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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 DLD College London
Nominated Guardian for DLD College London. Boarding school guardianship for international students.
Are you looking for a Nominated Guardian for DLD College London? 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 DLD College London 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 DLD College London 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 DLD College London, 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 DLD College London, 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
DLD College London 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 →DLD College London Overview
DLD College London is an independent, co-educational day and boarding college for students aged 13 to 19, based in a purpose-built building on Westminster Bridge Road, on the South Bank opposite the Houses of Parliament. The college is part of the Abbey DLD Group of Colleges, alongside Abbey College Cambridge and Abbey College Manchester, and its students come from more than 50 nationalities.
Courses run from Year 9 through one-year, 18-month and two-year GCSE programmes to A Levels, BTEC courses and an International Foundation Programme for university entry, with A Level retakes also offered. Shorter options include an Academic Preparation Course and the British Boarding School Experience.
Boarding at DLD College London
Boarding and teaching share one building, with the boarding house directly above the classrooms and room for more than 200 full boarders. The house stays open through half terms and the Easter holiday, closing only at Christmas and over the summer.
Boarding Houses and Accommodation
All bedrooms are en-suite and grouped by age, with boys and girls on separate floors. Most students have a single en-suite room, and a small number of twin rooms are shared by two students of the same gender and similar age, with a dividing wall for privacy. Each floor forms a house community led by a resident houseparent who can be reached at any time. Every floor has a common room with a kitchen, and meals are served in the college dining hall.
Boarding Life
Evenings and weekends centre on the Atrium, with table football, pool, badminton, table tennis, film screenings and gaming. Weekend trips have included Wembley Stadium, the Royal Albert Hall, West End and Globe theatre visits, ice skating, paintballing and go-karting, and each houseparent organises a house trip every term. Students under 16 sign out in groups, and all boarders return by a set curfew.
Academic and Pastoral Support
Houseparents and personal tutors meet each boarder every week, a counsellor works from the Wellbeing Centre, and the matron runs the medical centre. A team of university admissions tutors supports applications, including interview practice for Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London.
International boarders at DLD College London are generally expected to have a UK guardian. British Guardianship provides AEGIS accredited boarding school guardianship for international students at UK boarding schools.
Facilities & Activities at DLD College London
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 DLD College London website.
Information for International Students and Parents
DLD College London accepts international boarders from age 13, with entry into Year 9, the start of two-year or 18-month GCSE courses in Year 10, one-year GCSE in Year 11, and A Level or BTEC courses from 16. Courses start in September, and Year 9, 18-month A Level and short courses also start in January. British Guardianship supports international families through every stage of the application with our boarding school admissions service.
English Language Requirements
DLD College London sets minimum IELTS levels, or equivalent, by course:
- Year 9 and two-year or 18-month GCSE (ages 13 to 15): IELTS 4.5
- One-year GCSE (ages 15 to 16): IELTS 5.0
- A Level and BTEC (age 16 and over): IELTS 5.5
Academic English classes, set by level, continue until students reach IELTS 6.5.
Child Student Visa
Students under 18 will usually need a Child Student visa, which covers every course except the Foundation Programme. DLD College London is a licensed Child Student sponsor on the UKVI register and issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies once a student is enrolled, while the visa application itself is submitted by parents. Our Child Student visa guide explains the process, and families holding a British National (Overseas) visa can contact us for guidance on the BN(O) route.
UK Guardian Requirement
DLD College London encourages all overseas students to have a UK-based educational guardian throughout their studies and may require one. The guardian must live in the UK, ideally in London, and be at least 25 years old. The college does not provide guardianship itself and refers families to AEGIS.
British Guardianship is AEGIS accredited and a BSA Certified Guardian, and can act as the nominated UK guardian for DLD College London 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, giving parents a single, reliable educational guardian in the UK.
Short-Term Stays and Exchange Placements
The British Boarding School Experience offers students aged 13 and over one or two terms of British curriculum study with English lessons and full boarding, starting in September or January. Families considering a shorter placement can explore our Student Exchange Programme and short stay guardianship.
To discuss UK guardianship for DLD College London, 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 DLD College London'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 DLD College London, 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 DLD College London 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. DLD College London 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 DLD College London, 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 DLD College London 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 DLD College London. School information is provided as a general guide and may change.
