Eton List Test and interview: a parent’s guide
Eton College is one of the most sought-after schools in the world – and its admissions process has evolved significantly in recent years. This is a parent's guide to what's actually involved in 2026, written by mentors who have walked hundreds of boys through it.
Eton was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI and is today a full-boarding school for around 1,300 boys aged 13 to 18, organised into 25 boarding houses on a single campus across the river from Windsor Castle. It receives in the region of 1,300 registrations a year for approximately 250 places at 13+, the main point of entry. The admissions process now has three distinct stages: an initial ISEB Common Pre-Test and headteacher's report in Year 6; a second-stage assessment at Eton itself (an interview plus an online predictive test, often called the "Eton List Test"); and a final Year 8 qualifying examination. This guide explains each stage in detail, what the school is genuinely looking for, and how to give your son the best possible chance of a successful application.
Oppidan was founded by two Old Etonians, Henry Faber and Walter Kerr, who sat the Eton process themselves in 2003. Since then, nearly nine in ten Oppidan students applying to Eton have received offers. If you'd like to understand more about our approach, you can explore the Eton Journey at any point.
Registration: the deadline parents miss most often
The single most common avoidable mistake parents make is missing the registration window. A boy can be registered at any time up to the end of UK School Year 5, with the deadline being 31 August of that year – Eton extended this from 30 June, so older guides may still cite the older deadline. For 2028 entry, the deadline was 31 August 2025; for 2029 entry, it is 31 August 2026.
Registration requires the online form, a copy of your son's unabridged birth certificate (the "Certified Copy of an Entry" version, showing parental details), and a non-refundable registration fee – currently £480 inc. VAT, subject to change. After this deadline, the only remaining routes are the King's Scholarship and Music Awards (for which eligible boys can apply in Year 8 up to age 13) or Sixth Form entry at 16+. Full details and the online form are on Eton's Year 9 entry page.
Stage 1: ISEB Pre-Test and headteacher's report (Year 6)
The first formal stage of assessment takes place in the autumn term of Year 6. All boys sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test during October or November, either at their current school or at an agreed centre.
The ISEB Common Pre-Test is an online, age-standardised, multiple-choice assessment covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English and Mathematics. It takes about two and a half hours in total and can be taken in one sitting or split across several. A single set of results can be shared with multiple schools, so most boys are not sitting the Pre-Test for Eton alone.
Eton also requests a headteacher's report from the boy's current school covering academic strengths, interests and character. The school reviews both, and shortlisted boys are invited forward to Stage 2. Outcomes of Stage 1 are communicated in December.
Stage 2: The Eton List Test and interview
This is the stage most parents are searching for when they look up "Eton List Test". Eton's own admissions page describes it as "an individual interview and an online predictive test of academic ability and potential" rather than using the term "List Test" – but the name has stuck in parent and prep-school conversation, and the underlying assessment is broadly the same.
When the assessment happens
Boys who pass Stage 1 are invited to Eton for assessment in four age-banded groups during the spring and summer terms of Year 6:
Boys for whom significant financial aid is requested are assessed in mid-January
Eldest boys (birthdays from September to the first half of December) are assessed in late January or early February, with results in March
Boys with birthdays from the second half of December to March or April are assessed in late February or early March, with results in May
Youngest boys (birthdays from April to August) are assessed in late April or early May, with results in July
The online predictive test (the "List Test")
The online test is taken on a computer at Eton on the day of the assessment. It is adaptive (it gets harder the better a boy performs) and predictive (it is designed to measure not just current ability but future potential). Eton does not publish past papers, nor does it publish detail on the test's format. The test is widely reported in the sector to have been developed in conjunction with Cambridge University's Psychometric Centre, although Eton has not publicly confirmed this connection.
