A Parent's Guide To Applying

For many parents and guardians, their son or daughter applying to the College will be a whole new experience.  We hope you will have been able to visit the College for one of our open evenings and received a prospectus and other publications telling you about the College and what we offer students.

Applying to College is a very different experience to applying to school and from the initial application we are encouraging students to take more responsibility for their own learning, be more independent and apply to the college themselves.  We do, however, copy parents/guardians into the majority of correspondence.

A Brief Guide to the Process

The stages involved in the application process depend on the school your son or daughter has attended and whether you are intending for them to board. Use the form below to select the appropriate path:

Are you looking to board at the college?

Applications from Feeder Schools

  • Initial Online Application

    The applicant completes the initial online application and submits it. An email confirmation is sent to both the applicant and the parent email contact.

    Online applications open on 20 September 2022 and will close on 12 December 2022.

  • One to Ones

    College Staff will go into school to interview students in the Spring term. Students will be informed of the date and time of their 1:1 by their school nearer the time. The exception to this is Swanmore, Priestlands and Robert Mays students who will be invited to attend a 1:1 meeting in college.

  • Offers

    Offers will be made to all students applying from a feeder school; offers will be made between January and March via email and copied to parents.

  • Offer Acceptance

    Students accept their place online via their application account within one week of offer.

  • Parental Consent

    Once the applicant has accepted their place, we will ask parents to create a parent portal account and confirm that the information we hold is correct.

  • Application Completion

    Once parents have created a parent portal account and confirmed that the information held is correct, the application will be marked as complete and a confirmation email sent to parents.

  • Students Attend Welcome Days: 29 & 30 June 2023

    Timetables available on application account two weeks before.

  • Post Welcome Day

    Applicants confirm their course choices via their online application account. Students can also sign up for sports team trials which will be held during enrolment week.

  • Enrolment

    It is essential that students attend enrolment. This is when we confirm the students course choices, priority will always be given to students who attend enrolment.

Applications from Non-Feeder Schools

  • Initial Online Application

    The applicant completes the initial online application and submits it. An email confirmation is sent to both the applicant and the parent email contact (as entered via the application).

    Online applications open on 20 September 2022 and will close on 12 December 2022.

  • Interviews

    Once the application has been received, an interview date and time is arranged and an email sent to the applicant with a copy to the parents.

    Interviews will be held at Peter Symonds College.

  • Offers

    The interview will have one of three outcomes:

    1. an offer will be made from January onwards
    2. the applicant will be placed on a waiting list
    3. no offer will be made

    Whatever the outcome both the applicant and their parents will be notified by email.

  • Offer Acceptance

    Students accept their place online via their application account within one week of offer.

  • Parental Consent Form

    Once the applicant has accepted their place, we will ask parents to create a parent portal account and confirm that the information we hold is correct.

  • Application Completion

    Once parents have confirmed that the information held is correct, the application will be marked as complete and a confirmation email sent to parents.

  • Students Attend Welcome Days: 29 & 30 June 2023

    Timetables available on application account two weeks before.

  • Post Welcome Day

    Applicants confirm their course choices via their application account. Students can also sign up for sport team trials which will be held during enrolment week.

  • Enrolment

    It is essential that students attend enrolment. This is when we confirm the students course choices, priority will always be given to students who attend enrolment.

Applications for Boarding

  • Initial Online Application

    The applicant completes the initial online application (ensuring that boarding has been selected) and submits it. An email confirmation is sent to both the applicant and the parent email contact (as entered via the application).

    Online applications open on 20 September 2022 and will close on 7 November 2022 (this is earlier than the non-boarding application deadline).

  • References

    Reference requested from school when application is received.

  • Interviews

    Once the reference has been received from the school, an interview date and time is arranged and an email sent to the applicant with a copy to the parents.

    Boarding interviews will take place in 20 October, 14, 18, and 28 November and 12 December. Interviews will be held at the College or via Skype/Zoom.

  • Offers

    There are three likely outcomes:

    1. You will receive an offer of a place
    2. the applicant will be placed on a waiting list
    3. no offer will be made

    Whatever the outcome both the applicant and their parents will be notified by email.

  • Offer Acceptance

    Students accept their place online via their application account within one week of offer.

  • Parental Consent Form

    Once the applicant has accepted their place, we will ask parents to create a parent portal account and confirm that the information we hold is correct. A Financial Agreement form will need to be completed and returned, along with a deposit within 2 weeks.

  • Application Completion

    Once parents have confirmed that the information held is correct and a completed Financial Agreement and deposit have been received, the application will be marked as complete and a confirmation email sent to parents.

  • Students Attend Welcome Days: 29 & 30 June 2023

    Timetables available on application account two weeks before.

    These are optional for boarding applicants.