Bursaries at independent schools

What parents need to know

Most independent schools offer reduced fees. There are several ways they do this:

1. Through means-tested bursaries – sometimes called assisted places. The school looks at what it is reasonable for you, as a parent, to afford and sets a fee accordingly.
2. Through scholarships awarded for exceptional academic promise, a high level of ability in music, other arts or sport.
3. Through a combination of these – your child might get a scholarship PLUS a bursary.
4. Through sibling discounts – reduced fees if you have more than one child at the school at any one time.

The details of these will always be found on the schools’ websites. If anything is not clear, ring the school’s admissions office.

Some schools require you to apply for a place a long time in advance, others don’t. Again, you need to check the details on school websites.

Schools have different age points of entry such as age five, seven, 11, 13, and 16. The numbers of bursaries and scholarships on offer vary according to age of entry but tend to be more numerous for older pupils.

For families with lower incomes, a school should normally have a fund which contributes to the costs of extras such as uniform, books and school trips.

Why do schools offer bursaries?

In short, so children of any background can come to our schools.

Bursaries have continued to increase over many years, with both the amount available and the number of children benefitting rising.

ISC schools do everything they can to offer help with fees. Of course, the level of support varies depending on the school and its resources but schools are committed to widening access and are keen to encourage children of any background to come to our schools.

One way in which schools make themselves more accessible to low income families is by offering bursaries worth up to 100% of the fee. Many charitable-status schools regard this approach as part of their historic mission.

Several ISC schools were once Direct Grant schools – whose less well-off pupils were funded by the taxpayer. In schools like Manchester Grammar and King Edward’s Birmingham the majority of pupils came from low income homes before 1976. Schools such as these have found that former pupils who benefitted from such grants are keen to give money back to the school in order to fund bursaries and see the school become more socially diverse.

Bursaries help to create a more balanced student population, which is hugely important for many schools.

Many ISC schools have launched their own bursary fundraising campaigns, with some hoping to become ‘needs blind’, which means that whichever child would benefit from going to the school would be able to have a place, irrespective of their family income.

Schools might mix a small scholarship (not means-tested) with a bursary (means-tested) for pupils from a lower income household .