Who can register from outside Kent?
Kent’s registration guidance includes children who live elsewhere in England. Check the birth-date range for the test year and contact the admissions team about a child outside that range.
Kent asks families to register only when they intend to apply for a Kent grammar school. Before adding the exam, identify the schools you would actually name and read their current admissions policies.
Test arrangements may depend on the primary school
For the 2026 test, leading to September 2027 entry, registration ran from 1 June to 1 July 2026. Kent scheduled testing for pupils attending Kent primary schools on 10 September and for other pupils over 12–13 September. Those dates are now past; results are due on 15 October 2026.
Use the invitation for the exact venue and session. An out-of-county home address does not necessarily mean the child attends an out-of-county primary school.
For a future entry year, wait for that year’s published arrangements rather than carrying these dates forward. If you missed registration for 2027 entry, Kent currently directs families to email its admissions team for next steps; this is not a promise of late testing.
Which Kent schools could offer from your address?
The Kent Test assessment and the school’s allocation rules answer different questions. Some schools give priority to defined areas or nearer addresses; some use higher scores within their allocation arrangements.
For each school, note:
- the priority category your child would fall into;
- whether score or distance orders children within that category;
- the policy’s residence and evidence dates;
- any official historical allocation information for that same category.
A result described as suitable for grammar school should not be read as an offer. See what a Kent Test score means.
Apply through your home council
Name the individual Kent schools on your home council’s CAF, using its deadline and your genuine preference order. Completing Kent Test registration does not submit that application.
Try the weekday journey before making the final order. Use the Kent school guide to compare locations, then check actual public transport, return journeys after clubs and each school’s official policy.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Does our home address decide the test day?
Kent’s published test timetable distinguishes pupils by whether they attend a Kent primary school. Read the actual invitation; do not infer the venue or date solely from your home county.
Does the Kent Test cover Medway or Bexley?
No. Kent explicitly says Medway and Bexley have their own tests. Register for those separately if you want schools using those routes.
Can an overseas family register on the same basis?
Kent’s current registration guidance sets residence requirements and specific exceptions for qualifying service personnel and Crown Servants. Contact Kent admissions about your circumstances rather than assuming all overseas registrations are accepted.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026