Area guide · Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland SEAG: how it works and its 66 schools
Unverified: the dates and scores on this page come from desk research of council, school and test organiser pages (high confidence), and each links to its source. Admissions rules change every year: confirm them with your council and the school before you rely on them.
Key dates for September 2027 (Year 8) entry
- Register for the test
- 18 May 2026 to 18 September 2026
- Test dates
- 14 November 2026, 21 November 2026
- Results sent to families
- 23 January 2027
Paper 1 on 14 Nov, Paper 2 on 21 Nov; contingency date 28 Nov only if neither can be held. Parents register with SEAG (the 2026 registration has closed). Apply through the Education Authority portal by 12 noon on Wednesday 3 March 2027; appeals by 4pm on 20 May 2027 (nidirect).
Sources: seagni.co.uk/guidance/key-dates, seagni.co.uk/latest-news/last-days-to-register-pupils-for-the-2026-seag-entrance-assessment, nidirect.gov.uk.
Schools
| School | Gender | First choices per place | Qualifying score | Latest published offer data | Children from outside the catchment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar Newry | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2025 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Boys are admitted by SEAG band (Band 1 first, then Band 2 and so on). Within a band, priority goes to sons of staff, brothers of current or past pupils, eldest boys and boys entitled to free school meals, then a random draw. |
| Antrim Grammar School Antrim | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; feeder schools and the council area only matter for ties on the last score. |
| Aquinas Grammar School Belfast | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result (by band); attending a feeder primary school only helps within the band where places run out. |
| Assumption Grammar School Ballynahinch | Girls | – | – | – | – |
| Ballyclare High School Ballyclare | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters, eldest child and date of birth, not by address. |
| Ballymena Academy Ballymena | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; attending a primary school in the former Ballymena Borough area only matters for ties on the last score. |
| Banbridge Academy Banbridge | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; the listed primary schools only matter for ties on the last score. |
| Bangor Grammar School Bangor | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; the Ards and North Down area only matters for ties on the last score. |
| Belfast High School Newtownabbey | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters and then a random draw. |
| Belfast Royal Academy Belfast | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by prep department, brothers/sisters, free school meals and age, not by address. |
| Bloomfield Collegiate School Belfast | Girls | – | – | Sept 2026 entry
| Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; the listed primary schools only matter for ties on the last score. |
| Cambridge House Grammar School Ballymena | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2025 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are decided by whether the school was your first choice, then brothers/sisters and eldest child. |
| Campbell College Belfast | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland (this does not apply to boarders). The first 91 places go in order of SEAG score; the rest go from a pool of the next-highest scorers, with priority for the junior school, brothers, sons of staff and sons or grandsons of former pupils. |
| Carrickfergus Grammar School Carrickfergus | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; contributory primary schools only matter for ties on the last score. |
| Christian Brothers Grammar School Omagh | Boys | – | – | – | – |
| Coleraine Grammar School Coleraine | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters and then a random draw. In 2026, 217 children applied for 156 places. |
| Dalriada Grammar Ballymoney | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Dominican College Portstewart | Mixed | – | – | – | Sometimes For September 2026 entry, children from outside the area can get places, mainly by naming the college as first preference and having a brother or sister there or being the eldest child, since those come before the area rules. Otherwise the local primary schools and home area are given priority. |
| Dominican College, Fortwilliam Belfast | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result (by band); feeder primary schools only matter within the band where places run out. |
| Down High School Downpatrick | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Cooper Crescent Enniskillen | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters, eldest child and free school meals, not by address. |
| Foyle College Londonderry | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Friends' School Lisburn | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result (in groups of 3 marks); contributory primary schools only matter within the group where places run out. |
| Glenlola Collegiate Bangor | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; the Ards and North Down area only matters for ties on the last score. |
| Grosvenor Grammar School Belfast | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters or eldest child, then a random draw. |
| Hunterhouse College Belfast | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by family links, eldest girl and age, not by address. |
| Larne Grammar Larne | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters and then a random draw. |
| Lecale Trinity Grammar School Downpatrick | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Limavady Grammar School Limavady | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. Places go in order of SEAG test result; ties on the last score are broken by brothers/sisters, eldest child and age. |
