This guide is written for international families considering Clifton College（克利夫顿学院）: what kind of school it is, which programmes it offers, how overseas applicants are assessed, what the 2026/27 fees are, and how the application process runs from first enquiry to arrival. All facts come from the school’s official website (cliftoncollege.com) as of 5 August 2026. Fees and dates are reviewed annually, so always check the official site for the latest version.
Clifton College at a glance
Clifton College is an independent day and boarding school in Bristol, in the South West of England, offering continuous education from age 3 to 18 across three stages: Pre-Prep School (ages 3-7), Prep School (ages 7-13) and the Upper School with Sixth Form (ages 13-18). The school was founded in 1862 by Dr John Percival, received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1877, and describes itself as having more than 150 years of history; it became co-educational in the 1980s. Its motto is “Aim high, stay grounded”. Clifton College is a genuinely international community: the school states that around 35% of pupils join from outside the UK, more than 50 countries are represented, and no single nationality dominates. The campus sits at the heart of the Clifton neighbourhood, close to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and within walking distance of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. Bristol has its own international airport and two main railway stations, with a journey of about 1 hour 10 minutes to London Paddington; the city hosts the International Balloon Fiesta every August, a short walk from the school. These are the school’s own descriptions of itself and its surroundings.
Programmes and curriculum
The curriculum at Clifton College builds stage by stage. In the Upper School, the subject list is broad: art, business studies, classics, design and technology, drama, economics, EAL (English as an Additional Language), English, geography, history, ICT, mathematics, modern languages, music, PE, philosophy, politics, photography, PSHE, religious studies and the sciences. Year 9 connects what pupils have learned before and lays the groundwork for GCSE choices, which are made in the Lent term of Year 9; Years 10 and 11 are the GCSE years. In the Sixth Form, Clifton College offers A Levels and BTECs, with subject choices assembled from blocks A/B/C/D — most pupils use three blocks, and a fourth subject requires permission. Around 50 talented students from other UK schools and from overseas join the Sixth Form each year, and every Sixth Form pupil can take the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Music is a particular strength: the department offers a VCert in Music Technology for Years 10-11, Edexcel GCSE and A Level Music, and a Level 3 BTEC in Digital Music Production in the Sixth Form. The science department describes its tradition as running from the school’s opening in 1862.
Entry requirements and assessment
Clifton College expects all international applicants to have a high standard of English so they can learn alongside British peers, but the school does not publish a single minimum score or test threshold, so treat any third-party figure with caution. Registration is completed online and asks for a copy of the pupil’s passport and birth certificate, with a non-refundable registration fee of 200 GBP. Assessment depends on the year group. Applicants for Years 9, 10 and 11 who live overseas sit the CAT4 assessment and have a virtual meeting with the Director of Admissions; Sixth Form entry is assessed in two of the four A Level subjects the applicant plans to take, plus an English language paper, and school references are very important — all candidates are interviewed as part of the process. For younger overseas applicants in the Prep School, the same pattern applies: a CAT4 assessment and a virtual meeting when the family cannot visit. If a place is offered, the Admissions team sends a formal written offer letter; the school’s Visa Compliance Officer then explains the process of obtaining a Child Student Visa, and the pupil can travel once the visa is approved. Families who cannot visit the UK can arrange video calls, and prospective pupils are encouraged to come for a taster day to meet teachers and experience lessons.
Costs for 2026/27
Clifton College’s official 2026/27 fees are quoted per term and inclusive of VAT. In the Upper School, Years 9-11 cost 12,950 GBP as a day pupil, 17,795 GBP for flexi-boarding (up to 4 nights per week) and 19,835 GBP for full boarding (7 nights per week); Sixth Form costs 13,170 GBP (day), 18,555 GBP (flexi-boarding) and 20,725 GBP (full boarding). Fees cover all standard teaching, lunch for all pupils and daily meals for boarders. Additional charges may apply for House activities, co-curricular trips, learning support and English as an Additional Language, plus art and design technology materials (except for scholars), and public exam fees and re-marking costs are passed on to parents. The registration fee is 200 GBP and non-returnable; an acceptance deposit is required on entry (except for pupils moving internally from Pre-Prep to Prep or Prep to Upper), and the college reserves the right to charge an additional deposit for pupils whose normal residence is outside the UK. School fees are billed in advance and must be paid before the start of term, by direct debit or bank transfer. Occasional boarding is available at 80 GBP per night, wraparound care is included in the school day from 7:30am (with breakfast) until 7:15pm (4pm on Saturdays), and in the Prep School full boarding ranges from 13,305 GBP to 15,770 GBP per term depending on year group, with flexi-boarding limited to 3 nights per week for Years 4-8.
Boarding and student life
Boarding is central to life at Clifton College. The Upper School has seven boarding Houses — four boys’ Houses and three girls’ Houses — set around the main campus, each looked after by a Housemaster or Housemistress who lives in the House with their family, an Assistant, a resident tutor and up to five non-residential tutors. Most pupils are full-time boarders for seven days a week, while flexi-boarding covers up to 4 nights per week. The timetable runs Monday to Saturday; on Saturday evenings and Sundays, boarders join House or College activities, explore the shops and cafes of Clifton Village, or spend time on Clifton Down. House traditions include the House Song in the Michaelmas term, the Pens cross-country run around Ashton Court and the House Play in the Lent term. Outside the gates, the school points to Bristol’s cultural and sporting scene — the Redgrave Theatre on campus hosts touring productions, and the city is home to professional teams such as Bristol City (Championship football) and Bristol Bears (Premiership rugby). The vertical house model mixes ages within each House, with older pupils taking leadership roles, which the school describes as a mentoring structure that helps new international pupils settle in quickly.
Application timeline and planning
Clifton College does not publish a single application deadline: registration is rolling, so planning runs backwards from the target entry year. The autumn 2026 open events are 25 September (Pre-Prep and Prep, ages 3-11), 2 October (Sixth Form, ages 16-18) and 3 October (Years 7-11), and individual tours and video calls can be arranged year-round. For the 2026/27 academic year, the Michaelmas term opens on 8 September 2026 (new pupils and boarders arrive on 7 September for induction), with half term from 16 October to 1 November and the term ending 10 December 2026; the Lent term runs 6 January to 24 March 2027; and the Summer term runs 21 April to 8 July 2027. Families should start a year or more ahead of the target entry date, because assessment slots, offer acceptance, deposit payment and the Child Student Visa process each take time, and the visa lead time should be back-calculated from the start date. On arrival, the school’s EAL department tests pupils’ English — most non-native speakers are advised to take EAL lessons covering grammar, writing, reading, listening, discussion, debate and presentation skills — and the admissions and academic teams stay in regular contact to make the first weeks smooth.
Practical notes for applicants
A few points to hold onto when planning an application to Clifton College. First, choose the entry point by age and boarding style: flexi-boarding rules differ between Prep (up to 3 nights, Years 4-8) and Upper (up to 4 nights), and fees follow the boarding choice. Second, prepare the right assessment for your child’s year group — CAT4 plus a virtual meeting for overseas Years 9-11, or two A Level subject papers plus an English paper for Sixth Form — and arrange school references early, since they carry real weight at Sixth Form entry. Third, budget on the per-term figures above plus extras such as trips, EAL and exam fees, and note that overseas families may be asked for an additional deposit. Fourth, time the visa process backwards from the term start date. Fees and dates are reviewed annually, so the figures in this guide reflect the official website as of 5 August 2026 and may change; always rely on the latest version published by Clifton College. If you would like to map your child’s age, English level and target entry point against the application rhythm at Clifton College, our advisers can walk you through the details step by step.