Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a co-ed boarding and day school in East, Sussex, educating pupils aged 13 - 18 and founded in 1867. Boarding fees are £18,268 - £18,553 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 13 - 18
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Guardian required
- Yes
About Eastbourne College
The story, ethos and character of Eastbourne College.
- Setting
- Town
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Head
- Mr Tom Lawson
Eastbourne College is a leading co-educational independent school known for its strong academic results, exceptional pastoral care and vibrant co-curricular programme. In 2023 it was shortlisted for the TES Boarding School of the Year Award and in 2024 it was a finalist in the Muddy Stilettos Most Inclusive Senior School Award.
In recent years, £35m has been invested in the school and boarding facilities. What the school is known for? Academic Excellence Eastbourne College delivers outstanding academic outcomes. In 2025, 74% of pupils achieved A*-B at A-level, with almost half of all grades being awarded A* or A and at GCSE 52% of exams graded 7-9 (A-A*) with more than 620 grades 8 or 9 across the cohort.
85% of UK university applicants secured their first-choice destination and 60% headed to leading Russell Group universities.
Excellent Pastoral Care "Leaders have created a welcoming and supportive boarding environment, which is successful in fostering pupils' personal development." ISI Report 2024 Eastbourne College provides outstanding pastoral care seven days a week.
Each boys' and girls' boarding house has a resident Housemaster or Housemistress, a resident matron and a team of tutors. The school's seven day offering allows for extra academic enrichment and co-curricular opportunities in a balanced and supportive environment.
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Academics at Eastbourne College
What pupils study at Eastbourne College — and where it takes them.
They then study each course for 2 years, though we have a facility to offer a reduced 1 year GCSE course which is popular with some German families. Pupils are taught by highly-skilled and qualified teachers who make the most of our world-class facilities to inspire and encourage those in our care.
Class sizes are small, ensuring that all pupils have the specific challenge and they individually need. The extended day means that pupils have considerable access to their teachers both within and beyond the classroom. It also means that academic excellence can be achieved without compromising the opportunity to shine in games, the creative arts or other co-curricular activities.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
Eastbourne College celebrated the outstanding achievements of its 2024 A-level cohort. 85% of sixth-form leavers head to their first choice university to study courses as diverse as engineering, medicine and music.
Pupils secured places at Oxford, Cambridge and other prestigious UK universities, as well as scholarships to highly competitive US colleges. 18 pupils have gone to Oxford and Cambridge over the past four years.
Please see : University destinations
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at Eastbourne College
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at Eastbourne College.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 2, Boys 3, Mixed 0
- Exeat weekends
- Yes
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- Yes
College has a very strong tradition for boarding and is proud of its ability to provide an excellent environment and plenty of time for pupils to build enduring friendships, take part in a wide-range of activities and benefit from the experienced and committed staff who engage with children far beyond the classroom to provide an all-round richness of education.
From Monday to Friday our day pupils stay until 6pm, with many choosing to stay until 7pm, 8pm or even 9pm. There is therefore, complete integration and a full school for the benefit of all our pupils, all day. There are five 13-18 boarding houses: three boys houses and two girls houses New boarders are given a pupil 'buddy' who helps them settle Each house has an 'international rep' pupil who also ensures the international pupils are happy Each house contains roughly 60 pupils All boarders join one of these houses when they enter the College and they remain in the same house throughout their time here Nugent and School House are girls boarding houses and Gonville, Pennell and Wargrave are boys boarding houses House year- vary between ten and 12 pupils, with more boys and girls joining in Year 12 each year Around 45% of our pupils are boarders and approximately 20% are international "Pupils learn about the importance of mutual respect for those with different backgrounds, within the school and the wider community." ISI Inspection 2024 Pastoral care and staffing "Leaders have created a welcoming and supportive boarding environment, which is successful in fostering pupils' personal development" ISI Inspection 2024 Caring staff All the boarding houses are staffed by a resident housemaster/housemistress who is supported by a strong team of experienced tutors, one of whom is also resident The boarding houses also have a resident matron who is a key member of the house team and who, among other things, takes care of any minor illnesses and is responsible for domestic arrangements such as laundry All pupils have their own tutor who oversees and invests in their whole school life Home from home Above all else, the houses are a secure home for our pupils They are welcoming, social environments with common rooms, TV areas and small kitchens for making snacks as well as places for independent study Each pupil is known for who they are and there are numerous opportunities to take on responsibilities and try new a
Our full boarders, known as College boarders, make the most of everything the school has to offer, up to seven days and nights per week. In response to demand from families both locally and further afield, our Flexi3 option allows pupils to stay any three nights out of seven.
Houses and the wider school are always alive with pupils taking advantage of the wonderful facilities, and social opportunities that are available, both on-site and beyond, in our stunning coastal location. Every Saturday the whole school is in for morning lessons and then afternoon sports matches.
We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
Eastbourne College admissions
How children join Eastbourne College, and how we make it simple.
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We shortlist & introduce
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
Special notes to agents about entry to the school Eastbourne College welcomes applications from pupils all over the world and from all educational backgrounds. However, we maintain a very high level of boarders from South East England and we regulate the number of our international pupils to approximately 20% of the total intake.* In addition, care is exercised over the number of pupils accepted from any one country, to ensure an international spread.
Applications from pupils for whom English is an additional are welcomed provided they have the aptitude and ability to cope with being taught in English. International applicants (or their agents) must provide a copy of their most recent school report, a supporting reference from the current school, confirmation of his/her level of English and date of birth, and any other supporting information.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
Eastbourne College fees & funding
What Eastbourne 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 Eastbourne College.
Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare Eastbourne 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.
Eastbourne College location & travel
Where Eastbourne College is, and how to get there.
Travel details Address Old Wish Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4JX, England Airport transfer Pupils take taxis from the school, and can also go by train to Gatwick (53 minutes) and take a direct transfer from there to Heathrow. Travel time to London by train Less than 2 hours Telephone +44 (0) 1323 452300 Website https://www.
eastbourne-college. co. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. London Gatwick 50 75 2. London Heathrow 80 90 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Eastbourne Station 1 2 2.
Eastbourne College — frequently asked questions
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