Your child will most likely be registered for CE examinations by their current independent prep or junior school. However, if your child’s current school does not use CE or your child currently attends a state school, you may need to register them through the ISEB website.
Please check with your child’s current school if they intend to register your child for the upcoming session to avoid duplicate registrations. The senior school to which your child is applying can also advise whether or not you need to register your child.
Students who are put forward for scholarship examinations, CASE, will likely be registered by the senior school to which they are applying. However, it is worth checking this with the senior school directly.
The next exam session for CE and CASE will take place in Summer 2025. Online registration for this session is now open. The registration will close on 27 March.
You can ask the candidate’s current school to register as an examination centre, by filling out the CE Examination Centre Registration Form.
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Please ensure that you have checked whether your child’s current school intends to register your child for the Summer 2025 exam session to avoid duplicate registrations. The senior school to which your child is applying can also advise whether you need to complete this form or not.
To register your child for the Summer 2025 session, please complete the online registration form. You will be asked to provide information about where your child will be taking the test so please ensure that you have made arrangements with a test centre. If you have any questions about the process, you can contact ISEB through our CE Support Portal.
Please note: This is not the registration process for the ISEB Pre-Tests. If you need to register your child for the online ISEB Pre-Tests, you need to go to the Pre-Tests Guardian Portal and create an account. This is where you can register your child for the ISEB Pre-Tests. Registering for the Pre-Tests is free. Visit the ISEB Pre-Tests Guardian Portal.
It may be possible for the senior school to which your child is applying to invigilate; however, this must be confirmed in advance by the school in question.
CASE exams are often taken at the senior school to which your child applies for a scholarship.
The Common Entrance (CE) exams are taken by children as part of their entrance applications to senior independent schools at 11+ or 13+.
Designed and set in 1903 by each of the three major independent school associations and first used in 1904, our trusted and highly-respected CE specifications are developed in partnership with a panel of academic specialists and representatives from our three patron associations; HMC, GSA and IAPS. The papers are set by a panel of Item Authors and Paper Coordinators appointed by ISEB.
Candidates should only be entered for CE exams if they have been offered a place at a senior school subject to their passing the examination. Your first port of call should be to decide on and register with a senior school(s) of your choosing. The senior school(s) will then advise you which entrance exam they expect your child to take (some senior schools use their own entrance exam) and when.
Most students take their CE examinations at their current prep/junior school. If your child's current school is not able to do so, you will need to source an appropriate examination centre in agreement with the senior school to which you are applying. ISEB advise all parents to speak to the senior school to which they are applying to confirm details of appropriate alternative examination centres to ensure exam integrity and aid the overall admissions process.
If required, you can ask the candidate's current school to register as an examination centre.
Students who are put forward for scholarship examinations, CASE, will likely be registered by the senior school to which they are applying. However, we recommend checking this with the senior school directly.
Examination fees for CE 11+:
Examination fee when taken in the UK – £130 Examination to be taken in the EU, including channel islands – £170 Examination to be taken outside the EU – £185
Examination fees for CE 13+:
Examination fee when taken in the UK – £140 Examination to be taken in the EU, including channel islands – £200 Examination to be taken outside the EU – £220
You can find a full schedule of the CE 11+, CE 13+ and CASE upcoming exams at the quick links section at the top of the page.
If you will be registering your child for CE exams, as their current school is unable to do so, please ensure you only register your child for their first-choice senior school when using the registration system. This is to ensure that examination papers are correctly dispatched to their current school and marking packs to the senior school.
If your child does not gain entry to their first-choice senior school, you will need to request your first-choice senior school to forward the completed exam papers to your second-choice school via secure post.
Need to register your child for the ISEB Pre-Tests? Go to the Pre-Tests Guardian Portal.
Explore the Official Guide to CE 13+ for Families.
