It’s that time of year when we need to start talking about the SEAG transfer test application! If your child is currently in Primary 6, it’s time to think about the transfer test application process, which begins very soon! In this blog post, I will talk you through as much of the SEAG application process as possible. I’ll go through important dates, documents and everything else that you need to know. So you can get your child registered for the tests in a calm, smooth way!

If you would like to know EVERYTHING about the SEAG transfer test, grab a copy of my SEAG preparation book, ‘A Complete Guide on How to Prepare and Empower Your Child for the SEAG Transfer Test.’ This book is essential if your child is planning on sitting the transfer test, and it even takes you right through to preparing for Year 8! Order your copy now and become as prepared as you can for your child’s transfer test journey!

Before we starting talking about your child's transfer test application, don't forget to grab a copy of my new transfer test preparation book!

SEAG Transfer Test Application Dates

The first and one of the most important things that we need to talk about is the SEAG transfer test application dates! The SEAG registration portal opens from Monday, the 19th of May 2025 at 8.00am until Friday the 19th of September 2025 at 11.59pm. This is quite a long time to get your child’s application in. To secure a place at a specific assessment centre, apply as soon as possible; places are first-come, first-served.

The transfer test application dates for 2025 are Monday the 19th of May at 8am until Friday the 19th of September at 11.59pm.

What are assessment centres?

Before we start the actual registration process, let me quickly tell you about the assessment centres. Assessment centres are the locations where students throughout Northern Ireland will sit the transfer tests. The SEAG website refers to these centres as Member Schools. You can find a list of them here.

When completing your child's transfer test application you need to choose an assessment centre. This is where they will sit their transfer tests.

My top tip when choosing an assessment centre is to choose one that is close to your home. A question I get asked a lot from parents is if the assessment centre choice needs to be the school that their child wants to go to. But this is not the case. The assessment centre that you select does not affect your child’s school choice or chances of getting into that particular school for Year 8. For example, if you live close to Wallace and put it down as your child’s assessment centre, but they want to go to Hunterhouse, this will have no impact on their school selection.

A common question that I get asked by parents before the transfer test application is whether the assessment centre choice impacts their child's chances of getting into a school and the answer is no it doesn't.

If your child has a strong preference for a test location that you think would help them feel more comfortable, submit their application quickly, as places are first-come, first-served. If an assessment centre reaches maximum capacity, your child will be required to sit their transfer tests in another centre.

A top tip that I have when choosing an assessment centre during your child's transfer test application is to choose a centre that is close to your home.

Who needs to apply?

The application portal opening on Monday, the 19th of May 2025 is for students who are currently in Primary 6 and entering Primary 7 in September 2025. These students will be sitting the transfer tests in November 2025.

If your child is currently in Primary 6 and will be in Primary 7 in September, you will need to make their transfer test application between the 19th of May and 19th of September.

What should you do if your child isn’t sure if they want to sit the transfer test?

Don’t forget there’s a long registration period if you’re still deciding about the SEAG test. You don’t need to rush and make the decision immediately. Take a few weeks or the summer and see how your child gets on. The only thing you need to consider is the assessment centres. To guarantee a spot at a preferred centre for your child, it might be worth registering them anyway. If it gets closer to the test dates in November and you or your child decides they don’t want to do the test, then that is no problem at all; you can withdraw their application.

If you need some help to decide whether the transfer test is right for your child, check out my blog post, ‘Is the Transfer Test NI the Best Path for Your Child’s Education?’, which has some information to help you if you aren’t sure what to do.

If you aren't sure if your child will sit the transfer test, you can take a bit of time to think about it. Or you can submit their transfer test application to ensure they get a slot at a particular assessment centre.

SEAG Transfer Test Dates for 2025

The SEAG transfer test dates for 2025 are Saturday, the 15th of November and Saturday, the 22nd of November. There is a one-week gap between both papers, rather than a two-week gap, which has been in previous years. The results for 2025 students are scheduled to be sent out on Saturday, the 24th of January 2026.

The dates for the transfer tests in 2025 are Saturday the 15th and Saturday the 22nd of November 2025. These are the tests that you will be submitting your child's transfer test application for.

SEAG Transfer Test Application: How to apply

The application for the SEAG transfer test is completed online. There isn’t a physical, paper transfer test application form Northern Ireland that you need to complete to register your child for the tests. I am going to take you through the application process step-by-step, so keep this blog post to hand so you can follow along.

Let's go through how to complete your child's transfer test application.

Step 1: Create an account

The first step is to create an account on the SEAG transfer test website. You can find the website by searching ‘SEAG Transfer Test’ on Google, and it should be the first option that comes up. You can also get on the website by clicking here! Once you’re on the website, you can click the ‘transfer test login’ button if you already have an account for a previous child. If you’re completely new to the SEAG process, you can click the ‘Get Started’ button.

To create an account, you need to add your Parent/Guardian details. You will need your first and last name, email address (you need to choose an email address that you will have access to for the next 18 months), telephone number and your address. You’ll then choose a password and agree to the terms and conditions. SEAG will then send a six-digit code to your email address to verify your account. Make sure to check your spam folder if nothing comes through. And voila! You have now created your SEAG account.

The first step of the transfer test application is to create an account on the SEAG website.

Step 2: Add your child’s details

Once your account has been created and verified, you can now make your child’s transfer test application. Click the ‘Apply Now’ button and follow along with the prompts. The first page will show you all of the information you need for your child’s application. To complete the registration and application process, you will need your child’s:

Birth Certificate
Photograph
Free School Meals Entitlement Eligibility (If applicable)

The second step of the transfer test application is all about your child's details. You will need your child's birth certificate, photograph and Free School Meals Entitlement Eligibility if applicable.