| Loreto College Coleraine | Mixed | – | – | – | Sometimes For September 2026 entry, children from other primary schools can get places if they name the college as first preference and have a brother or sister there or are the eldest child, as those come before the primary school lists. Otherwise the named primary schools have priority. |
| Loreto Grammar School Omagh | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, where you live does not affect your chance of a place, as long as you live in Northern Ireland. About half the places go by SEAG score and the rest go first to girls naming the school as first preference, then sisters of current pupils and eldest girls. |
| Lumen Christi College, Derry Londonderry | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Lurgan College Lurgan | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Methodist College Belfast | Mixed | – | – | Sept 2026 entry
| – |
| Mount Lourdes Grammar School Enniskillen | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| Omagh Academy Grammar School Omagh | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| Our Lady & St Patrick's College Belfast | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, any child living in Northern Ireland can apply. Being nearest to the college (as the closest Catholic grammar school) only helps when places run out within a SEAG band. |
| Our Lady's Grammar School Newry | Girls | – | – | – | – |
| Portadown College Portadown | Mixed | – | – | – | Sometimes For September 2026 entry, up to 10 places are available for pupils from schools other than Clounagh, Killicomaine and Tandragee junior high schools, chosen on their previous academic results. |
| Rainey Endowed Grammar Magherafelt | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on SEAG score; the contributing primary school list only separates tied scores. |
| Rathmore Grammar School Belfast | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| Regent House Grammar Newtownards | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on SEAG score; attending a primary school in the former Ards, North Down or Castlereagh council areas only helps with tied scores. |
| Sacred Heart Grammar School Newry | Girls | – | – | – | – |
| St Colman's College - Newry Newry | Boys | – | – | – | – |
| St Columb's College, Derry Londonderry | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, boys from outside the traditional catchment area are admitted on the same SEAG band basis; the area only matters for the eldest-child tie-breaker. In 2023/24 to 2025/26 there were fewer applicants than places. |
| St Dominic's High School Belfast | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2025 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Joseph's Grammar School Dungannon | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Louis Grammar Kilkeel | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| St Louis' Grammar Ballymena | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Malachy's College Belfast | Boys | – | – | – | – |
| St Mary's Christian Brothers Grammar School Belfast | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, any boy living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on SEAG score; the feeder primary list only separates tied scores. |
| St Mary's Grammar Magherafelt | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Michael's College Enniskillen | Boys | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Patrick's Academy Dungannon | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| St Patrick's Grammar School Armagh | Boys | – | – | – | – |
| St Ronan's College Lurgan | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Strabane Academy, Liskey Road Strabane | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, any child living in Northern Ireland can apply; children not given a place on score are considered for the all-ability places. |
| Strathearn School Belfast | Girls | – | – | – | – |
| Sullivan Upper School Holywood | Mixed | – | – | Sept 2026 entry
| Yes For September 2026 entry, the first 120 places go purely on SEAG score wherever the child lives in Northern Ireland; living in BT18 or attending a named primary school only helps for the 30 pool places. |
| The Royal Belfast Academical Institution Belfast | Boys | – | – | – | – |
| The Royal School Dungannon | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| The Royal School Armagh | Mixed | – | – | – | – |
| Thornhill College, Derry Londonderry | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, there is no catchment area, so any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on the same basis; children living outside Northern Ireland are considered only after them. |
| Victoria College Belfast | Girls | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, the first 120 places go purely on SEAG score for any girl living in Northern Ireland; feeder primary school only matters for the pool places. |
| Wallace High School Lisburn | Mixed | – | – | – | Yes For September 2026 entry, the first 150 places go purely on SEAG score for any child living in Northern Ireland; primary school history only matters for the 20 pool places. |
| Wellington College Belfast | Mixed | – | – | Sept 2026 entry
| Yes For September 2025 entry, any child living in Northern Ireland can apply and is ranked on SEAG score; the feeder primary list only separates tied scores. |
A qualifying score makes a child eligible; places then go by each school's oversubscription rules (often distance, catchment or score order), so the lowest score offered can be well above it. Offer data shows the last child offered a place in each group in that intake; it does not mean every child at that score or distance got a place. First choices per place: DfE applications and offers (official), latest intake. Qualifying scores, offer data and catchment rules: research, with sources and caveats on each school's page. "–" means not yet available.