International & Boarding School
International & Boarding School Support
Founded in London in 1984, ELT is a British international education service. We support families from admission to an international or boarding school, through the years of study that follow, to university applications, with one-to-one online tuition from qualified native English-speaking teachers.
- Admissions, in-school study and university preparation in one structure
- Not only English, but Math, Science and Humanities taught in English
- All lessons online, one-to-one, 50 minutes
Consultations are free. Enquiries with no obligation to enrol are welcome.
SCOPE OF SUPPORT
What ELT supports: admissions, in-school study and university entry
Moving to an international or boarding school does not end at admission. Before enrolment come school selection, applications, interviews and entrance tests. After enrolment come daily lessons taught in English and the results built through a curriculum such as IB or A-Level. Beyond that lies the university application. ELT supports the whole journey as follows.
| Stage | What your child faces | ELT support |
|---|---|---|
| Before enrolment | School selection, applications, interviews and entrance tests such as CAT4 and UKiset | |
| While enrolled | Lessons, assignments and termly examinations in English | |
| University preparation | Building IB, A-Level, IGCSE or AP results and applying to university |
Every teacher is a native English speaker holding an international English teaching qualification such as CELTA or DELTA. All lessons are online, one-to-one and 50 minutes. Beyond English itself, we teach Math, Science and Humanities in English.
FOR APPLICANTS
For families preparing to apply or transfer
The route to enrolment depends on your child's age and the type of school you are aiming for. Start by choosing what applies.
Choose by your child's stage and destination
Aged 2 to 6, applying to a preschool or kindergarten
Preschool & kindergarten admissions — Preparation for the observation tasks and parent interviews specific to early-years admissions
Primary to secondary age, applying to an international school in Japan
International school admissions — An application package covering school selection, documents, interviews and entrance tests
Applying to a boarding school overseas
Boarding school entry — Preparation and application support for residential schools in the UK, the US and elsewhere
No route avoids the interview. For practice matched to each school's format, see interview preparation.
If you are not sure which year group your child belongs in
Year, Grade and K1 cover different ages depending on the country. Enter a date of birth and the tool works out the corresponding year group under the Japanese, British, American, IB, Singaporean and other systems at once. Use it while working out which year to apply or transfer into.
Use the year group calculatorTypes of entrance test: which one concerns you
The school sets the entrance test. Find the test named in your target school's admissions guidance, then open the matching page.
| Test | Principal use | Typical age range |
|---|---|---|
| CAT4 | A cognitive abilities test used widely by British-curriculum international schools | Around 6 to 17 |
| UKiset | The common aptitude test used when applying to UK boarding schools | 9 to 18 |
| ISEB | The common entrance examination for UK independent schools, including prep schools | Mainly the 11+ and 13+ examinations |
| SSAT | The entrance examination for US boarding and independent schools | Grade 5 to Grade 12 equivalent |
| MAP | An achievement measure used by American-curriculum international schools | Kindergarten to high school |
| 11+ (Eleven Plus) | The UK selection examination taken at age 11 for grammar and independent schools | 10 to 11 |
The content, format and preparation for each test are covered on its own page. If you are not sure which test your target school sets, we will confirm it with you during a free consultation.
FOR CURRENT STUDENTS
For students already enrolled and preparing for university
Support for enrolled students divides into two kinds: sustaining everyday study, and building curriculum results and a route to university.
Curriculum support: which system is your child's school on
How achievement is assessed, and how it counts towards a university application, differs entirely by curriculum.
| Curriculum | Structure | How it counts for university |
|---|---|---|
| IB support | A two-year programme leading to a diploma scored out of 45 across six subjects plus the core | Applications are made on final and predicted scores |
| A-Level support | A British qualification narrowed to three subjects, whose grades become the offer conditions | Applications are made on predicted grades, then the conditional offer must be met |
| IGCSE & GCSE support | A British secondary qualification taken in 8 to 10 subjects at ages 14 to 16, preceding A-Level or IB | It counts as a progression requirement and as the academic record behind an application |
| AP support | The American approach: an accumulation of college-level courses with no fixed subject set | The rigour of the courses taken is assessed in the application; scores mainly earn university credit after entry |
This table is an overview as of August 2026. Each page explains its system in detail, including how scores are determined, the timing involved and the common pitfalls. Every curriculum programme is delivered under the PREMIUM Academic plan, which includes progress monitoring and guidance on university choice.
Two services that sustain everyday study
| Service | Role |
|---|---|
| Current student support | Professional teachers supporting daily classwork, assignments and termly examinations |
| Campus Tutors | Current undergraduates and postgraduates from leading universities accompanying daily study and revision planning |
Examination preparation and everyday academic accompaniment play different roles, and some families use both depending on the time of year.
WHY ELT
Why families choose ELT
- 1
A British international education service, founded in London in 1984
ELT was founded in 1984 in London, the home of English language teaching. For more than 40 years we have supported children learning in English and the families behind them.
