester College is co-ed in its sixth form and offers both day and boarding places. The college encourages Sixth Form registrations when pupils are in Years 10 and 11 with the first round of assessments scheduled in November of Year 11.

Once registered, applicants are asked to sit an online assessment test in October of Year 11. This covers Maths, Vocabulary and Non-Verbal Reasoning. In November, shortlisted candidates are invited to attend an interview.

In December, successful candidates are then offered their places, conditional on achieving the required grades in their GCSE exams.

Year 9 Entry (13+)

Candidates applying for Year 9 at Winchester College need to register with the school by the end of UK School Year 5.

In November of Year 6, all boys sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English and Mathematics. A reference from the candidate’s current Head Teacher is also required at this stage.

Selected candidates are invited to Stage 2 of the process: an interview with a Housemaster or member of Senior Leadership Team between January and March of Year 6.

Boys who are successful in Stage 2 are then invited to sit the Winchester Entrance Exams in April / May of Year 8. The Academic Scholarship exam is known as ‘Election’. Election is taken instead of the Winchester Entrance exam and is a unique selection process involving both written examinations and interviews. Election typically takes place at the school in April or May of Year 8.

Places are usually confirmed in May of Year 8.

How hard is it to get a place at Winchester College?

The Winchester College admissions process prioritises potential rather than solely attainment, which is why it places considerable emphasis on interview performance. From an applicant’s initial enquiry, the College invests time in understanding each prospective family, ensuring that by the time a student begins their studies, they will have had several years to become familiar with the school. However, admission to Winchester College is highly competitive across all entry points. Demand for places significantly exceeds availability, and the school expects candidates to have strong academic potential, intellectual curiosity, and broader personal qualities.

Expert School Entrance Tuition for Winchester College Admissions

At British Tutors, we connect families with highly experienced UK School Entrance tutors who specialise in preparing students for entry into the UK’s top independent schools, including Winchester College. Our expert tutors have in-depth knowledge of individual school requirements and provide personalised tuition to match the specific admissions criteria of your child’s chosen schools.

Whether your child is preparing for Pre-tests, examination days, the Winchester College Exam or Elections, our tailored tuition programmes focus on subject strengths, areas for improvement, and targeted school preparation to maximise success.

Our Winchester College Tutoring Programme Includes:

Comprehensive Exam Tuition – Covering English, Maths, Science, and Modern Languages
Exam Practice & Technique Development – Using past papers and structured feedback
Computerised Pre-test Preparation – Familiarisation with adaptive test strategies and question types
Specialist Mock Interview Coaching – Building confidence and communication skills
Scholarship Exam Preparation – Advanced support for competitive scholarship exams

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Schools we have prepared students for include:

Benenden School
Charterhouse School
Cheltenham Ladies' College
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Eton College
Glendower Prep School
Harrow School
Highgate School
Latymer Upper School
Oundle School
Radley College
Rugby School
Sevenoaks School
St. Mary's School, Ascot
St. Mary's School, Calne
St. Paul's School
Summer Fields School (Prep)
The Dragon School (Prep)
The King's School, Canterbury
Tonbridge School
Uppingham School
Wellington College
Westminster School
Winchester College
Wycombe Abbey School