At Dulwich College we are very proud of our boarding community. Edward Alleyn founded our College in 1619 to provide education and lodgings for 12 scholars. Today we have a thriving and harmonious community of 130 boarders from the UK and around the world which remains at the heart of the College.

Together, we all aim to provide a happy, caring and stimulating environment, allowing boys to extend their intellectual and emotional development in an atmosphere of positive encouragement.

We aim to foster mutual respect, trust, tolerance and an understanding of the range of cultures that can be found in the boarding houses and in the College. By the time boys leave, we expect them to be confident, grounded, and considerate and to have an ability to integrate with people from all walks of life.

If you have any questions after reading our prospectus, please do not hesitate to contact me or our Registrars. We would be delighted to talk to you about any aspect of life as a pupil at Dulwich College.

Mr Ben Pelly
Head of Boarding

Do I need a visa? Does the College issue CAS documents?

All students who are not citizens of a country in the European Union or EEA (European Economic Area) will need visas to study and live in the UK. The College can issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (known as a CAS) which will contain reference numbers and information you will need for your visa application. Parents are asked to contact the College in May or June and provide a copy of their son’s passport and the College will then send the CAS by e-mail.

Do I need to report to the police station within 7 days of arrival in the UK?

If you obtain a visa to come to the UK, that visa will tell you whether you have to register with the police on arrival in the UK. The College will help you with this process if you are asked to do it.

IELTS; do boys need qualifications?

IELTS qualifications are not required when applying to the College as each candidate will be tested in English. However, Upper School boys are expected to have an IELTS qualification by the time they arrive. A high level in spoken and written English is necessary at all points of entry. Universities in the UK and overseas usually require students to have reached a certain proficiency in English before offering a place. Our EAL department will work with pupils in groups, and one on one, to help them reach the required level as soon as possible.

What happens to boarders in the holidays?

All boys go home or stay with a guardian during the holidays. Boarders must leave on the final day of term, but can return to the boarding house the day before school begins to unpack and settle in. The Upper School boarding houses remain open during the Summer term’s half term break, as boys are in the middle of their A level examinations, but all houses are closed for the October and February half term breaks. All term dates are on the College website.

Do I need to appoint a guardian for my son?

Every pupil (even those 18 years old or over) whose parents are resident overseas must have a guardian living in this country. The guardian must be at least 25 years old, and should live close enough to the College to carry out his/her duties effectively.

What do the fees include?

Food and textbooks are included in the fees. Some house activities and trips will be covered, but others may be added to the school bill. This will always be made clear in advance. Tuition fees for the following year are finalised each April and the invoice for the first term’s fees is issued at the end of July.

What are exeat weekends?

There are four exeat weekends a year for pupils in Years 7 to 11, two in the Michaelmas (Autumn) term and one in each of the Lent (Spring) and Summer terms. The boarding houses close on Friday (5pm) and open on Sunday (5pm). The dates are on the College website. There are no exeat weekends in Years 12 and 13.

Where can I buy a school uniform?

All Dulwich College uniform is available from the School Shop, the Commissariat, which is situated in the College campus. Please check our website for opening times and contact them directly with any queries.

Do I need to bring bedding?

All bedding is provided, but boys are welcome to bring their own if they prefer.

Is transport to/from the airport available?

The journey to Dulwich College is around one hour, from both Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Please contact the Housemaster if you would like to organise airport transfers. This can be done at the beginning and end of each holiday, and the cost is usually added to the next term’s fee bill.

What do boarders do at the weekend?

There are no lessons at the weekend. The College has extensive sporting facilities, many of which are open to boarders at the weekend, and many boys participate in College teams and play matches against other schools on Saturdays. Music practice rooms can be available on request. House trips and activities are often laid on at the weekend, but it is also important to allow boys some time to relax, recharge their batteries, socialise or study. All meals are provided in the College dining hall throughout the weekend.

What happens if my child feels ill at school?

We have a fully staffed Medical Centre where the boys report to if they are feeling unwell. If they are ill during the night the Housemasters have training in the provision of basic medicines, and there is also an on call nurse available 24 hours a day.

When do the boys do their homework?

