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Local Coordinator Close to your School
Your local coordinator visits your child, attends parents' evenings on your behalf and stays in touch throughout your guardianship programme.
British Guardianship at Cheltenham College
Nominated Guardian for Cheltenham College. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for Cheltenham College? UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have an accredited UK guardian in place throughout their studies. British Guardianship provides a fully accredited boarding school guardianship service for Cheltenham College students, including a dedicated local coordinator, safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays, attendance at parents' evenings on your behalf, and 24-hour emergency support.
Guardianship Fees
Our UK boarding school guardianship services for Cheltenham College start from £350 per term.
Dedicated Guardianship Manager
As soon as your application is received, a dedicated member of our guardianship team becomes your main contact, managing every aspect of your nominated guardian arrangements.
Local Vetted Host Family
We work with a network of vetted host families across the UK. For exeats and half terms, we aim to place your child with a local host family matched to your preferences, so weekends away from school feel settled and safe.
Our Services
UK Boarding School Guardianship
An accredited nominated guardian for international boarders at Cheltenham College, with a dedicated local coordinator, vetted host families for half terms, exeats and holidays, and 24-hour emergency support.
Learn More →Boarding School Placement
Our admissions team supports international families through the application to Cheltenham College, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Learn More →Student Exchange Programme
Cheltenham College accepts students for short-term boarding. Our exchange programme and short stay guardianship let students experience British boarding before committing to a full placement.
Learn More →Cheltenham College Overview
Cheltenham College is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school on Bath Road in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, educating pupils aged 3 to 18. The College, for ages 13 to 18, was founded in 1841 and became fully co-educational in 1998, while Cheltenham Prep, founded in 1863, sits just across the road for children aged 3 to 13. Around nine in ten Prep pupils move on to the College.
Around 750 College pupils choose from 22 GCSE subjects in the Lower College, and a one-year GCSE programme serves students aged 15 to 17. Sixth Formers take three or four subjects from around 30 qualifications, including A Levels, BTECs and Cambridge Technicals, and all complete the Extended Project Qualification.
Boarding at Cheltenham College
Around four in five College pupils board, most of them full time, and the College and Prep together educate more than 100 international students from over 30 countries. At the Prep, boarding starts at age 7, with around 40 full boarders and about 20 flexi boarders during the week. Students needing a Child Student visa must board full time, and short-term placements are considered for overseas students.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
The College has nine boarding houses around the campus, five for boys and four for girls, each mixing year groups from Third Form to Upper Sixth and led by a resident Housemaster or Housemistress with tutors and matrons. Prep boarders live in Cade House, a co-educational house within the main school building, with girls and boys on separate floors and dormitories of four or five, run by resident houseparents.
Boarding Life
College evenings follow a set pattern of supervised prep, activities and pastoral time. Five closed weekends a year are compulsory for boarders, and international boarders can stay at College over most exeat weekends. Prep boarders choose from several activities each evening, play sport at the College on Saturdays and go on Sunday outings.
Academic and Pastoral Support
The College's Learning Support department is CReSTeD registered for dyslexia and offers individual and small-group lessons, exam access arrangements and a Learning Mentor, alongside a specialist EAL department, a Health Centre and sessions with psychotherapists. At the Prep, the Learning Hub gives specialist individual and small-group support.
Every international boarder at Cheltenham College must have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at Cheltenham College
Every accredited UK boarding school offers a range of sport, arts and academic facilities for international students, together with an extended programme of activities in the evenings and at weekends. For full details of the facilities and activities available, please visit the official Cheltenham College website.
Information for International Students and Parents
Cheltenham College admits international boarders to the Prep from Year 3, at age 7, and to the College at 13+ into the Third Form, 14+ into the Fourth Form and 16+ into the Lower Sixth, with a one-year GCSE programme for students aged 15 to 17. Most join in September, after an international induction. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
The College sets minimum English levels by point of entry, based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR):
- Third Form (age 13): CEFR A2
- Fourth Form (age 14): CEFR B2
- Lower Sixth (age 16): CEFR B2
EAL is taught in the Lower College, with an IELTS preparation course in the Lower Sixth. The Prep assesses each child's English on entry and arranges individual or small-group EAL lessons.
Child Student Visa
Students coming to the UK from overseas will usually need a Child Student visa, which is offered to full boarders only. Cheltenham College is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register for both the College and the Prep, while the visa application itself is submitted by parents. Our Child Student visa guide explains the requirements and process, and families holding a British National (Overseas) visa can contact us for guidance on the BN(O) route.
UK Guardian Requirement
Cheltenham College requires every pupil whose family lives outside the UK to have a UK guardian who is over 25, a British citizen or settled in the UK, and lives within two hours' drive. Guardianship organisations must be AEGIS accredited.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for Cheltenham College boarders. Our boarding school guardianship service covers regular contact with the school, travel coordination and safe accommodation with vetted host families during half terms, exeats and holidays.
Short-Term Stays and Exchange Placements
Overseas students can apply to the College for a short-term placement as well as a full-time place, with a stay of at least one term expected. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for Cheltenham College, book a free online consultation or apply for a nominated guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK boarding schools generally require international students under 18 to have a UK-based guardian, and British Guardianship confirms Cheltenham College's specific requirements as part of your application. The guardian acts on behalf of parents in the UK, is the school's point of contact in an emergency and looks after the student whenever they cannot be at school. We provide this as an AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship service.
Whenever your child cannot stay at Cheltenham College, for example during half terms, exeats or holidays when boarding houses close, they stay with one of our vetted host families. Every host family is visited in their home, provides professional and personal references and holds an Enhanced DBS check for all household members aged 16 and over. British Guardianship remains your child's educational guardian throughout every stay.
We have guardians available and ready to be assigned. The overall timeframe depends on how quickly the required paperwork is completed and communication with Cheltenham College is finalised. As every case is different, timelines can vary, but we aim to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible.
Boarding school guardianship is charged per term and starts from £350, with host family stays, travel arrangements and other services added as your child needs them. Full details are on our guardianship fees page.
A UK student guardian must be a responsible adult, usually aged 25 or over, who lives permanently in the UK, speaks fluent English and is close enough to the school to respond quickly in an emergency; many boarding schools set a maximum travel time. The guardian must be contactable 24 hours a day and hold an Enhanced DBS check where they or their household host the student. Cheltenham College may also ask for the guardian's details before the start of term and set additional requirements of its own. As an AEGIS accredited guardianship provider, British Guardianship meets these requirements on your behalf, with vetted guardians, Enhanced DBS checked host families and 24-hour emergency support.
Yes. Our boarding school admissions service supports international families through the application to Cheltenham College, from choosing the right year of entry through to an offer and enrolment, with Child Student visa guidance and guardianship arranged alongside.
Disclaimer: Logo, images and videos are shown courtesy of Cheltenham College and remain the property of their respective owners. British Guardianship is an independent AEGIS-accredited guardianship provider, and this page is not published or endorsed by Cheltenham College. School information is provided as a general guide and may change.
SEN Support Explained: SpLD: specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, affect particular areas of learning such as reading, spelling, coordination or working with numbers, without affecting overall ability. ASD: autism spectrum disorder affects how a student communicates, interacts with others and experiences the world around them. ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects concentration, attention, impulse control and activity levels. SLCN: speech, language and communication needs affect how a student understands language, expresses themselves or communicates with others.
