Application Categories

The College Admissions Policy (see end of this page) identifies two categories of applicant:

First Priority Applicants

If you attend one of our partner or link schools, or live within the catchment area of a partner school or in the Colchester area*, or attend a Colchester secondary school in Year 11, you will be identified as a ‘first priority’ applicant. For you, the interview is focused upon ensuring that you are choosing the most appropriate programme of study, and it is likely that any offer of a place will be given during the interview itself, if it seems clear that you are likely to achieve the full entry criteria for your chosen courses. It's important to remember that everyone's place depends upon achieving these entry criteria. Every applicant, however focussed upon their goals or confident about their grades, is advised to put in place a 'plan B' just in case.

Please note that to maintain your first priority status, you must apply by the end of January.

*see map below

‘Out of Area’ Applicants

If you do not attend one of our partner or link schools, or do not live within the Colchester area, you will be identified as an ‘out of area’ applicant. In this case, we will interview you as part of our normal process, but you will not receive a firm decision regarding your application until March in year 11.

We very much welcome applicants in this category - in a very real sense all applicants are a priority for us. The College has been oversubscribed for many years, but we want to help and have been able to help in many, many cases over the years.  This year, we anticipate being able to offer places to 80% or more of such applicants. So please do feel confident in applying, and, like many other applicants, seeing us as a clear "plan A"  - but, like everyone else, you will always need to keep your eye on a plan B just in case.

Please note, as with all applicants, it's important that you hit that end of January application deadline.

We are aware that the documents below may not be fully accessible. If you require help accessing them, please contact the College.