- 2
Every teacher is a qualified native English-speaking professional
All of our teachers are native English speakers holding international English teaching qualifications such as CELTA or DELTA. Among them are teachers who have served as Head of Year at an international school, and who can advise with the school's own perspective in mind.
- 3
Not only English, but subjects taught in English
Alongside English itself we teach Math, Science and Humanities in English. Supporting both learning English and learning in English within one structure is why international and boarding school families choose ELT.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER
Consulting and lessons: two distinct roles
Consulting maps the route to enrolment; lessons build the ability to walk it. ELT provides both within a single structure.
CONSULTING PACK
Mapping the route
From school selection and application strategy to document review and interview preparation, a dedicated consultant accompanies you through the entire application process.
LESSONS
Building the ability
One-to-one lessons covering the four English skills, Math and Science, entrance tests such as CAT4, UKiset and ISEB, and IB, A-Level, IGCSE and AP.
Lessons are billed monthly and are contracted separately from the consulting pack.
SCHOOLS & COLUMNS
Schools we work with, and information for choosing one
ELT works with children enrolled at, or applying to, international and boarding schools in Japan and overseas. The following are examples of schools we support.
To help with choosing a school, our column publishes reviews of schools in Japan and overseas. Each school's curriculum, character and admissions process can be read from the school name below.
- The American School in Japan (ASIJ)
American curriculum, with a broad range of AP courses - The British School in Tokyo (BST)
British curriculum, from IGCSE to A-Level and the IBDP - Harrow International School Appi Japan
British boarding, from IGCSE to A-Level - Rugby School Japan
British boarding, from IGCSE to A-Level - Malvern College Tokyo
A British ethos built around the IB - UWC ISAK Japan
Fully residential, running the IB Diploma Programme - Yokohama International School (YIS)
IB throughout: PYP, MYP and DP - International School of the Sacred Heart (ISSH)
American curriculum, with a broad range of AP courses
PRICING
How our pricing works
ELT lessons are charged monthly by plan tier, chosen according to your goal. All lessons are online, one-to-one and 50 minutes, and you can take 4, 8 or 12 lessons a month. Admissions preparation and curriculum support (IB, A-Level, IGCSE and AP) sit within the PREMIUM Academic plan, which includes guidance on university choice.
The monthly fee for each plan, together with the full picture including the enrolment fee and the English assessment, is set out in our lesson pricing guide. Consultations are free.
See the lesson pricing guideFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with whether your child is applying to a school or already enrolled. If applying, the right admissions support depends on your child's age and the type of school (preschool, an international school in Japan, or a boarding school overseas). If already enrolled, it depends on whether you need curriculum support (IB, A-Level, IGCSE or AP) or support with everyday study. If your situation is more complex, a free consultation will help you sort it out.
Admissions preparation supports the journey up to enrolment: school selection, applications, interviews and entrance tests. Current student support and curriculum support cover what comes after: lessons, assignments and examinations, building results in IB or A-Level, and preparing for university. Once a place is confirmed, families move from admissions preparation to in-school support and continue without a break.
The school sets the entrance test. Its admissions guidance will name a test such as CAT4, UKiset, ISEB, SSAT, MAP or 11+, so please open the page for that test. Even if you have not yet chosen a school, or cannot tell which test applies, we will confirm it with you during a free consultation.
Yes. Each is assessed differently and counts differently towards a university application. Curriculum support is delivered under the PREMIUM Academic plan, which includes guidance on university choice, and we are happy to advise from the stage of deciding which curriculum a school should follow. Each system is explained in detail on its own page: IB, A-Level, IGCSE & GCSE and AP.
Current student support, delivered by professional teachers, systematically supports classwork, assignments and termly examinations. Campus Tutors places current undergraduates and postgraduates from leading universities alongside your child for everyday study. Families tend to choose professional teachers for examinations and recovering results, and tutors for building daily study habits; some use both. We will help you decide during a consultation. See Campus Tutors in detail
From preschool and kindergarten admissions (ages 2 to 6) through to curriculum support and university preparation for secondary students (up to around 18). We will recommend the right service for your child's age and goal, so please start with the relevant page or a free consultation.
Yes. Lessons are 100% online, one-to-one and 50 minutes. Wherever you are in Japan, and while enrolled at a boarding school overseas, you receive the same tuition on a schedule that accounts for the time difference.
We do not guarantee acceptance to a specific school, or exam scores and grades. Final selection and decisions rest with each school and examination body. ELT continuously manages your child's situation and proposes and accompanies you with evidence-based learning and application strategies to maximise the possibility of acceptance and progression. We make no exaggerated promises of results.
Yes, consultations are free. We will ask about your child's situation, including age, current or target school and how their studies are going, then set out which service fits and what to prioritise now. Enquiries with no obligation to enrol are welcome.
If you are unsure, start with a free consultation
You do not have to choose from 18 services yourself. Tell us about your child in a free consultation and we will set out what support is needed now and in what order. Enquiries are welcome even while you are still deciding between admissions and in-school support, or still choosing a school or a curriculum.
Consultations are free. Enquiries with no obligation to enrol are welcome.