Sri Lanka, Colombo
Let the school know you're thinking of applying — they can share their prerequisites and help you through the process.
It's best to ask — circumstances can change at any time.
· Reviewed by Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
Gateway College Colombo is a private international school in Sri Lanka offering education from Play Group to Degree Level, aged 2 to 18. The curriculum is based on the English National Curriculum and the Pearson Edexcel IGCSE framework, with local history, culture and civil society embedded to connect learning with the world beyond the classroom. The Gateway Curriculum Prism shows how academics, sports, co-curricular activities and character development are integrated to support holistic growth, and the curriculum is delivered through an interactive online guide. The school moved to a hybrid model of teaching and learning in 2020 and maintains daily religious observances and a broad program of charitable and social service activities. Facilities include modern libraries, science and Design & Technology labs, an Innovation Studio, an auditorium and ICT suites, plus a BYOD policy for A Levels. A strong emphasis on sport (13 sports) and Model United Nations complements learning.
Gateway College Colombo has 2,000 pupils, typical class sizes of 25, instruction in English.
Colombo campus is located at 185, Koswatta Road, Rajagiriya (Via Parliament Road, Off Royal Gardens). The 4.5-acre campus hosts almost 2,000 students and features state-of-the-art facilities.
Foundation to Graduation. Primary and Secondary schools run from Play Group through Year 13. IGCSE is offered in Years 10–11 and AS/A2 in Years 12–13.
Private international school
Sri Lanka
Annual tuition at Gateway College Colombo ranges from LKR 1,068,210 to LKR 1,786,610 for 2026/27.
Gateway College Colombo teaches British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE for students aged 2 to 18.
The school teaches a curriculum modeled on the English National Curriculum, with adjustments reflecting changes in education and the global context. It incorporates local history, culture and civil society to ground students in their world. The Gateway Curriculum Prism visually represents how academics, sports, co-curricular activities and character development are integrated to support holistic growth. The curriculum prepares students for university and life. It is presented through an interactive online guide for exploration.
Gateway students continue to secure admission to universities in the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and Japan with many studying in top-200 universities according to Times Higher Education rankings. Some students receive scholarships, including up to 100% from reputed universities. Popular destinations include Stanford University, MIT, University of Cambridge, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, Imperial College London, University of Pennsylvania, UCL, Columbia University, University of Toronto, NUS, NYU, University of Edinburgh, University of Melbourne, University of British Columbia, HKU, McGill and University of Manchester.
The co-curricular programme includes many clubs and societies across campuses, with more than thirty options. Gateway has dominated national and international Model United Nations competitions and encourages participation in events such as COMUN, Harvard MUN and MUN at The Hague. Co-curricular activities are recognized at the College Awards Day.
The Mindfulness programme in the Secondary school includes five minutes of mindfulness practice each morning to enhance attention and focus. Primary students from Year 3 upwards participate in three minutes of mindfulness each morning. The MindUp curriculum is introduced in HomeRoom sessions from 2022 and is an evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program grounded in neuroscience, with four pillars: Neuroscience, Positive Psychology, Mindful Awareness and SEL. Mindfulness and short religious observances after the interval support emotion regulation, better behaviour, greater empathy, improved social skills and reduced test anxiety.
The school teaches English and Tamil. English courses are delivered through traditional lessons, blended learning and e-learning, with courseware from UK publishers such as Cambridge, Pearson and Delta. All programmes in BigSpark are designed according to the CEFR to meet international standards, and courses are carried out in partnership with Cambridge and Pearson.
Wellbeing is a core aim, with the mission to promote wellbeing and happiness by enhancing spiritual, moral, emotional, physical and intellectual development. Mindfulness and daily religious observances support emotion regulation, empathy and social skills, contributing to emotional well-being and reduced anxiety. The school emphasizes a holistic approach to mental wellbeing as part of its curriculum and student experience.
Safeguarding ethos is central to Gateway College, fostering a calm, disciplined, respectful, caring and ethical environment for children. Every student engages in religious observances and mindfulness daily, and religion teaching has been restructured to include learning about other religions to promote safeguarding of values and inclusion.
1. Submit online application. Gateway College initiates the admissions process by online application. The Join Gateway College page provides a link labeled 'Click to submit your online application' for this purpose. Colombo contact details are available for inquiries.
2. Choose programme after OL/IGCSE. After OL/IGCSE Gateway offers multiple pathways: 4 Advanced Level subjects (50+ combinations); 3 Advanced Level subjects with a Level 4 Diploma in Computing; 3 Advanced Level subjects with a Level 4 Diploma in Business; 3 Advanced Level subjects with ATCL Diplomas in Performing; 2 Advanced Level subjects with a Pearson BTEC International Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Sport; Australian Secondary Certificate of Education (SACE) which is equivalent to AL; The International Foundation Programme as an alternative. Completion times: AL by June 2025; SACE by November 2024; Foundation by June 2024.
3. Registration for final stage of schooling. Gateway College Colombo opened registration for post OL/IGCSE students to complete their final stage of schooling. The programme commences on the 21st of June and offers a wide range of options to plan for Higher Education. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach; courses are designed to support timely completion for university entry. The completion times for AL (June 2025), SACE (November 2024) and Foundation (June 2024) are noted.
4. University admissions counselling. Gateway has partnered with a leading international higher education counselling organisation to give students maximum support in gaining admission to universities of their choice. Higher-grade students receive one-to-one guidance in selecting universities, preparing applications and writing personal statements.
5. Scholarships. A limited number of scholarships are available for students who have excelled in academics, sports and extra-curricular activities. Some scholarships have been awarded up to 100% of tuition.
Gateway College Colombo offers scholarships for its own programmes to students who excel in academics, sports and extra-curricular activities. A limited number of scholarships are available. Some scholarships provide up to 100% tuition coverage.