About the school
St Colman’s College is a Catholic boys’ voluntary grammar school in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, educating pupils aged 11 to 18. Set on a magnificent 65-acre site close to the centre of Newry, it has more than 200 years of tradition and a strong reputation for academic and extracurricular excellence.
Founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by Father J. S. Keenan, the college was placed under the patronage of Saint Colmán of Dromore. It is well known for its choral tradition, with the school choir having performed and recorded with the BBC and the Ulster Orchestra.
St Colman’s College uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, drawing pupils from Newry and the surrounding areas of Counties Down and Armagh.
School type
Boys' Catholic Voluntary Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
Violet Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6PP
Age range
11–18 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The St. Colman's College entrance test is the SEAG transfer test, used by grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the St Colman’s College admissions criteria and exam structure.
St Colman’s College selects pupils on academic ability through the SEAG Entrance Assessment, the single transfer test used by the great majority of grammar schools in Northern Ireland. The assessment is provided by GL Assessment on behalf of the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group and consists of two papers, each assessing English (or Gaeilge) and Mathematics.
Each of the two papers lasts 60 minutes and contains a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions, with answers recorded on a separate answer sheet. The papers are taken on two Saturdays a week apart, and a pupil’s marks across both papers are combined into a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), which is age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged.
Parents register their child to sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment online through the SEAG website. For September 2027 entry, registration opens on Monday 18th May 2026 and closes on Friday 18th September 2026. Parents must then name St Colman’s College on their Education Authority Post-Primary Transfer Form during the open application period.
SEAG Statements of Outcomes are released to parents on Saturday 23rd January 2027, after which families list their preferred schools through the Education Authority. The Education Authority informs parents of their child’s allocated school in May 2027. A high TSAS does not guarantee a place, as places are allocated in strict rank order when a school is oversubscribed.
Key admissions details
St Colman’s College admits pupils into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, drawing boys from Newry and the wider area.
St Colman’s College does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from Newry and the surrounding areas of Counties Down and Armagh. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the SEAG result alongside sub-criteria such as family links and feeder primary schools.
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St Colman’s College is located at Violet Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6PP, on a 65-acre site close to the centre of Newry. It is a Catholic boys’ voluntary grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 18.
St Colman’s College was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by Father J. S. Keenan, under the patronage of Saint Colmán of Dromore, giving it more than 200 years of history.
St Colman’s College uses the SEAG transfer test, provided by GL Assessment for the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group. It consists of two papers covering English and mathematics, and can be taken in either English or Gaeilge.
St Colman’s College draws pupils from Newry and the surrounding areas of Counties Down and Armagh, and does not operate a single fixed catchment area. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria using the SEAG result.
For Year 8 entry in 2027, registration for the SEAG transfer test runs through the SEAG website, typically opening in May 2026 and closing in September 2026. Parents must also complete the Education Authority Transfer Application naming St Colman’s College.
St Colman’s College is a long-established and popular boys’ grammar school. Entry depends on the SEAG result and the school’s admissions criteria, so a strong standardised score gives the best chance of a place.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Northern Ireland and the wider region access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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