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The vast majority of Etonians go on to higher education, with roughly one third of leavers doing so after a gap year.

The universities programme begins in the Lent Half (term) of C Block (Year 12) once boys have found their feet with their A Level subjects. They are introduced to Unifrog, a career and higher education pathways research platform, and copies of Eton College’s Higher Education Guide are distributed prior to the C Block parents’ meeting in March, which is a focal point for higher education planning and discussion.

With all of the visiting speakers, society meetings, and academic prizes on offer to boys, Etonians are very well served in terms of the ‘super-curricular’ activities that university admissions tutors value so highly.

Sophie Lennon, UCAS Adviser

Boys experience a series of talks about the UCAS application process over the Summer Half of C Block, and we hold a Higher Education morning for them at which a number of leading universities deliver presentations. Boys are allowed leave to attend university open days by arrangement with their House Master.

Universities Guidance

In their Specialist years (Years 12-13), boys are fortunate to be able to choose a personal tutor whose academic interests coincide with their own, which means that tutors are in a position to provide tailored advice on the subject each boy wishes to study at undergraduate level. House Masters, who write boys’ university references, are another important source of guidance. The Director of Universities, assisted by the UCAS Adviser, delivers regular briefings on the application process and on developments within the higher education sector and is available for consultations with boys and parents throughout the academic year. Eton also has a Master-in-Charge of gap years, as well as Masters who advise on Irish, Canadian, European, Australian and other global universities.

We want our boys to make informed decisions about their futures. A university education is a once in a lifetime investment, so it is vital that boys end up choosing courses that are right for them.

Dr Thomas Day, Director of Universities
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boys received offers from US universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Brown and Dartmouth in 2021/22.

US and Global Universities

With over 15% of leavers applying to the US, supporting prospective US applicants is the joint responsibility of the Master-in-Charge and the US Universities Adviser. The US Universities Adviser also offers preparation classes for US standardised tests (SAT or ACT), for which an additional fee is placed on the school bill. Eton enjoys private test centre status for the SAT, allowing boys to sit tests on site. Eton also benefits from having an Annenberg Fellow, an annual post filled by a recent graduate of a top US institution. The US universities team not only advises the boys about their applications, including the essays that form part of the application, but also supports their House Masters and teaching Masters in preparing their references. Boys are encouraged to engage with the US universities team from D Block (Year 11) onwards through a series of lectures, visits by admissions tutors, and targeted advice at critical points in their Eton career.

A small number of Etonians go on to universities in the rest of the world, which have included Trinity College, Dublin, Canadian universities, Bocconi university in Milan, and the University of Hong Kong.

The pupils are very well prepared academically for the next stage in their education. Almost all pupils achieve offers of places at universities or similar institutions in the UK, the USA and worldwide which have very high selective entry requirements.

ISI inspection, December 2021

Donative Awards

Modest donative awards may be given to boys in need of financial support in order to attend university. Applications should be made to the Fees and Bursaries Accountant.