Wellington College is proud to celebrate another exceptional year of university destinations, reflecting the ambition and talent of our pupils and the outstanding guidance provided by our Higher Education and Careers team.
This year, 94% of Wellington pupils achieved their firm or insurance offer, the College’s strongest result in recent years and a powerful testament to the quality of preparation, academic rigour and personal development that underpin a Wellington education.
Wellington pupils continue to secure places at the world’s most competitive institutions. In 2025, pupils are starting degree courses at leading destinations across the UK, USA, Europe and Canada, demonstrating the global reach of Wellington’s university guidance.
- G5 universities: 35 pupils have secured places at Oxford and Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, King’s and LSE.
- Russell Group universities: A remarkable 117 pupils will join world-class universities such as Durham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Exeter and Warwick.
- Art and drama success: Several pupils will continue their studies at top creative institutions including Central Saint Martins, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and The Oxford School of Acting.
- International pathways: Wellingtonians will also study at Western University (Canada), Humanitas University (Italy), IE Madrid and the University of Bonn (Germany).
- US university excellence: Continuing Wellington’s tradition of US success, pupils have gained places at Ivy League and other highly regarded universities such as Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, MIT, Stanford, Chicago and Vanderbilt, alongside leading liberal arts colleges and research universities including Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and Rice.
These results build on Wellington’s recognition as “Best of the Best Senior School for Preparation for Life” in The Week Independent Schools Guide 2025, a national award celebrating the College’s holistic approach to preparing pupils for university and beyond.
Through initiatives such as Life Beyond Wellington Week, the OW University Ambassador Scheme and Wellington Connect Global, pupils benefit from personalised mentorship, real-world insight and professional networking opportunities.
The strength of Wellington’s destinations reflects not only academic excellence but also the emphasis placed on curiosity, independence and readiness for the challenges of modern life.
With a growing appetite among pupils to explore further education in the US, Wellington has ambitious plans to host an even broader range of US university admissions departments this autumn, as well as connecting current students with Old Wellingtonians studying in the US, who will share invaluable insights into their college experiences.
Tim Rothwell, Director of Higher Education at Wellington College, says:
“We help pupils find the best-fit US colleges through access to expert guidance, talks from visiting admissions officers and the annual US colleges trip. Shifting from a weekly drop-in support model to providing bespoke one-to-one counselling to pupils has really accelerated our offering. For any pupil going through the admissions process, my advice is to start researching early and consider how you can build an application that goes beyond just strong academics, by having robust extra-curricular activities and well-crafted personal essays. Through this you will present the most authentic version of yourself and give yourself the best chance of success.”
We are immensely proud of all our leavers, who go on to such a wide range of leading institutions around the world. Their success demonstrates that Wellington truly prepares young people for life, in every sense.
Find out more about how Wellington supports Sixth Form pupils for Life Beyond Wellington.
