The UK's Cricket and Education specialists
CRICED helps families in the USA find the right UK independent and boarding schools for children aged 11–17, matching academic goals with serious cricket opportunities — and a real person guiding you from first call to offer.
Speak to a real person — no cost, no obligation.
Choosing a UK independent or boarding school is a major decision. CRICED helps families in the USA understand UK boarding school admissions, identify schools that fit their child’s academic ambitions and cricket development, and explore scholarship and bursary options where available.
We do not hand out the same generic list of schools to every family. Each conversation starts with your child — and the shortlist follows from that.
Typical annual costs vary by school, but boarding at leading UK independent schools can commonly be £30,000–£50,000+ per year including boarding. Day places cost less, and schools also charge extras such as registration and deposit fees, trips and guardianship.
For families in the US, that is broadly US$38,000 to US$63,000 a year at indicative rates, plus flights, guardianship and one-off registration and deposit fees — often less than a comparable US boarding school.
Many schools award academic, sport, music or all-rounder scholarships. For cricket, these are usually assessed by video, references and performance records from the USA. We flag which of your shortlisted schools offer them and what they typically cover.
We guide you through registration, UKiset or school entrance assessments, online interviews, offers, acceptance deposits, CAS for the Child Student visa, and setting up a UK-based guardian for boarders under 18.
Figures below are indicative and converted at roughly US$1.27 to the pound — rates move, so we rebuild the numbers with you before you shortlist.
| Cost | Typical GBP | Indicative USD |
|---|---|---|
| Full boarding fees (annual) | £30,000–£50,000 | US$38,000–63,000 |
| Registration fee (one-off, per school) | £100–£350 | US$130–450 |
| Acceptance deposit (refundable/credited) | £2,000–£6,000 | US$2,500–7,600 |
| UK guardianship (annual) | £1,500–£4,000 | US$1,900–5,100 |
| Child Student visa + IHS surcharge | £1,000–£1,500 | US$1,300–1,900 |
| Flights, uniform, kit, trips and pocket money | £4,000–£8,000 | US$5,100–10,200 |
| Realistic first-year total | £38,000–£68,000 | US$48,000–86,000 |
Deadlines vary by school, so we confirm each one on your shortlist in writing. The typical timetable for a September start looks like this:
Shortlist schools, book visits or online tours, and check which schools award scholarships to international pupils.
Register with your shortlisted schools. Several popular schools close registration for 13+ and 16+ entry well before the assessment round.
Registration deadlines for most 13+ and 16+ scholarship rounds fall in this window, along with UKiset or school entrance tests.
Academic, cricket, music and all-rounder scholarship assessments, trials and online interviews take place.
Offers and scholarship awards are confirmed; acceptance deposits are due within a few weeks.
CAS issued, Child Student visa applied for, UK guardian appointed, uniform and kit ordered, flights booked for the September start.
Breakfast in house, lessons through the morning and early afternoon, sport most afternoons, then supervised prep in the evening before free time and lights out. Houses are led by a housemaster or housemistress with a resident tutor team and a matron.
The school day is longer, Saturdays usually mean lessons or fixtures, and subject choices narrow much earlier than in a US high school. Most US pupils find the narrower A Level focus a relief rather than a restriction.
Sport is timetabled, not optional or a separate club commitment. Cricket runs indoors from October and outdoors from April, with a full fixture list plus strength and conditioning built into the week.
Schools set fixed exeat weekends and half-terms when boarders must leave. This is where a UK guardian matters — we help you appoint one before the visa application, and many US families combine exeats with family travel in Europe.
The UK is five hours ahead of New York and eight ahead of California. Direct flights from most US hubs to Heathrow are overnight, so pupils usually travel at the start and end of term and at Christmas.
UK schools with international intakes support US university applications alongside UCAS — SAT or ACT sittings, Common App essays and recommendation letters are all familiar territory.
A practical PDF written for families in the USA — no jargon, no sales pitch, and honest about what a UK boarding place really costs.
Cricket in the US has grown quickly — USA Cricket age-group programmes, Minor League and Major League Cricket have given young players something to aim at. The gap is still volume: competitive matches, week in and week out.
Daily coaching, indoor nets from October, a full summer fixture programme against schools of similar standard, and strength and conditioning built into the timetable. Players typically go from a handful of serious matches a year to a full season.
