United Kingdom · Manchester
MGS is a selective boys’ day school for ages 7–18. Junior School and Year 7 applications for September 2027 have a published 18 November 2026 deadline. Sixth Form applications close on 5 March 2027.
The Manchester Grammar School, known as MGS, is an independent boys’ day school in Manchester. It accepts pupils from Year 3 to Year 13 and does not offer boarding.
The name can be misleading for families new to England. MGS is fee-paying and independent; it is not a state-funded grammar school. Admission is selective.
MGS has three main application routes:
Entry into Years 8–10 is exceptional. The late-entry page says the Senior School is currently full and asks families to contact Admissions before applying.
Junior applicants attend an assessment day. They work in groups of up to ten and take part in mathematics, topic-based, writing and reading activities. The school uses unfamiliar lesson content to assess how a boy learns, rather than only what he has already studied.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications opened | 13 July 2026 |
| Assessment days begin | 15 September 2026 |
| Whole-school open evening | 24 September 2026 |
| Whole-school open morning | 14 November 2026 |
| Deadline for a guaranteed assessment | 18 November 2026 |
| Results published | 22 January 2027 |
| Post-offer tours | 1–2 February 2027 |
| Acceptance deadline | 5 February 2027 |
| Late applications, subject to places | February–August 2027 |
A pupil already taught in the Junior School proceeds automatically to the Senior School. He does not sit the Year 7 entrance examination.
An unsuccessful Junior applicant may reapply for the next year group once. After a second unsuccessful application, he normally must wait two year groups. A Year 6 applicant who is unsuccessful may still apply for Year 7.
Year 7 candidates attend an assessment day and a separate entrance-examination day. The assessment day includes mathematics, a topic-based lesson, group activities and creative writing.
The January examination has two English papers and two arithmetic papers. Candidates also choose an afternoon activity, and lunch is provided. The school may request a reference from the applicant’s current school.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications opened | 13 July 2026 |
| Assessment days begin | 21 September 2026 |
| Whole-school open evening | 24 September 2026 |
| Whole-school open morning | 14 November 2026 |
| Deadline for a guaranteed assessment | 18 November 2026 |
| Entrance examination | 13 January 2027 |
| Results published | 5 February 2027 |
| Post-offer tours | 24–26 February 2027 |
| Acceptance deadline | 3 March 2027 |
The admissions page describes 18 November as the deadline for a guaranteed assessment and also says the application window closes that day. It does not publish a fixed intake quota.
Past Year 7 papers are available on the school website. MGS says a score of 50% or more is a rough indication of progress towards its entrance standard. This is guidance, not a published pass mark or an offer threshold.
External applicants must be studying GCSEs, or equivalent qualifications, in Year 11. They must be between 15 years 9 months and 17 years 3 months on 1 September in the year of entry.
The process has two school visits. A Sixth Form Experience Day includes lessons and an interview. On the Assessment Afternoon, applicants sit tests in selected intended A-level subjects.
MGS describes a typical conditional offer as an average grade 7 across GCSE subjects. It also normally requires at least grade 8 in the subjects chosen for Sixth Form.
All pupils choose four subjects. The school advertises A levels and International A levels across languages, sciences, humanities, arts and social sciences.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Experience days begin | 21 September 2026 |
| Whole-school open evening | 24 September 2026 |
| Sixth Form open evening | 12 November; see conflict below |
| Whole-school open morning | 14 November 2026 |
| Application deadline for guaranteed assessment | 5 March 2027 |
| Assessment afternoon | 12 March 2027 |
The Sixth Form page contains a date conflict. Its event description says the open evening is Thursday 12 November 2026. The timetable says Thursday 12 November 2027. Families should confirm the correct year before making travel arrangements.
The page does not publish the 2027 result, offer or acceptance dates.
The Junior, Year 7 and Sixth Form application pages list the same core requirements. All people with parental responsibility must be named. Parents must provide a birth certificate, passport and recent full school report.
Sixth Form applicants also provide supporting information about their application. Candidates with special educational needs or disabilities must disclose them and provide relevant educational, medical or psychological reports.
The online application charge is £48 for each of the three routes. It is due at the end of the form. Registration gives the child consideration for selection; it does not secure a place.
Means-tested bursaries are available only for entry into Year 7 and Year 12. They are not available for Junior School or later-year entry. The family must be permanently resident in the United Kingdom and live in North West England when applying.
The school says 194 pupils currently receive a full or partial bursary, with the large majority receiving full support. Its ability to make awards depends on available funds.
For 2026/27, assessable household income above £58,500 receives no assistance. Income of £32,500 or less receives full tuition remission. Awards between those points use a sliding scale.
These figures describe income thresholds, not an automatic entitlement. Bursaries are awarded in academic-merit order and reassessed every year. MGS does not offer academic or other scholarships.
Families must request financial assistance on the entry application. They then receive a separate financial assessment form closer to the child’s assessment.
Tuition for 2026/27 is £19,809 a year including VAT. The termly amount is £6,603.
The fee includes:
A small number of equipment-list items are excluded. Families also pay separately for uniform, private music tuition, some Activities Week trips and other voluntary trips.
Meals are optional outside Years 3 and 4, but the reviewed pages do not give current prices. Transport routes include school shuttles, private services and public transport. The school does not publish a complete current price list for those journeys.
The application forms say that the school’s terms become binding when parents accept an offer. However, the public pages reviewed do not state the acceptance deposit, cancellation rights, withdrawal notice or fees-in-lieu liability. Families should request the full contract and charges list before accepting.
The SEND department describes experience with attention conditions, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, physical or sensory impairments, and memory or processing needs. Applicants with an existing diagnosis can receive support during assessment and entrance examinations.
The public SEND page says the department has five full-time staff. It also has a part-time English teacher supporting higher-level dyslexia needs in Years 11–13. Some staff can carry out assessments and diagnoses.
MGS says it seeks to fund support internally, including for complex needs. The page does not publish capacity, guaranteed adjustments or any limits attached to particular needs.
Parents should therefore disclose needs at application and provide current reports. They should obtain a written plan covering entrance arrangements, ordinary classroom support, specialist assessment and any provision that could carry an extra charge.
MGS is a day school. Families must arrange housing, daily care and travel.
The application forms request a passport, but the admissions pages do not publish a residence rule or a Child Student sponsorship policy. They also do not describe guardianship for an overseas pupil. Families needing immigration sponsorship or local guardianship should obtain written confirmation before applying.
The bursary programme is substantial, but its regional, income and academic conditions are consequential. A family outside North West England should not assume that a strong entrance result creates eligibility.
Compare other Manchester schools if boarding, co-education or a different admissions route matters. The United Kingdom guide explains the wider system.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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