How to prepare for the Eton King's Scholarship: a parent's guide
The Eton King's Scholarship is a three-day written examination sat in late April of UK Year 8, competing for an average of fourteen places in College each year. Papers cover Maths A, Maths B, English, Science and General I. In 2026 it falls on Friday 24 April, Monday 27 April and Tuesday 28 April.
Last updated 27 May 2026 · ~7 min read
TL;DR
The Eton King's Scholarship is a three-day written examination, sat in late April of UK Year 8, that competes for an average of fourteen places in College each year. The 2026 exam falls on Friday 24 April, Monday 27 April and Tuesday 28 April. To prepare well, your son should register early (the application deadline for 2026 entry was Monday 5 January 2026), work through 6–10 recent past papers under timed conditions across Maths A, Maths B, English, Science and General I, and be drilled in extended written reasoning rather than ticking boxes. Hearthprep provides access to 21 past King's Scholarship papers (originals published by Eton College, mirrored with credit) and instantly marked interactive practice for the 2021 and 2022 Mathematics A papers.
What is the King's Scholarship, in plain English?
The King's Scholarship is the route into College — the historic foundation of academic scholars living separately from the rest of Eton under the care of the Master-in-College. Per Eton's 2026 prospectus, the number of awards averages fourteen but varies from year to year. The Election Roll, published after the examination, names everyone who has qualified for a King's Scholarship, plus those receiving the Annah Shaw and Martineau awards.
A few things parents commonly get wrong:
- It is not free admission.Eton's prospectus is explicit: King's Scholars receive no automatic remission of fees. Standard fees in 2025/26 are £21,100 including 20% VAT per term (£63,299 including 20% VAT per year). Means-tested support is a separate Bursary Application.
- It is not the only academic award. Boys who narrowly miss may, if interviewed and already in receipt of a bursary, be considered for a Martineau Exhibition (up to £3,000 per annum). Boys who offer both Latin and Greek and excel at Classics but do not enter College may receive the Annah Shaw Scholarship (honorary, or up to £1,500 per annum for boys with parental bursaries already in place).
- It is sat in Year 8, not Year 7. Candidates must be aged 13 on 1 September of the year of entry. The exam itself is taken in the spring of UK Year 8.
What does the King's Scholarship exam actually look like?
For the 2026 round, every candidate sits six compulsory papers and at least three of six optional papers. Marking is on the compulsory papers plus the candidate's best three optional papers.
- Compulsory papers
- English A · English B · Mathematics A · Science (theory) · Science (data) · General I
- Optional papers (choose at least three)
- Mathematics B · General II · History/Geography/Divinity · French (no oral) · Latin · Greek
The papers are based on the relevant Common Entrance syllabuses, but Eton's prospectus notes that "questions which invite a more advanced response than is usually expected at Common Entrance are frequently set." Full per-paper syllabuses and calculator rules sit on Eton's own scholarship page. For 2026, most candidates for College will not have an interview with the Master-in-College; only non-registered candidates will.
When does my son need to register?
The registration timeline runs years before the exam itself. Verify the current year's dates against Eton's own scholarship page before relying on this table; the school revises timings each cycle.
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Standard 13+ registration | by 31 August of Year 5 |
| ISEB Common Pre-Test | Oct–Nov of Year 6 |
| King's Scholarship application | by 5 January of Year 8 (2026: Mon 5 January 2026) |
| Bursary Application Form | by 27 February of Year 8 (2026: Fri 27 February 2026 — preferably considerably earlier per the prospectus) |
| Eton List Test (non-registered candidates only) | January of Year 8 (2026: 20 or 22 Jan) |
| King's Scholarship exam | late April of Year 8 (2026: Fri 24, Mon 27, Tue 28 April) |
Overseas candidates may use UKiset as a substitute for the Eton List Test; complete UKiset results must reach Eton by the January deadline.
How competitive is it, really?
Eton publishes that the number of King's Scholarships averages fourteen but varies from year to year. The school does not publish a candidate-to-place ratio, and we are not going to invent one. What is in the public record:
- The prospectus states: "Boys who do not already have a conditional place and who are not successful in gaining a King's Scholarship will not be offered a place."
- Boys with a conditional place who sit honoris causa (without competing for a Scholarship place) keep their Oppidan house if they do not win.
The honest framing for parents: the prospectus itself is candid — "a strong performance in Common Entrance will usually be rewarded with places in higher sets at Eton than a mediocre performance in the King's Scholarship examination." Families should treat the exam as a stretch goal rather than a default route; sitting and underperforming has a downside for unregistered candidates.
A realistic 12-month preparation plan
Most successful candidates have been working at the level for years, not months. But a focused 12-month run-in usually looks like this:
Months 12–9 — build syllabus depth
Common Entrance Maths and English material is the baseline; KS sits a half-step above. Make sure the Year 7 maths topics — proportion, algebra, geometry of polygons, simple probability — are second nature. Read fiction outside the school list. Start Latin/Greek/French now if they're under consideration as optional papers; bolting them on in the last three months rarely works.