Step 3: Application/Registration

There are nine steps that you will need to complete to fully register your child for the SEAG transfer test. You can save your process as you go along and come back to it if you need to complete the application in more than one sitting.

There are nine steps to complete the transfer test application.

Step 1: Pupil Details

This is where you will put your child’s details. So you will add in their first, middle and last names, their gender, date of birth and their address. If your child lives with you, you can click ‘Use the same address details as the Parent/Guardian’ and it will auto-fill the address fields. If your child lives at a different address from yours, you can add it manually.

Step 1 of the transfer test application is to add your child's details. This includes their name, gender, date of birth and address.

Step 2: Pupil’s Photograph

You will then upload a digital photo of your child. You can take the photograph yourself, but there is some guidance that you need to follow. My advice is to take the photograph in a ‘passport style.’ This includes a plain, neutral background, cropped to show the head and shoulders only, your child needs to look directly at the camera and be in focus, no filters or blurriness.

Step 2 of the transfer test application is to upload a digital photograph of your child.

Step 3: Pupil’s Birth Certificate

To upload a copy of your child’s birth certificate, you can scan it into your computer/tablet/laptop and upload it in this section. If you don’t have a scanner, you can download some scanner apps for your phone and do it this way. Your child’s birth certificate can be the long or short version. Again, make sure you upload a document that is clear, in focus, and easy to read.

Step 3 of the transfer test application is to add your child's birth certificate. The long and short version are both accepted.

Step 4: Access Arrangements

This section of the application is for children with special educational needs, any medical conditions or English as an additional language. Selecting ‘Yes’ to any questions in this section will direct you to the ‘Access Arrangements’ section before you submit your child’s application. The questions asked on this step of the application are:

Does the pupil have a special educational need?
Are you requesting access arrangements?
Does the pupil have a medical condition?
Does the pupil have English as an additional language?

Step 4 of the transfer test application is regarding access arrangements. This includes if your child has special educational needs, medical conditions or English as an additional language.

Step 5: Primary School Details

In this section of the application, you will add your child’s current Primary School details. This includes the school’s name and address. This is a nice, quick and easy section to complete.

Step 5 of the transfer test application is to add your child's current primary school details.

Step 6: Second Emergency Contact Details

Here, you will provide the contact details of a second parent, guardian, or family member who SEAG can contact during the transfer test if there’s an emergency and the first contact is unavailable. All you need for the second emergency contact is their first and last names and a contact number.

Step 6 of the transfer test application is where you will add the secondary emergency contact information. This is someone who can be contacted during the SEAG tests if there is an emergency.

Step 7: Assessment Centre Details

This is one of the most important steps during the transfer test application process. Choosing the assessment centre where your child will sit both of their transfer tests. Remember, the assessment centres are also known as the member schools that accept SEAG. If you click on the ‘Assessment Centre,’ a drop-down menu will appear, and it will list all of the schools where your child can sit the tests. If a particular assessment centre is full, it won’t let you select it, and it will say ‘Full’ in brackets beside the school name. In this section, you will also select the assessment language. This will be whether your child is sitting the tests in English or Gaeilge.

Step 7 of the transfer test application is one of the most important and that is choosing the assessment centre where your child will sit the transfer tests. You can also choose the language of the tests.

Step 8: Review Your Application

In this section of the application, you will check, check and then check again that all of your child’s details are correct. Ask someone else to give your application a quick scan over because sometimes a fresh set of eyes can spot a mistake that you can’t. If you do spot a mistake, you can click the ‘Edit Details’ button to make any changes. At the bottom of the page, you will be required to agree to the Assessment Declaration. You need to click the two check boxes at the bottom of the page before moving on to Step 9. These two boxes are to confirm that the information provided is accurate and that you accept the terms and conditions.

Step 8 of the transfer test application is to review the application.

Step 9: Free School Meals/Payment

The last step in the SEAG application and registration process is to complete the payment. If your child receives Free School Meals, they are exempt from the payment. You must upload evidence from the Education Authority confirming their eligibility. The evidence needs to show your child’s name, date of birth and that their Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME) is current.

If you select ‘No’ for this question, the system will take you to the payment page. The fee for registering your child for the SEAG transfer test is £20.00. Once you have completed the payment or uploaded your child’s FSME evidence, you will see a message on screen saying, ‘Submitted! Thank you! Your application has been successfully submitted.’ An email will also be sent from SEAG confirming that your child’s application has been made.

Step 9 of the transfer test application is to complete the payment of £20.00. If your child is entitled to Free School Meals you need to submit proof of this.

What happens next?

Once you have made your child’s application, SEAG will check all of the details and evidence you have submitted. Should SEAG need any more information or evidence, they will contact you via email. If everything is fine with your child’s application, you will not get a follow-up email. To change your child’s application after you’ve submitted it, you can edit details such as an address, phone number, or email address in your SEAG portal. However, if you want to change your child’s assessment centre after applying, you’ll need to complete a new pupil application and then withdraw your child’s original one.

After you have submitted your child's transfer test application, SEAG will check the evidence and information submitted. If they need any more information they will contact you via email.

More information on the transfer test application

SEAG Resources: Guidance for Parents

SEAG Key Dates

13 important things you need to know about the SEAG Transfer Test

SEAG Key Dates 2024-2025

Once you have completed all of these steps, it’s time to get prepared. I have lots of information and resources available on my blog and website. Don’t forget to follow me on social media and join my email list to get up-to-date information, SEAG tips and reminders, and I have lots of different teaching and revision videos. I hope that this blog post helps your child’s SEAG transfer test application go smoothly and easily!