Everything you need to know about applying for the 4+ at UCS
/There are 32 places each year offered to the successful boys who pass their 4+ Assessments.
The first thing for you to do in you are interested in UCS for your son is to book a tour of the school. UCS offers small group tours and you can email them directly to book your tour. They prioritise tours to families looking to apply for the following academic year.
Registration for UCS is open any time after birth and closes in October before the proposed year of entry. Friday 10th October 2025 is the deadline for 2026 entry.
You can apply online here.
When you apply, you pay a £180 registration fee.
There are two assessments for this school at 4+ and the first round will take place on Monday 5th or Tuesday 6th of January 2026.
UCS clearly states that ‘no preparation is needed’ and this is 100% not the case. You can decide who you’d like to listen to. That is of course completely up to you. But having preparing hundreds upon hundreds of boys for this school, I know what I’m talking about. The second round is week commencing 19th January 2026. Both assessments are referred to as ‘play date’ assessments. Do not tell your son that they are going for a playdate if you want to have any sort of chance for success.
After you’ve been to the open day and you’ve applied for UCS at 4+, get to work.
This is a £27,500 a year school (pre-prep fees) and if you want your child to pass this assessment, you will prepare him to the highest possible standard that you can. Your son will be competing with between 400-500 other boys for 1 of 32 places.
Just be very clear about that.
