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Low income family student get into private school?

is there any way a clever student from a low income family can get into a private (selective and independent) school for free? i need help please...
o ye do private schools give ema too

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Reply 1

kellywood_5

I don't know about free, but I think most private schools offer scholarships and bursaries to clever students from low-income families. There might be an entrance exam or, if you want to join for sixth form, it might be based on your GCSE grades, and you'd almost certainly have to have an interview. As for EMA, it's the government that pays that, not the school, so as long as your household income is less than £30k, you'd still be eligible.

Reply 2

Excalibur

If you have any particular independant schools in mind, then I'd either have a look around on their website to see if they mention such scholarships/bursaries, or else email/phone them directly.

Reply 3

ExitMusic

*Princess*

is there any way a clever student from a low income family can get into a private (selective and independent) school for free? i need help please...
o ye do private schools give ema too

Not for free; however there are always going to be scholarships (max 50%) for the academically gifted.

Reply 4

Anne Auraque

The assisted places scheme, which allowed some clever students to attend private school for free, was faded out in 1997. Blame Labour.

Reply 5

BeckiM

Queen Ethelburgas offers a 100% scholarship- i applied but only got offered 50% and we couldnt afford that either! o well i do wish though!

Reply 6

matchu

Depends, my schools a selective private, and offer 50% for 'acdemically gifted' though its not income assessed.

Reply 7

WokSz

*Princess*

is there any way a clever student from a low income family can get into a private (selective and independent) school for free? i need help please...
o ye do private schools give ema too

Quite a few public schools offers scholarships to students are bright. A good example of this is Eaton: http://www.etoncollege.com/default.asp

Reply 8

leannemarie

I go to a private school and my fees are paid for me. A scholarship is awarded on academic critera and I think an interview but I didn't have one so I can't really say what they're like. I think applicants had to discuss newspaper articles in ordinary interviews for 6th form entrance. For 6th form entrance at my school there is also a teamwork day where they try to suss you out a bit. The maximum scholarship for 6th form entrance is 15% at my school so I think the chances of getting a high level of scholarship for 6th form is limited because you won't be there long enough to give much back to the school. My school also has links with the cathedral which is next to school so all the scholars are members of the cathedral, but the only benefit is that I can get married in it!!

Reply 9

Inflation

I'm sure many schools do bursaries where they pay for you :smile:

Reply 10

belle_27

Originally posted by --monty--
Taking into consideration that fees at the most expensive schools are about £6000 per term, you would then still be paying £3000 per term - this is where a bursary is good! In most cases you will be unable to get 100% fees without both a scholarship and a bursary.

The most expensive schools tend to be boarding schools so thats where you'd be paying around £5000-£6000 a term but most independent schools have fees of around £3300 a term including some of the very top schools such as City of London for Girls (I think, I don't go there so I can't be 100% certain but I remember reading it somewhere that they're fees were level with my school's).

Reply 11

belle_27

Originally posted by --monty--
The tatler schools guide is really useful, lists by cost, type etc:
http://www.tatler.co.uk/Schools/2006/Details.aspx

I'm quite upset, my school's not there. :frown:

I'm also quite shocked about Habs Girls School's fees, considering what a good school it is, those fees are quite low compared to the average fees.

Quite funny though that Tatler has produced a good schools guide!

EDIT: Is it just me who finds it strange that the Tatler guide only contains one all girls school? The rest are mixed or boys schools. :confused:

Reply 12

*River

The top public boarding schools are more than £8,000 per term now.

Reply 13

marshmallow_mayhem

--monty---

Sorry, I should have made this clearer, independant schools can range from quite cheap (including mine, about £1800 per term, day school :biggrin:

), to about £8000 per term for boarding :eek:

hope this helps!!

£1800 per term is cheap?? I board and my fees are only £5000 a year! Granted, I go to a state grammar and the boarding's partly state-run.

But anyway-from what I've heard, most private schools offer bursaries for 'financial hardship' but I don't know the criteria. But scholarships are usually based on academic merit or musical/sporting talent.

And yes, you'll definitely qualify for EMA since the school doesn't pay that.

Reply 14

c0co

I'm on bursary at a highly selective private school in London. It's definately possible as long as your smart and do well on interview/exam. Good luck!

Reply 15

lizzyd

my family aren't rich, they're about in the middle really, but they wanted me to go to private school so they do without other things to send me there.
i've applied for a scholarship for the sixth form which i should find out about soon, which would sort of be a way to repay my parents for doing without so much, so i really hope i get it :smile:

Reply 16

henryt

I was offered a 50% Scholarship, and then after my GCSE results came through, I was offered a bursary by the school that would match any external bursaries from charitable foundations that I could find. Here's a starter list http://www.educational-grants.org/.

Reply 17

No Future

*Princess*

is there any way a clever student from a low income family can get into a private (selective and independent) school for free? i need help please...
o ye do private schools give ema too

Yes, if you are very outstanding the vast majority of private schools offer scholarhips. The % rather depends on how much they want you and how expensive the school is anyway. e.g. Wellington c. £5000-6000 per term offer substantial %s eg 50%, but [school] c. £2000-3000 per term offers smaller %s e.g. 10-20%, but these vary a lot. The more expensive schools can offer bigger dicounts as other pupils pay so much and cover some degree of basic costs.

In addition to academic scholarhips, one may be able to obtain a bursary. The school will, under certain circumstances reduce the fees (in some cases very signifcantly) if it can be proved that the family cannot afford the fees and there is perhaps some special reason the pupil ought to go there (again, e.g. rare musical/sports/academic talent). So you could end up with a scholarship + bursary = low fees. I am unsure of totally free though, I have heard of 90% at Queen Anne's or possibly 100% free, but not sure which it was. The school will need to cover very basic costs like lunches, stationery or whatever it is they provide.

It depends also on the size of the school, its financial situation etc, it depends what the school can afford at what time. I'm sure a rapport with the head will not hurt.

It is always worth researching and trying. You don't ask, you don't get - simple.

EMA is not related to whether you attend state or private school, it is dependent on parental income.

Good luck.

Reply 18

marshmallow_mayhem

--monty---

wow that sounds a really good idea - is it by any chance in somerset? My friend wanted to do something like this and the one she wanted to go to was in somerset. xxx

Uh..no. It's in Belfast, Northern Ireland! It's a girl's school in case you're wondering..

Reply 19

bohemian

A lot of private schools require you to achieve a full scholarship (50% of fees usually) before they offer any bursary money. There are often different types of scholarships - typically academic, music, sport, art, and sometimes all-rounder - which can be combined, so you could get half academic and half music, taking you up to the level where you can apply for a bursary.
Oh, and if you're currently at a state school, you might be able to get more than 50% scholarship, which means you end up with more of a total fee reduction.

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