UK school terms leave the summer holidays and Christmas free, so players can return for USA Cricket age-group selection, league cricket and family time. We plan the calendar with you so nothing important clashes.
A UK boarding place does not close off American universities. Students sit the SAT or ACT where needed, and A Levels or the IB are recognised by US admissions offices. Several schools also support recruitment for US college sport.
Moving from a US public or private school into the British system is well understood by UK admissions teams — the key is choosing the right entry point.
US Grade 6 sits close to UK Year 7, Grade 8 to Year 9 (the main 13+ entry before GCSEs), and Grade 10 to Sixth Form entry at 16+. Entering mid-GCSE is possible but rarely ideal, so we map the timing carefully.
Most senior schools set an assessment in English and Mathematics, and many use UKiset for international applicants. Interviews are held online, so the whole process can be run from the US before any visit.
Many US boarding schools now charge US$65,000–US$80,000 a year. UK full boarding typically lands around US$38,000–US$63,000 before flights and guardianship, which is why a growing number of American families look across the Atlantic.
We have written a detailed, free guide for families in the USA covering entry points, fees in local currency, cricket pathways, UKiset, visas and guardianship.
Identify schools where your child’s cricket can develop alongside their education.
Find schools that match your child’s academic ambitions, interests and future plans.
Receive individual support navigating UK independent-school options and admissions.
Study at a leading UK school while developing your cricket — a natural next step for talented young players from the USA. We identify schools with strong UK school cricket, coaching pathways and cricket scholarship opportunities.
A £30,000–£50,000 a year decision deserves more than a brochure. Here is what you get.
Years inside British independent education, not a directory of names.
We know which schools genuinely develop young cricketers, and which don’t.
Guidance built around overseas families and the realities of boarding.
A shortlist shaped around your child, budget and long-term plans.
Registration, assessments, interviews, offers, visas and guardianship.
Pupils placed at schools such as King’s Taunton and Christ College Brecon.
“Our son plays a lot of cricket in New Jersey but the standard plateaued. A UK boarding school gave him daily coaching and a real fixture list — and the fees were lower than the US schools we looked at.”
“We needed to know A Levels would not hurt her US college applications. CRICED walked us through it, then matched her to a school with strong cricket and strong counselling.”
UK independent schools offer small class sizes, specialist subject teaching and well-established GCSE, A Level and IB pathways, with structured support for university applications in the UK and beyond.
Many UK schools run established cricket programmes with qualified coaches, indoor and outdoor facilities, and a full fixture calendar through the summer term, alongside links to county and club cricket.
Boarding builds independence, routine and confidence. Beyond the classroom, pupils take part in music, drama, service and a wide range of sports as part of everyday school life.
Pupils live and learn alongside classmates from across the UK and around the world, gaining fluency in a British academic environment that many families value long after school.
Tell us a little about your child and we’ll help you identify the UK independent and boarding schools worth considering for American students.
Step 1 of 6
Criced made what felt impossible feel straightforward. Within months, our son had an offer and a cricket scholarship to a school we had only dreamed of.
The team understood cricket, but more importantly they understood me. They found a school where I could develop as a player and still aim for top universities.
As a head of admissions, I value partners who send us well-prepared, well-matched candidates. Criced does exactly that.
My family spoke to Criced and they were very helpful in navigating a path into the UK school system.
Working with the team throughout my school application process was a really positive experience. From the beginning, I was given the opportunity to explore a number of different schools, which helped me understand my options and decide which environment would be the best fit for me. Throughout the process, I was supported with arranging school visits, understanding the different opportunities available and navigating each stage of the application. I never felt pressured towards one particular school; instead, I felt that the focus was on helping me make the right decision for myself.
I am extremely grateful for the support and guidance provided throughout my brother's application to King's College Taunton. Having attended King's myself, it was particularly important to me that the process was handled properly and that my brother was given the best opportunity to follow a similar pathway. From the beginning, the service was professional, responsive and thorough. Every stage of the application was handled with care, making what can often be a stressful process feel straightforward and well organised. I would confidently recommend their services to any family looking for knowledgeable and reliable guidance when applying to schools in the UK. Their experience, attention to detail and genuine commitment to helping students find the right opportunity made a real difference to our family.
Tell us about your child and we will reply with the UK schools worth considering, realistic costs in your currency and the next steps. No fee, no obligation.
Every child is different. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll help you understand the UK school options available.