Earlscliffe Sixth Form College

Earlscliffe Sixth Form College

Earlscliffe College – a small school for foreign students, specializing in preparing high school students for admission to the best universities in the world. The college occupies a beautiful old building built in 1870 and is located in the small town of Folkestone in the southeast of England (Kent). The train station and the famous Leas promenade are within walking distance.

Folkestone is known as the gateway to Europe, located on the English Channel closest to France, but only an hour's drive from London. This seaside town is a favorite holiday destination for both the British and visitors. It has a fairly warm climate, lots of sun, beautiful beaches and a calm atmosphere.

There are only 140 people studying at the school.

Director (for 2026)

Key factors

• Graduates enter the most prestigious universities in the UK and USA, including Russel Group universities and Ivy League universities.
• Training takes place in small classes, with an average of 7 people, each student receives individual attention.
• College teachers help students plan their future careers and choose subjects to study that will help them best prepare for admission to their desired university.
• Students whose first language is not English can take an IELTS test preparation course.
• Thanks to convenient transport links, Earlscliffe College students have the opportunity to frequently visit London as part of their academic program and just for pleasure. Trips to Europe are regularly organized.
• The school is in the top 1% of British schools in terms of value added (that is, children here achieve maximum opportunities in their development).

Program

GCSE
A two-year General Certificate of Secondary Education programme. 6 compulsory subjects, 4 optional subjects.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

International Transition Year (15-17 years old)

A specialized one-year program for foreign students who need more in-depth preparation before starting their A-level or IB high school programs. At the end of your studies you can take GCSE exams. Students are engaged in a special program where a lot of time is devoted to the English language, as well as studying the desired academic subjects. English, mathematics, one natural science subject, one humanitarian subject, and native language are studied.

Pre A-level

Preparation for the mainstream A-level programme. The programme lasts one or two terms, or a full year. 50% of the time is spent studying English, with the remainder devoted to core academic subjects: mathematics, science, business, art, as well as geography, history, and statistics. Students study their native language. Classes are small.

A-level (from 16 years old)

Traditional British pre-university program, often referred to as the “gold standard”. The program lasts 2 years and prepares students for entering university. Students usually choose 4 subjects for in-depth study (including their native language).
Find out more about A-level program

University Foundation (from 17 years old)

One-year pre-university course for foreign students with a language proficiency level of IELTS 5.0+. The course is for those who have completed secondary education in their home country and plan to enroll in a British university.

Two directions:

• humanitarian subjects (English and preparation for IELTS, history, geography, economics, business, politics, art, photography, art history);
• natural sciences (English and IELTS preparation, mathematics, psychology, chemistry, biology, physics).

Diploma in Business and Management (from 17 years old)

A one-year course for students wishing to focus on business studies. The course is formally equivalent to two A-level course subjects and consists of six modules covering aspects of business and management. The diploma provides entry into business programs at the best universities in the UK. Students, as a rule, also take an A-level exam in their native language and another subject of their choice.

Topics studied include: managing business operations, maximizing resources to achieve business success, human resource management in organizations, teamwork, effective business communications. The annual diploma trip to Munich is the central theme of the marketing project and includes visits to German enterprises and factories, in particular BMW.

Accommodation

Accommodation in a residence on the college premises. There are 5 houses here: 2 for girls and 3 for boys. All rooms are newly renovated, very bright and spacious. Most rooms are double, with bathroom and toilet. Each student has his own closet and desk. The rooms have WI-FI. The main building and each house have a kitchen, garden and common room with comfortable sofas, TV and games.

Sport

On Wednesday afternoons and on weekends, students have free time for sports and activities. The college offers sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, squash, badminton and table tennis. Tennis and golf are also played in summer. Not far from the school there is a gym and a swimming pool, where college students have free access.

Additional activities

In addition to academics, the college offers many extra-curricular activities for the development of students. The Unified School Debating Competition is held annually. The competition has been held since 1950, and many of the winners have become famous lawyers, scientists, politicians, journalists and entrepreneurs.

Every year there is a UK mathematicians competition where college students take part. The Cambridge University Science Festival is held annually, where Earlscliffe College students participate in all the lectures, exhibitions and interactive workshops led by Cambridge scientists.

Students wishing to pursue a career in finance, banking, investment or economics can apply for the annual internship program of the world's largest investment bank – JP Morgan Chase. In recent years, Earlscliffe students have won internships which then lead to bank jobs after finishing university.

Politicians, musicians, artists, athletes, and philosophers often come to the college to give lectures. Every student can attend their public lectures.

Earlscliffe College has over 40 interest clubs:

• Scientific community
• History Club
• Political Club
• Economic and business community
• Debate Club
• Public speaking
• UNESCO Committee
• Model United Nations
• Student Council
• Italian Language Club
• Creative Writing
• Essay writing
• Chess club
• French language club and much more

Entertainment activities are held throughout the year: trips to the amusement park and paintball, ice skating, a tour of the Harry Potter studio, ATV safaris, laser tag, karting. On weekends, students often visit London, where they go to exhibitions and theaters. Trips to European cities are regularly held: Paris, Bruges and others. All of them are located within a couple of hours by train from the college.

Cost, 2026-2027

£18,950 per semester. 
There are 3 semesters in the academic year.

Included in price

• Training
• Accommodation and meals

Additional charge

• Registration fee - £430
• Deposit - £3,400
• Accommodation in a single room - £2,085 per semester
• Airfare
• Airport transfers
• Visa
• Educational company services
• Guardian selection, which is a mandatory requirement for British schools

Our services and fees

Summer course at Earlcliffe College