St Columbanus' College

When there are more applications than places for 2026-27 (Year 8), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Pupils from the following Catholic Maintained Feeder Primary Schools, St. Comgall’s Bangor, St Malachy’s Bangor, St Finian’s Newtownards, St Mary’s Comber, St Patrick’s Holywood, St Mary’s Portaferry, St Mary’s Kircubbin and St Patrick’s Ballygalget.
2. 2Pupils from any other Catholic Maintained Primary School in Northern Ireland.
3. 3All other pupils transferring to Post-Primary Education. In the event of the College being oversubscribed at a particular criterion, preference will be given in the following order of priority:- i. Pupils who at the time of application are siblings of present pupils enrolled in the College. ii. Pupils who are the only child in the family or who are the eldest eligible child to apply to Mainstream Post Primary School. (Eldest eligible means that at the commencement of Year 8 the pupil will be the eldest child in the family attending Post Primary School) iii. Final placement will be determined on distance by foot from home to the College as measured using maps.google.co.uk. iv. Where two or more distances are identical, an additional tie breaker will be used. A tie breaker will be used using a lottery draw involving the remaining applicants. The criteria relating to the initial admission of pupils into Year 8 before the commencement of the 2026 school year will also be used for entry into Year 8 should admission become possible after the commencement of the 2026 school year.
4. 4Other applicants. If following the application of the above criteria there comes a point where more applicants meet a particular criterion than there are places available, preference will be given to applicants who live nearest to the College measured using maps.google.co.uk which gives a measurement of distance from the home to the College. Where two or more distances are identical, an additional tie-breaker using a lottery draw involving applicants with the same distance will take place. Application of the above criteria will be made in the context of the following considerations by Governors: • A pupil may be considered for enrolment provided that, in the Board of Governors’ opinion, this would not prejudice the provision of efficient use of the College’s resources. • A pupil may be considered for enrolment provided that, in the Board of Governors’ opinion, this would not prejudice the provision of efficient education in the College. • The Board of Governors will consider the needs of the particular pupil seeking entry to the College and decide whether it is in the College’s and pupil’s best interest to transfer.

Northern Ireland open-enrolment admissions criteria, as published by the Education Authority for entry in September 2026.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.