Months 9–6 — first past papers, untimed
Begin past-paper work, one paper a fortnight, not yet under strict time. The point at this stage is to recognise what KS questions actually demand — long-form written reasoning, evidence handling in the General Paper, multi-step problem solving in Maths A, structured comprehension under time pressure in English. Mark together, then re-attempt the questions that went wrong a week later.
Months 6–3 — timed weekly
Shift to timed conditions, one full paper per week, rotating subjects. The two most common gaps we see in Maths A: confidence with non-routine algebra, and willingness to attempt a hard question rather than skip it. The two most common gaps in English: structuring a written argument, and reading carefully enough to answer the question that was actually asked.
Months 3–0 — full mock days
Three papers in a morning, the way the real exam runs. Build stamina, not new content. Have someone other than a parent mark at least one full set; the gap between "I think this is right" and an examiner-style judgment is where final marks are won.
Tutor, group class, or self-study?
From the parents we talk to, the most common pattern for KS candidates is a weekly tutor (one hour, often a current or former teacher, sometimes a strong undergraduate) plus daily independent practice the rest of the week. The tutor adds tactical feedback the child cannot give themselves; the self-study adds the volume of paper work without burning £80 an hour on it.
What rarely works on its own: group classes at this level (unless very small and tracked); pure tutoring with no independent practice (two hours a week cannot replace the eight to twelve hours of solo paper work the exam demands); pure self-study (most 12-year-olds need an external voice telling them what "good" looks like, especially on the written papers).
Hearthprep's coverage at a glance
| Paper | Public PDF on etoncollege.com | On Hearthprep | Interactive (instantly marked, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics A | 2016–2024 | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | 2021, 2022 |
| Mathematics B | multiple years 2016–2024 | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024 | — |
| English | 2016–2018 | 2016, 2017, 2018 | — |
| General I | 2023 | 2023 | — |
| Science (theory + data) | 2024 | 2024 | — |
Coverage verified against etoncollege.com on 27 May 2026. Eton may add or remove papers without notice. We do not provide the 2025 papers — Eton withholds the most recent year so schools can use them for mock exams, and we respect that.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Eton King's Scholarship exam in 2026?
- The 2026 King's Scholarship is held on Friday 24 April, Monday 27 April and Tuesday 28 April, as published in Eton College's 2026 King's Scholarship Prospectus.
- What is the application deadline for the Eton King's Scholarship?
- Applications for the 2026 King's Scholarship had to reach the Admissions Office by Monday 5 January 2026. The separate Bursary Application Form was due by Friday 27 February 2026, and Eton's prospectus notes parents should preferably submit it considerably earlier.
- How many King's Scholarships does Eton award each year?
- Eton's 2026 King's Scholarship Prospectus states that the number of awards averages fourteen but varies from year to year.
- What subjects are in the Eton King's Scholarship exam?
- Six compulsory papers (English A, English B, Mathematics A, Science theory, Science data, General I) plus at least three of six optional papers (Mathematics B, General II, History/Geography/Divinity, French [no oral], Latin, Greek). Marking is on the compulsory papers plus the candidate's best three optional papers.
- Does the Eton King's Scholarship include an interview?
- For the 2026 exam, most candidates for College will not have an interview with the Master-in-College; only non-registered candidates will.
- How old does my son need to be to sit the King's Scholarship?
- Candidates must be aged 13 on 1 September of the year of entry. The exam is sat in UK School Year 8.
- Does winning the Eton King's Scholarship mean free fees?
- No. Eton's prospectus is explicit that King's Scholars receive no automatic remission of fees. Standard fees in 2025/26 are £21,100 including 20% VAT per term (£63,299 including 20% VAT per year). A separate Bursary Application provides means-tested financial support.
- How is the King's Scholarship different from Common Entrance?
- The King's Scholarship is Eton's own exam, taken instead of Common Entrance by candidates competing for a place in College. Most papers are based on the relevant Common Entrance syllabuses, but Eton notes that questions inviting a more advanced response than usually expected at Common Entrance are frequently set.
- Can my son sit the Eton King's Scholarship more than once?
- No. Eton's prospectus states: 'A candidate may sit the King's Scholarship exams once only.'
- Where are the official past papers available?
- Eton College publishes past papers up to 2024 on its scholarship webpage. The most recent year (currently 2025) is withheld so schools can use it for mock examinations. Hearthprep provides access to 21 of these past papers (originals published by Eton College, mirrored with credit under UK CDPA 1988 fair-dealing for instruction) and adds instantly marked interactive practice for the 2021 and 2022 Mathematics A papers.
- When should we start preparing for the Eton King's Scholarship?
- Most successful candidates have been working at the level for several years. A focused 12-month run-in is typical: syllabus depth in Months 12–9, untimed past papers in Months 9–6, timed papers weekly in Months 6–3, and full mock days in the final three months. Earlier registration matters: standard 13+ registration is due by 31 August of UK Year 5.
- Are there other Eton academic awards if my son narrowly misses the King's Scholarship?
- Yes. The Annah Shaw Scholarship (honorary, or up to £1,500 per annum for boys whose parents already have a bursary in place) is awarded to a boy who excels in Classics and offers both Latin and Greek but does not enter College. The Martineau Exhibition (up to £3,000 per annum) is for a boy with a bursary already in place who is shortlisted, interviewed, and narrowly misses a King's Scholarship.
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