General

The College welcomes applications for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18, although the main entry points to Glenalmond are at 12+, 13+ and 16+. Boarding and Day pupils are accepted throughout the school.

The College is aware of its legal and moral obligations to pupils with disabilities and makes every effort to meet particular individual requirements. Parents are asked to advise the Registrar should a potential pupil have a disability or any special need.

The College has an Episcopalian foundation but welcomes pupils from a wide range of ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds whose traditions of faith are observed and supported.

Academic

In accordance with the College's founding principles and tradition, entry to Glenalmond is through a process of academic selection as outlined below:

Second Form (Junior Entry)
A number of pupils are admitted each year into Junior Entry. This intake is designed to bridge the gap between the final year of the Scottish primary system (P7) and the early years of independent senior school. We would not normally expect pupils in preparatory schools to enter Glenalmond at this point. A Junior boarding/day fee applies for this year.

Entry to the Second Form is subject to our own academic assessment, which involves basic tests in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning. These tests are taken in February, although they can be offered at other times by arrangement with the Registrar.

Pupils wishing to enter this form should be 11 years old by 30th April preceding the year of entry. Please apply to the Registrar for an application form for Junior Entry.

Third Form
At 13+ prospective pupils at preparatory schools will sit either the Common Entrance Examination set externally but marked at Glenalmond, or the Academic Scholarship examination which is both set and marked by the College.

Prospective pupils coming from other schools take our own assessment tests in basic English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning. Additionally a reference is required from the applicant's current school.

Fourth Form
At 14+ pupils enter immediately into the two year GCSE course and are assessed similarly - through our own basic tests and by recommendation from their current schools.

Fifth Form
Entry directly into the Fifth Form (halfway through GCSE courses) can pose problems with preparation for these examinations, but applications at this stage are considered on merit.

Sixth Form
For entry into the two year A Level Course, the minimum entry requirement is 5 GCSE grades at B or above, or equivalent Standard Grade/Intermediate 2 scores. In certain subjects (e.g. Maths) an A grade at GCSE would normally be expected.

In addition, Sixth Form Entrance Tests in the subjects proposed for the Sixth Form are taken in November ( or later in the year by arrangement with the Registrar). Prospective pupils also attend an academic interview.

Additional entry criteria for those whose first language is not English
For those whose first language is not English, we expect, as a minimum, an Intermediate standard (IELTS Grade 4 or equivalent) of written and spoken English in order for pupils to be able to meet the requirements of academic courses. Please contact the Registrar for information on guardianship requirements for overseas pupils.