About the school
St Malachy’s College is a Catholic boys’ voluntary grammar school in north Belfast, Northern Ireland, educating around 1,200 pupils aged 11 to 18. It is the oldest Catholic grammar school in Ulster and draws boys from across Belfast and the surrounding towns of County Antrim.
Founded in 1833 by Bishop William Crolly, soon after Catholic Emancipation, the college opened on the feast of Saint Malachy with eight boarders and ten day pupils, and has occupied the same Vicinage site ever since. Its motto is "Gloria ab Intus," meaning "Glory from within," and it is noted for its strong music tradition.
St Malachy’s College uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, drawing pupils from a very wide area across north Belfast and County Antrim.
School type
Boys' Catholic Voluntary Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
36 Antrim Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT15 2AE
Age range
11–18 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The St Malachys 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 Malachy’s College admissions criteria and exam structure.
St Malachy’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 Malachy’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 Malachy’s College admits boys into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, with a total enrolment of around 1,200 pupils.
St Malachy’s College does not operate a single fixed catchment area and has a very wide catchment, drawing boys from local areas of north Belfast as well as towns across County Antrim such as Carrickfergus, Antrim and Randalstown. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the SEAG result alongside sub-criteria.
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St Malachy’s College is located at 36 Antrim Road in north Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT15 2AE, on its historic Vicinage site. It is a Catholic boys’ voluntary grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 18.
St Malachy’s College was founded in 1833 by Bishop William Crolly, making it the oldest Catholic grammar school in Ulster. Its motto is "Gloria ab Intus," meaning "Glory from within."
St Malachy’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 Malachy’s College has a very wide catchment, drawing boys from north Belfast and towns across County Antrim, 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 Malachy’s College.
St Malachy’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.
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