How to get into Eton: The Eton List Test & Interview
What is the Eton admission process?
About 250 boys join per year. Boys sit the ISEB Pre-Test and then are invited to Stage 2 for the Eton List Test and interview.
Boys with birthdays between September and the first half of December will be assessed in late January/early February
Boys with birthdays between the second half of December and March will be assessed in late February/early March
Boys with birthdays between April and August will be assessed in late April/ early May
Stage 1 – The Eton Test
What is the Eton Test?
The Eton Test was developed by a cognitive testing team at Cambridge University. It is entirely online and there are no past papers to practise with. It is adaptive, meaning the test gets harder the better you are performing, and predictive, meaning it measures not just current ability, but also future potential. The test lasts one hour with a count-down timer for each section. There is a progress bar showing how many questions are left to complete.
It tests three areas:
Literacy: word associations, word recognition, cloze reading, SPAG
Numeracy: logic, shapes, patterns and sequences
Cognitive: arithmetic, process, mechanics, logic and speed work
How do you prepare for the Eton Test?
Although there are no past papers for the Eton List Test, there are several ways that boys can prepare. As with any school application, the key is to ‘do your stretches’: regular and steady preparation in advance is best. Oppidan support a great number of boys through the process and the work we do aims to provide greater familiarity with the exercises and processes involved, and thus boost confidence in advance.
We have created a plethora of unique resources for our mentors, and we host regular workshops and training sessions to ensure they are kept up to date with the latest requirements.
Nearly 9/10 Oppidan students win successful places at Eton
Eton List test example questions
There are roughly 12 types of question in the Eton test.
Types of questions:
1. Proofreading
Students are required to underline spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes. This is normally the first exercise of the test. Often, there’s a comprehension as the last exercise in this section.
2. Spot the Odd Word Out
Students are required to identify the odd word out in a group of words. The odd word out might be due to type, meaning, function, rhyming, and number of letters.
3. Cloze Reading
Students are required to read the passage and fill in the blank in the passage with the most suitable of 3 words.
4. Verbal Reasoning Questions
A host of standard VR questions such as synonyms/antonyms/ analogies.
5. Mental Arithmetic
An adaptive section that gets harder the more you get correct.
6. Word Swap in Sentences
Students are required to swap two words in a sentence so that is makes sense.
7. Fill-in-the-blanks Questions
Students have to use operations to work out the best fit for each question.
8. Memory Matrix
Students are shown grid of 9x9 squares containing a pattern which scatters after 10 seconds. They have to piece the jigsaw back to fit the original pattern.
9. Factory Ball
This involves shapes going into a machines; students have to work out the rules for each machine.
10. Comprehension
This is usually the last part of the test and questions come from the proofreading exercise – you can’t go back!
11. Essay Questions
A short, 5-minute discursive essay question (typed) on a debate-style analysis of something in the news.
12. Analysis
Questions and exercises will involve the ability to present clearly and rationally across an area of analysis tasks.
How is the Eton Test scored?
A, B or C
A - full place | B - waiting list C – rejection
In 2023 there were 1100 applications and 600 got through from ISEB to Eton Test. They have 150 on the waitlist and give out 240 places. 250 of the 1,100 students were from fully overseas and attend international schools.
Stage 2: The Eton Interview
What happens in the Eton interview?
The Eton Interview is measured on five main criteria. It is now delivered by housemasters rather than teachers.
1. Academia
The ability to convey an interest in a breadth of academic issues and topics, both in and outside of the classroom.
2. Fluency
The ability to communicate effectively, displaying original, organic thought of mind.
3. Extracurricular sport
The ability to display prowess on the sports pitch.
4. Extracurricular non-sport
The ability to display prowess within interests that are singular to the child specifically, whether music, drama or something broader.
5. Contribution to house
The ability to display an interest in contributing to one’s house, the ability to engage with boys and house staff with confidence.
The interview may involve poetry analysis, debates, thunks (questions that have no right or wrong answer) and picture analysis too, all within the context of testing a child’s ability to think critically.
What questions will they ask in the interview?
Questions in an Eton interview might include:
Why do you want to come to Eton?
What interests do you have outside of school?
What is your favourite subject?
Why do you like a particular subject?
What makes a good teacher?
Which books have you read recently?
How would your friends describe you?
What has been interesting you in the news recently?
What happens next?
If a boy is successful in the Eton list test, a conditional offer is made and the final assessment takes placed in Year 8 which depending on circumstances will be one of the Common Entrance, King’s Scholarship, or Eton’s own entrance examinations. A boy may be also placed on the waiting list and will be re-tested at the end of Year 7.
Frequently asked questions
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Eton does not publish any admissions data so this is difficult to say. At Oppidan, 9/10 of our students receive offers from Eton but more widely the statistics are:
At 13+, Eton has around 240 places and usually receives over 1,300 applications.
At 16+, Eton offers around four places each year and usually receives well over 75+ applications.
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According to the Eton College website:
A boy may be registered up until 30 June of the school year he turns 10 (UK school Year 5). After this the only route of entry will be through scholarships or Sixth Form entry, which open in Year 8 (for Year 9 entry) and Year 11 (for Sixth Form entry).
We advise prospective families contacting us as soon as possible in Year 5 so we can prepare a careful programme of study that takes the pressure of students.
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No! The school do not publish past papers, although there are familiarisation tests for the first stage: the ISEB Pre- Test. Instead of using a computerised test designed by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) part of GL assessment, the Eton test is supposedly developed in conjunction with Cambridge University’s Psychometric Centre connected to the Judge Business school.
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Preparation for the Eton test should be handled on a little but often approach. We recommend our mentors work with students weekly and that they start as early as possible. ‘Overkill’ is to be avoided and our mentors are trained to manage a student’s workload and ensure they achieve their potential in a healthy and happy way.
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On a standarised CAT4 score, prospective Etonians will be hoping to reach at least 120 and closer to 130. The CAT4 produces two scores, a National Percentage Rank or NPR and a Standard Age Score or SAS. SAS scores range from 69 to 141, and the average for each age group sits at 100, although this does range from 89-111. As part of the Oppidan 11+ journey (link), an APT test is included which gives an accurate score for the student’s current ability. It allows us to diagnose areas of challenge and celebrate areas of strength, it guides the direction of the journey and makes sure sessions are productive and highly focused.
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Eton does offer scholarships for students however these do not automatically ensure a reduction in fees. Bursaries are offered with substantial fee reductions, and these are means tested on a case by case basis. At 13+ the King’s scholarship started in 1440 and is designed for academically very able students. Exams are tough and include English, maths, science, humanities and languages. There are also music scholarships that prospective students can apply for and which can be supported by our team of pro mentors, particularly Conall who is a professional musician. At the 16+ entry point, scholarships are available for boys currently educated in the state system. These include the Orwell award for all-round excellence and there are also Music and Drama awards for prospective students too.
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With a near 90% success rate getting Oppidan students into Eton, we are ideally placed to support families with a mentoring approach to Eton applications. We’ve spent the past 7 years working with prospective Etonian students. Our approach entails support for both the computerized academic testing and skills necessary to give a successful interview. Our schools work with Eton itself is also deep and long-term with multiple programmes running in the academic year focused on mentoring students through essential skill development, fostering connections between Eton and its partners and ensuring Etonians are ready for the 21st-century workplace.
Find a mentor to help with Eton admissions
Our mentors are ideally placed for the Eton test and are ready to support your child. Mentor matching is carefully handled to ensure the best relationship is fostered and mentors are paired with students for the long term.