Based on what our mentors have observed across hundreds of boys, the test covers a range of question types across three areas – literacy, numeracy and cognitive reasoning. These have included:
Proofreading – identifying spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes
Odd-word-out – spotting the outlier in a group of words (by meaning, type, function, rhyme or letter count)
Cloze reading – filling in blanks in a passage with the best of three options
Verbal reasoning – synonyms, antonyms, analogies and similar
Mental arithmetic – an adaptive section that gets harder with each correct answer
Word swap – swapping two words in a sentence so it makes sense
Fill the blanks – using operations to find the best fit
Memory matrix – reconstructing a grid pattern after it scatters
Pattern logic puzzles – working out rules for shapes passing through machines
Comprehension – questions on an earlier passage
Short essay – a typed discursive piece on a topic in the news
Analysis tasks – exercises requiring clear, rational presentation of an idea
The school does not publish question types officially – the breakdown above is drawn from our mentors' work with candidates and may evolve year to year. The point isn't to drill these exact exercises; it's to make sure your son can handle the underlying skills the test rewards.
The interview
The interview is conducted at Eton itself, alongside the online test. It is widely reported – including across multiple specialist tutoring providers – that interviews are now conducted by housemasters rather than purely academic staff, although Eton does not publish the interview format. From our experience preparing boys, the conversation typically draws on five areas:
Academic interest – a boy's appetite for ideas inside and outside the classroom
Fluency – the ability to communicate clearly, with original thought
Extracurricular sport – genuine engagement with sport
Extracurricular non-sport – music, drama, art or anything else a boy throws himself into
Contribution to house – whether the boy will engage confidently with peers and staff in a boarding environment
The interview itself often combines conversation with a short cognitive task – poetry analysis, debate, picture analysis, or a "thunk" (a question with no right answer). Eton is testing how a boy thinks, not what he's been coached to say. Typical conversation starters our boys have encountered include:
Why do you want to come to Eton?
What interests do you have outside school?
What's your favourite subject – and why?
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?
The boys who do best are the ones who are themselves – curious, opinionated within reason, comfortable with silence, willing to admit when they don't know something.
What happens after a successful Stage 2 assessment
Boys who pass Stage 2 are offered a Conditional Place. To confirm it, parents pay an Acceptance Fee by the end of March in Year 7 (for Michaelmas 2025 entry the fee was £3,840, of which £500 is refundable when the boy leaves Eton; the figure is reviewed annually). During the first two terms of Year 7, parents and boys then meet a selection of Housemasters to find the right boarding house.
The final stage is the qualifying examination in Year 8 – the boy's Conditional Place is confirmed by passing one of three routes set out by Eton: the King's Scholarship, the ISEB Common Entrance, or Eton's own Entrance examinations. The Conditional Place is already in hand at this stage, but the qualifying examination is a real pass-or-not threshold that families should prepare for properly. Boys who are placed on the Waiting List rather than offered a Conditional Place are invited back for further assessment in the summer term of Year 7.
Eton scholarships and awards
Eton offers several routes to financial and recognition-based support. Parents often confuse them, so here's how each one works.
The King's Scholarship
The King's Scholarship is Eton's most prestigious academic award. Eton has 70 King's Scholars at any one time – the original 70 of the 1440 foundation – who board in College House under the Master-in-College and the Dame. Approximately 14 King's Scholarships are awarded each year, contested through a demanding examination held in late April or early May of Year 8.
The exam requires every candidate to sit compulsory papers in English A, English B, Mathematics A, Science and General I, plus at least three optional papers from French, Latin, Greek, Mathematics B, General II and History-Geography-Divinity. Candidates are assessed on the compulsory papers plus their best three optional papers. Eton publishes King's Scholarship past papers from 2019 onwards on its own website – unusual transparency for an exam of this calibre. King's Scholarships are not by themselves fee-reducing, but they can be combined with means-tested bursaries which are tenable for five years.
