Bursaries and scholarships

Bursaries and scholarships are not the same. Scholarships are usually awarded on merit, through some form of open competition, and may be offered for academic excellence, or in exceptional talent in art, drama, music or sport. Some schools award academic scholarships to those who do best in their entrance tests; others have a separate scholarship exam and most conduct special scholarship interviews. For scholarships in art, drama, music and sport schools usually hold selection days, which involve aptitude tests or auditions.

Scholarships aren’t means tested and their value varies enormously from school to school. They can range from £100 per annum to a 50% fee reduction. The new Charity Commission guidance has encouraged schools to reduce the value of their basic scholarships but allow means-testing to up to 100% of the fees.

Bursaries are awarded on proven financial need and a thorough form of means-testing, but your daughter will still have to show academic ability. If you apply for a bursary be prepared to fill in lengthy forms and to provide evidence of need. Each case will be looked at individually and schools take into account not only income but pensions, investments, the value of your property, rent or mortgage paid as well as assets and liabilities. Awards will be checked every year and if your financial situation changes so will the amount of your daughter’s bursary.

Do your initial research online. The Independent Schools Council (ISC) has a very good “Parents zone” which offers free information. Almost a third of pupils at independent schools receive some form of fee assistance and four out of five of these receive this assistance directly from their school. Other useful websites include the Girls’ Schools Association and the Independent Schools’ Bursars’ Association. To view a .pdf listing all the scholarships and bursaries available for pupils in GSA schools, click here.

As well as specific school bursaries some families are able to benefit from scholarships and bursaries from national or local charities and organisations. Some of these, such as the Arkwright design technology awards are payable only at certain schools, some are tied to groups of schools and others can be used anywhere. Others such as the Mitchell awards are available to families living or working in a certain part of the country or to children whose parents or grandparents have a particular profession. It is worth researching such awards carefully; the full list is available in the “Educational Grants Directory”, published annually by the Directory of Social Change and available in some local libraries. The Education Trusts Forum also offers information about a wide range of organisations which provide grants. Several charities and trusts specifically help children who need to attend a boarding school because of their family circumstances, for example, The Joint Educational Trust (JET), the Frank Buttle Trust and the Reedham Trust.

School websites or prospectus inserts usually have full information about their scholarships and bursaries. A word of caution: some schools list a small number of large scholarships and bursaries, but in practice split the awards each year so that a number of pupils benefit from them rather than just one or two. It is worth asking how many awards are typically made each year and what their average value is.

Start your research early as each school or grant-giving body has its own set of criteria and deadlines. If you have a particular school in mind for your daughter, speak to their Registrar or Bursar at the earliest opportunity about possible scholarships and bursaries. Good luck!