Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a girls boarding and day school in Clitheroe, Lancashire, educating pupils aged 11 - 18 and founded in 1593. Boarding fees are £11,840 - £17,745 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Girls boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 11 - 18
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Guardian required
- Yes
About Stonyhurst College
The story, ethos and character of Stonyhurst College.
- Setting
- Rural
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Head
- Mr John Browne
Stonyhurst College is the UK's leading Catholic co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 3-18, founded in 1593, striving to empower boys and girls to be the best they can be. The school is dedicated to developing the full human potential of its pupils, guiding them to live lives of faith and justice as citizens of the world by living out the virtues in the Jesuit Profile.
The Jesuit values at Stonyhurst focus on developing pupils intellectually, spiritually, and morally. Operating as a tight-knit family that seamlessly blends tradition and innovation, Stonyhurst inspires its young people to emerge as agents of positive global change, by embodying the values of being 'men and women for others'.
Perhaps surprisingly for a 432-year-old Jesuit school in rural Lancashire, Stonyhurst boasts an incredibly diverse community.
The Sixth Form offers three options for study - A level, the IB Diploma Programme, or the Cambridge Technical Diploma. Each route provides a wide range of subjects to choose from and a pathway to suit different learners. Stonyhurst remains a consistently high-achieving academic school, with the majority of its pupils securing places at prestigious Oxbridge and Russell Group universities, alongside many others at renowned institutions worldwide.
New for September 2025, Stonyhurst is launching its International Language School, offering an immersive British boarding school experience with a focus on English development. Pupils can choose from one, two, or three-term programmes, all while enjoying a rich cultural and spiritual experience.
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Academics at Stonyhurst College
What pupils study at Stonyhurst College — and where it takes them.
English as an additional Free EAL provision included. Pupils from Year 4 to Year 8 can join Stonyhurst with little or no English. EAL pupils from Year 9 and above must pass an English test prior to acceptance at the College but EAL is ongoing.
PET & KET Examinations offered. New for September 2025, Stonyhurst is launching its International Language School, offering an immersive British boarding school experience with a focus on English development. Pupils can choose from one, two, or three-term programmes, all while enjoying a rich cultural and spiritual experience.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
University offers have been achieved at a variety of university destinations in the UK, such as Bath, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, IE Madrid, Imperial College London, King's College London, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, St Andrews, Sheffield, Warwick and York as well as a range of prestigious institutions across Europe including ESIC Madrid, IE University Madrid, Maastricht University in the Netherlands and Trinity College Dublin. Courses include Archaeology, Art, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Economics, Engineering, English, History, International Relations, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Performing Arts, Physics, Politics, Psychology and Sport Management Pupils have secured prestigious apprenticeships at Anderton Gables, BAE Systems and Bentley.
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at Stonyhurst College
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at Stonyhurst College.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 4, Boys 5, Mixed 0
- Exeat weekends
- No
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- Yes
College is a home-from-home for our boarding pupils, one in which our day pupils are fully involved and integrated. We offer an extensive range of activities and events throughout the week, and just like at home, our boarders enjoy weekend trips and excursions including to the cinema, concerts, ice-skating rinks and sports matches.
The Catholic life of the school continues throughout the weekend with events such as Benediction on selected Saturday evenings and Mass in St Peter's Church every Sunday morning, attended by the boarding community, as well as many day pupils, their parents and families.
A genuine home away from home
Boarders are grouped using a horizontal system, or year group system, called Playrooms. Across the College and Sixth Form, there are five boarding houses for boys, Years 12 and 13 boys live in mixed houses whilst Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 boys live in their respective houses.
There are three boarding houses for girls, one for Years 9 and 10, one for Year 11, and one for Years 12 and 13. Each boarding house is run by a Houseparent and an Assistant and team of teaching staff who their work. Our Houseparents live in the boarding house, and each house has its own unique family atmosphere.
We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
Stonyhurst College admissions
How children join Stonyhurst College, and how we make it simple.
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We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.
Assessment, offer & enrolment
We guide you through entrance assessments and interviews, and handle visas and guardianship if needed.
What you'll typically need
- Recent school reports or transcript
- Passport copy
- English-language evidence (if applicable)
- Completed registration form
- A reference from the current school
Students usually start in September. Students may be accepted at other times provided they will be staying for more than 1 year. Stonyhurst is able to offer flexible short-term study programmes, for one or two terms. Each application is carefully considered on an individual basis by our Academic, Pastoral, and Admissions teams to ensure that every pupil can make the most of their time at Stonyhurst.
Decisions take into account the pupil's year group, academic profile, and preferred term of entry. We welcome applications from students in Year 5 through to Year 12. Our preferred entry point is the Autumn Term (September-December), enabling students to fully integrate into school life from the start of the academic year.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
Stonyhurst College fees & funding
What Stonyhurst College costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.
What termly boarding fees include
- Tuition
- Boarding accommodation
- All meals
- Pastoral & house care
- Most academic materials
Funding & scholarships
Registration deposits, EAL tuition, uniform and trips are usually charged separately. Many schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships plus means-tested bursaries — ask us and we'll send a full, current breakdown for Stonyhurst College.
Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare Stonyhurst College against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
Stonyhurst College location & travel
Where Stonyhurst College is, and how to get there.
Travel details Address Stonyhurst, Hurst Green, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 9PZ, England Airport transfer Transport to and from the airports at the beginning and end of term is arranged by the College. Travel time to London by train Less than 3 hours Telephone +44 (0) 1254 827073 Website https://www.
stonyhurst. ac. uk Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Leeds Bradford 43 76 2. Manchester 46 60 3. Liverpool John Lennon 57 72 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
Stonyhurst College — frequently asked questions
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