Music Awards (13+)
Music awards at 13+ break into three categories. Eight Music Scholarships are awarded each year on the basis of audition; these are the only Eton award that can be supplemented up to 100% of the full school fee in cases of financial need. Up to 16 Honorary Music Scholarships and Music Exhibitions are awarded to outstanding musicians; and one Choral Exhibition is awarded to an advanced singer. The standard expected is around Grade VI to Grade VIII on the principal instrument. Roughly 10% of Eton boys hold a Music Award.
The Orwell Award (16+)
The Orwell Award is Eton's fully-funded Sixth Form scholarship for boys "whose life opportunities have been limited." Named after George Orwell – an Old Etonian who himself received financial aid as a pupil – the award is means-tested and aimed at boys at UK state schools who meet specific eligibility criteria (refugee status, Looked After Child, first-generation university, in receipt of Pupil Premium, or attending a school identified by Ofsted as requiring improvement or in special measures). Assessment is in November, with results announced in early December. Two further strands within the Orwell programme – the Sixth Form Music Award and the MCM Drama Award – are available for outstanding musicians and drama students.
Rokos Scholarship
Set up by Chris Rokos, the Rokos Scholarship provides means-tested financial support for up to four boys per year to attend Eton. Boys who are outstanding academically, who have been educated in the UK state system at primary level and who need financial assistance to attend Eton can be considered for the Rokos Scholarship.
Bursaries
For 13+ entry, bursaries are means-tested and can be combined with a King's Scholarship or Music Scholarship. They are designed, in the school's own words, for "parents who might, under ordinary circumstances, not consider Eton for their son for financial reasons." In 2024/25, Eton spent £10.06 million on financial aid. All parents complete a financial declaration at the end of Year 5, with the full bursary application during Year 6 if assistance is needed. Both the registration fee and entrance fee can be waived in cases of genuine need. It's important to note that there is no bursary support available for boys joining at 16+ on the fee-paying Sixth Form route – Orwell Award is the route for boys requiring full financial support at 16+.
Eton College fees 2025/26
Eton fees are charged per Half (term), of which there are three in an academic year (Michaelmas, Lent and Summer). All fees include VAT at the standard rate from January 2025:
School fee: £21,099.60 per Half – approximately £63,300 per year inc. VAT
Registration fee: £480 inc. VAT (one-off, non-refundable; applies at both 13+ and 16+)
Acceptance Fee: £3,840 for Michaelmas 2025 entry (£500 refunded on leaving; reviewed annually)
Additional deposit for overseas families: one full term's fees, credited on the final bill
Student visa support charge: £3,000 per year for boys requiring UKVI sponsorship
Extras (music lessons, school trips, boat club): typically £500–£1,500 per Half
Fees for each academic year are set by the Provost and Fellows in the preceding May. Always check Eton's official fees page for current figures.
Sixth Form (16+) entry
Although the vast majority of boys join at 13+, Eton offers approximately 20 fee-paying Sixth Form places each year, plus additional places through the Orwell Award. Applications are open to boys from UK independent, UK state, and overseas schools. The minimum qualifying standard is six GCSEs at Grade 7 or overseas equivalent, although in practice successful applicants are typically a long way above that threshold.
The fee-paying route runs to a clear annual rhythm: application form complete by early October, with predicted GCSE grades, school reports and personal-statement-style responses; academic assessments at Eton in the second half of November, comprising an online cognitive test and subject-specific tests; an online pastoral interview and school reference for shortlisted candidates; results in early December. There is no bursary support available for boys applying via the fee-paying Sixth Form route – the Orwell Award is the financial-support route at 16+.
How Oppidan helps boys preparing for Eton
Oppidan was founded by two Old Etonians who sat this process themselves – and since 2016 have built a team of mentors who know the Eton process inside out. We've worked with hundreds of Eton candidates through our Eton Journey, with nearly nine in ten receiving offers.
