We're moving to London from abroad. How do we get a school place?
You can apply before you land, the council where you will live handles state schools, and a visa can decide which kind of school your child may attend. What to have ready, and how sixth form differs.
Start with the council for the area you are moving to. You can apply for a state school before you arrive: the Department for Education says an application from another country should be treated as proof that you intend to move. Your child's immigration status decides whether a state school is open to them. Independent schools and sixth forms take applications directly.
Is my child entitled to a state school place?
Most children living in England are. The Department for Education's guidance on applications from overseas children says foreign national children resident in the UK will normally have the right to attend state-funded and independent schools. Children whose parents have settled status, or are in the UK on a work or student visa, can usually attend. Irish citizens do not normally need permission.
The question is whether the child may come to the UK to study at all. The guidance says they need a right of abode or an immigration status that permits it. Children from the European Economic Area or Switzerland have no right to enter for a state school place unless they meet the EU Settlement Scheme requirements.
Schools must not refuse a child because of nationality or immigration status, and must not ask for passports or immigration documents as a condition of admission.
Can we apply before we have a London address?
Yes. The same guidance says admission authorities cannot require a permanent home address, in the UK or overseas, before processing an application, and that an application made from another country should be considered adequate proof of an intention to move. GOV.UK tells families to contact the council in the area where you are going to live.
Be aware of how places are ranked, though. Many schools rank by distance from home, so the address you will actually live at matters. Councils check it: Wandsworth, for example, asks for two proof-of-address documents such as a council tax bill, tenancy agreement or recent utility bill. Have a signed tenancy or completion date before you rely on an address.
Armed forces and Crown servant families have a stronger rule: with an official letter giving a relocation date, places must be allocated before they arrive (School Admissions Code, paragraph 2.21).
We arrive in the middle of the school year. How does that work?
You make an in-year application. The School Admissions Code 2021 says a parent can apply to any school at any time (paragraph 2.23); each council publishes whether it co-ordinates these applications or schools handle their own. A school with a place must offer it (paragraph 2.28), and you must be told the outcome in writing within 15 school days (paragraph 2.30). If no school near you has room, the council's Fair Access Protocol exists to place a child quickly (paragraph 3.14).
If you arrive in time for the main round, for example before the 31 October deadline for Year 7, apply in that round instead. London's co-ordinated scheme also lists returning from abroad as a good reason for a late application received by 7 December 2026; our guide to missing the 31 October deadline explains it.
State or independent: does the visa decide?
It can. GOV.UK says the Child Student visa is for children aged 4 to 17 who want to study at an independent school in the UK; the only state-school exception it lists is study through the Erasmus+ programme. If your child will hold their own Child Student visa, you are choosing among independent schools that are licensed visa sponsors. If your child comes as a dependant on your work visa, state schools are normally open to them.
Independent schools run their own admissions, usually with registration deadlines more than a year ahead for the main entry points. Our guide to independent school 11+ and 13+ registration sets out how that works.
What about sixth form?
Sixth form is not on the council's form. GOV.UK says you apply directly for a sixth form place at a school or college, and Sutton's admissions service, for example, says post-16 applications go to the school or college, not to the council. Entry usually depends on GCSE grades or their equivalent, so ask each school how it treats qualifications from your current country.
Young people in England must stay in education or training until 18: full-time at a school or college, an apprenticeship, or part-time study alongside 20 or more hours a week of work or volunteering.
Frequently asked questions
Which council do I apply to if we haven't chosen where to live?
The council for the area where you will live. Choose the area first if you can, because distance from home decides many state school places. The London school directory lists the schools in each borough.
Will my child go into the year group for their age?
Normally yes. English schools group children by date of birth, with the school year starting on 1 September. Our explainer on school entry points shows which year a birthday falls in.
This guide covers admissions rules. It does not give immigration advice: check your family's visa conditions on GOV.UK or with an adviser before you rely on a state school place.
Once you know the area you are moving to, the next question is which schools there would suit your child, state and independent, and how far each is from your new home.
Find schools that match your child in London →Evidence level
Rules are from DfE guidance on applications from overseas children (updated March 2024), the School Admissions Code 2021, GOV.UK visa and admissions pages and London councils' pages, checked on 13 October 2026.
References
- Department for Education. (2024). Schools admissions: applications from overseas children ↗ external. gov.uk
- Department for Education. (2021). School Admissions Code 2021 (paragraphs 2.21, 2.23, 2.28, 2.30, 3.14) ↗ external. Statutory guidance, gov.uk
- GOV.UK. (2026). Child Student visa ↗ external. gov.uk
- GOV.UK. (2026). How to apply for a school place ↗ external. gov.uk
- GOV.UK. (2026). Know when you can leave school ↗ external. gov.uk
- Wandsworth Council. (2026). School admissions: proof of address ↗ external. wandsworth.gov.uk
- London Borough of Sutton. (2026). Sixth form admissions (Year 12 and 13) ↗ external. sutton.gov.uk
- Westminster City Council for the London councils. (2026). Pan-London co-ordinated admissions scheme 2027/28 ↗ external. westminster.gov.uk
Related research
How does registration for independent school 11+ and 13+ entry work?
Independent schools are outside the council system: you register with each school directly, pay its registration fee and meet its own deadline. For September 2027 at 11+, several well-known London schools close registration in early November 2026. At 13+ some schools close registration in Year 6.
What happens if I miss the 31 October secondary school deadline?
Your child will still get a school place, but a late application is normally considered only after every on-time one, so popular schools may already be full. London's co-ordinated scheme accepts some late applications as on time if there is a good reason and they reach your council by Monday 7 December 2026.
UK school entry points explained: 4+, 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ side by side
The five main UK independent-school entry points explained side by side — with the typical assessment format, registration timing, entry age, and school types that use each. Plus how state entry (Reception and Year 7) fits alongside the independent timeline.