ISEE Test: Levels, Registration, Test Dates, Fees and Scores

What the ISEE is

This section answers what the test is and who runs it.

The ISEE is a standardized test that independent schools use to compare applicants whose grades come from different schools and grading systems. In U.S. usage, an independent school is a privately governed, nonprofit school. The test is administered by E3n (formerly ERB), a nonprofit organization, and its website is admission.org. Older articles and forum posts may still use the name ERB, and families should check any fee or date taken from them against the pages currently shown on admission.org.

Schools treat the ISEE as one part of an application, alongside transcripts, recommendations, an interview and other materials. The full explanation of what the ISEE is covers the test’s purpose, its sections and the essay in more depth.

Item	Detail
Intended students	Applicants to grades 2 through 12
Administrator	E3n (formerly ERB)
Schools accepting results	More than 1,200 worldwide

Source: E3n, ISEE overview (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

Who takes the ISEE

This section answers which families need the test.

Students take the ISEE when a school on the application list asks for it. Typical examples include students moving from a public school into a private school, students applying to a new independent school at a transition grade, and international students applying to schools in the United States. The decision rests on the target schools, not on the student’s grade or grades.

Requirements are not uniform. One school may require the ISEE, another may accept either the ISEE or the SSAT, and a third may use its own assessment. Families who are unsure which test to prepare for can read the comparison of the ISEE and the SSAT, which sets out a step-by-step way to choose.

The levels

This section answers which of the six ISEE entry points applies to a student.

The level is set by the grade the student is applying to enter. A student currently in grade 6 who applies to grade 7 takes the Middle Level, not the Lower Level. The level cannot be chosen freely, and students cannot move down a level in the hope of a higher percentile.

Level	Applying to	Scored sections
Primary 2	Grade 2	Auditory Comprehension, Reading, Mathematics
Primary 3	Grade 3	Reading, Mathematics
Primary 4	Grade 4	Reading, Mathematics
Lower Level	Grades 5–6	Four sections plus an unscored essay
Middle Level	Grades 7–8	Four sections plus an unscored essay
Upper Level	Grades 9–12	Four sections plus an unscored essay

Source: E3n, ISEE overview (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

The ISEE levels overview compares all six entry points side by side. Each level also has its own page: Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level and Upper Level.

Test structure

This section answers what the test contains and how long it takes.

From the Lower Level up, the four scored sections are Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement. A 30-minute essay follows. The essay is not scored, but it is sent to the schools the family selects. The Primary levels are simpler: they have no essay, and only Primary 2 includes Auditory Comprehension.

Level	Scored questions	Scored time
Lower Level	127	110 minutes
Middle Level	160	130 minutes
Upper Level	160	130 minutes

Source: E3n, ISEE overview (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

Middle and Upper Level students see the same number of questions and the same timing. The difficulty and the comparison group differ, because results are compared within each entry grade. Section-by-section counts for each level appear on the level pages.

Registration and test formats

This section answers how a family signs up and where the test can be taken.

Families register through an account on admission.org. Four formats are offered: At-Home with remote proctoring, At-School at a participating school, In-Office at an E3n location, and Prometric test centers, which accept applicants to grades 5–12 only. The format affects the fee, the available dates and the testing environment, so it is worth comparing before choosing. The registration guide compares the four formats and walks through the sign-up steps. On the day itself, requirements for identification, equipment and arrival time differ by format, and the test day guide lists them.

Students who need testing accommodations should read the separate page on ISEE accommodations, because requirements differ by test format.

Test dates and seasons

This section answers when students can test and how often.

The school year contains three testing seasons, and a student may test once per season. In practice the seasons are commonly described as fall, winter and spring/summer. Exact dates are listed inside the registration account and can change, so the account is the final authority.

Season	Months, in common practice
Fall	August to November
Winter	December to March
Spring/Summer	April to July

Source: E3n, ISEE overview (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24. The season rule comes from E3n; the month ranges are an industry convention.

Because a second attempt must wait for the next season, the first test is usually placed in the fall for fall-and-winter applications, so that a winter attempt remains available. The test dates guide works backward from application deadlines by entry grade.

Fees

This section answers what the ISEE costs.

Fees depend on the format and on whether the student applies to grades 2–4 or grades 5–12. The table shows the main lines only. Late and same-day registration add charges, and rescheduling and cancellation have their own fees.

Format	Grades 2–4	Grades 5–12
At-Home, school-organized	$130	$170
At-School, regular registration	$130	$170
In-Office, group	$185	$225
Prometric test center	Not offered	$250

Source: E3n, ISEE registration (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

Fee waivers exist for families with financial need, and the application goes through the school the student is applying to rather than directly to the test organizer. Full fee tables, late charges and change fees appear on the ISEE fees page.

Scores

This section answers what the score report shows.

Each scored section receives three numbers. The scaled score ranges from 760 to 940. The percentile rank ranges from 1 to 99 and compares the student with other applicants in the same entry grade. The stanine divides results into nine bands, where 9 is the highest band. There is no total score, so schools read the sections individually.

Score	Range
Scaled score	760–940 per section
Percentile rank	1–99
Stanine	1–9

Source: E3n, ISEE score reports (admission.org), checked 2026-08-24.

Results are usually released within 3 to 5 days for computer-based tests and 5 to 10 days for paper tests. Families add recipient schools in the parent account, and adding schools after results are released carries no additional charge. The scores overview explains each number and the stanine bands. Questions about repeating the test and about sending results are handled on the page for retakes and score sending.

Where to go next

This section answers which page to open for a specific question.

• Students and families new to the test can start with what the ISEE is.
• Families who know the target grade can open the matching level page.
• Families ready to sign up can use the registration guide, then check test dates and fees.
• Families with specific questions can search the ISEE FAQ.

The ISEEPrep teaching team also offers one-on-one ISEE tutoring. Families who want a written view of the student’s current level and a suggested starting point can book a free consultation. This site does not promise score gains or admission outcomes, and it has no official relationship with E3n or with any school.