The Eton Journey treats the process as four overlapping skills, not one big exam. Processing instructions under time pressure – the test gives boys very little time to read, understand and execute, so we practise this in short, repeated drills. Adaptability across formats – boys who only know paper tests struggle when they sit an unfamiliar online platform, so we mix paper, verbal/non-verbal reasoning exercises and online practice. Flexibility between question types – the test demands rapid switching between logic, comprehension, reading and writing, so we mirror that in our sessions. And working under a countdown clock – we train boys to enjoy the pressure rather than freeze under it.
The interview work runs alongside this, drawing on our 3-session interview package framework and on the broader Character Journey for boys with longer to prepare. The aim is never to coach boys to perform; it's to help them become the kind of curious, articulate, kind candidate Eton is actually looking for. If you'd like to talk through your son's path to Eton, get in touch to arrange an initial call.
Frequently asked questions
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Eton receives in the region of 1,300 registrations a year for approximately 250 places at 13+. At 16+, around 20 fee-paying places are available each year, plus Orwell Award places. The school does not publish detailed admissions data. Oppidan's own boys have a near-90% offer rate, but the wider field is significantly more competitive.
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The registration deadline is 31 August at the end of your son's Year 5. Eton extended this from the previous 30 June deadline, so older guides may still show the old date. For entry in September 2029, the deadline is 31 August 2026. Boys can also enter via the King's Scholarship or Music Awards in Year 8, or via Sixth Form entry at 16+.
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No. Eton does not publish past papers for the second-stage assessment (the "List Test"). Familiarisation materials are available for the ISEB Common Pre-Test, but the second-stage online test is deliberately not preparable from past papers. The best preparation is broad cognitive fluency, calm under timed conditions, and familiarity with the test's varied question types. Eton does, however, publish past papers from 2019 onwards for the separate King's Scholarship examination.
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Most families we work with begin in Year 4 or early Year 5, with formal mentoring stepping up through Year 5 and into Year 6. The Oppidan principle here is "little and often": short, regular sessions over 18 months, not crash courses. Overkill is counterproductive – the test rewards composure and natural ability, not exhaustion. Boys joining us later can still do brilliantly, but earlier starts give more room for steady, low-stress development.
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Eton does not publish scoring thresholds, and the test's adaptive nature means raw scores don't directly map to traditional percentiles. As a useful benchmark, boys who succeed at Eton typically sit comfortably above the 90th percentile on standardised cognitive measures (CAT4 SAS scores of 120+, ideally 125–130 and above). The Oppidan Eton Journey includes an APT diagnostic test to give a clear picture of where a boy currently sits.
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At 13+, the King's Scholarship awards roughly 14 places annually contested through a demanding examination in Year 8; Music Awards include 8 Music Scholarships, up to 16 Honorary Music Scholarships and Exhibitions, and 1 Choral Exhibition. At 16+, the Orwell Award is a fully-funded means-tested scholarship for boys whose life opportunities have been limited, with the Sixth Form Music Award and MCM Drama Award as further strands. Most scholarships do not by themselves reduce fees, but they can be combined with means-tested bursaries; the Music Scholarship and Orwell Award are the exceptions that can directly cover up to 100% of fees in cases of need.
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The ISEB Common Pre-Test is a multi-school assessment sat at a boy's own school in Year 6, used by most leading senior schools as a first filter. The "Eton List Test" is Eton's own online predictive test, taken at Eton itself alongside the interview during Stage 2 of the process. A boy needs to do well on both. The ISEB is broader and more familiar; the Eton test is more adaptive and harder to prepare for using past papers.
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Oppidan was founded by two Old Etonians, and our Eton Journey programme has supported hundreds of boys through every stage of the process. We work one-to-one with boys on the cognitive and academic skills the test rewards, on building genuine interview confidence and conversational fluency, and – just as importantly – on managing the emotional weight that an Eton application can place on a family. Speak to the team to discuss your son's situation.
Listen to our Heads & Tales episode with Simon Henderson, headmaster of Eton.