There is supervised prep time each day during the week (75 minutes for the younger boys, 120 minutes for the Upper School students). Boys use classrooms/computer suites and a member of the teaching staff is always on duty, to help students if necessary, and to ensure a studious atmosphere. In their final year, boys are allowed to study in the boarding house during prep time, either in their study bedrooms, or in the house IT suites.

Is there an induction programme for new boys?

Induction is an ongoing process, and continues throughout the year of joining Dulwich College. However, a full programme is laid on for new boys over the first few weeks of the Michaelmas term. During this period they will participate in a team building morning, tour the College and the local area and meet all those staff likely to play a part in their lives over the coming months and years.

There are many questions parents want to ask when considering boarding for their sons. But what do boys want to know before they choose a boarding school?

We asked a group of nine Dulwich boarders – junior and senior boys from all four houses – the questions they had before coming to Dulwich. Here are their top 12 questions and answers:

What are the boys like at Dulwich?

Open minded, energetic, welcoming, humorous, intelligent.

What are the rule around electronic devices?

Phones, tablets and laptops are all fine and we are expected to act responsibly. You obviously can’t stay up all night using them otherwise the Housemasters will have something to say...

Are we allowed off campus on our own?

Yes. During the week junior boarders can go out locally and some can visit London at the weekends with permission of their Housemaster. Senior boarders can sign themselves out when they go out locally during the week but if they want to go up to London they need their Housemaster’s permission beforehand. Curfews are 9pm for junior boarders and 11/11.30pm for senior boarders.

When is bedtime?

Junior boys are encouraged to be in bed between 9.15pm and 10pm (depending on which year group they are in) while seniors’ bedtimes are 10.45pm during the week and around 11pm at the weekends.

What do we need to do before we arrive?

It’s worth labelling your clothes and sports kit. Bring your own towels too. You can bring your bed linen if you prefer, though that is supplied. There’s a school shop on campus so you can buy your uniform when you get here, although if you’re a senior you can wear your own suit so you will probably want to purchase that beforehand.

What nationalities are there in the boarding houses?

There are around 20 nationalities and currently these include American, British, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Thai, Polish, Singaporean, Russian, Ghanaian, Turkish, Sierra Leonean, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Canadian, Taiwanese, Australian, French and Sri Lankan.

What musical and sporting opportunities are there after school and at the week-ends?

All the boarding houses have a piano and you can take instrumental lessons either during the school day or afterwards. You can set up your own band and rehearse in the Pod – a sound-proofed room by the Music School which has amps and a drum kit – or in the boarding houses. There’s an Orchard House band that plays at boarding and school events.

Boarders have automatic membership of the Sports Centre so you can do any sport you like or just go to the gym and do weights and machines if you prefer. Sometimes we go before school if we’ve got other after-school commitments. There are sporting fixtures every Saturday plus house competitions such as tennis, football, rugby and badminton.

What are the rooms like?

The junior boarders share – anywhere between two to five boys depending on the size of the room and their age – while senior boarders in Ivyholme and Blew House have their own en-suite study rooms. They’re comfortable and you can put up posters and pictures to make it more like home.

What’s the food like?

Pretty good and there’s lots of it – not just at mealtimes but between meals too if you’re hungry. There are vegetarian and vegan options and we’re encouraged to talk to the Catering department about what we like to eat and they’ll devise menus for us. We’re allowed sweets and takeaways once a week. No nuts are allowed in the boarding houses.

What’s the Dulwich area like?

There’s a cinema in East Dulwich as well as shops and cafés. Dulwich Village is within walking distance, with a park, café and places to eat. It’s easy to get around by bike so bring one if you’d like to.

What happens at weekends?

It’s much more free flow at the weekends. We have breakfast in our houses – fresh fruit, bacon sandwiches, pastries and pain au chocolate – and then we might have a trip organised, such as paint-balling, going to see a football match or a trip to the beach. Usually though we head up to Central London as it’s so easy to get there plus there’s always loads to do, even if it’s just wandering along the South Bank when it’s a nice day.

Are there special boarders’ events?

Each year we hold an International Day which showcases food and culture from around the world to the wider Dulwich community that includes pupils, teachers and parents. Every Christmas there is an amazing dinner in the Great Hall (just think Hogwarts), and in the summer term we have fantastic barbecues in the gardens.