Scholarships

Many senior schools and a few preparatory schools offer scholarships to attract bright or talented pupils. They are usually awarded, after a competitive examination and interview, for academic, musical or artistic merit, and normally take no account of financial need.

Gifted children from outside the UK are invited to compete in open scholarship examinations. The schools hold these exams in the September to December and January to April terms of the year before admission. The exam papers can be sent to British Council offices around the world, so that children in other countries are able to sit the examinations locally.

These people are passionate about what they do, and this is a key milestone to success”.

Scholarships will usually be awarded at ages 11, 13 and 16, with pupils already at the school having the opportunity to sit for awards at 13 and 16. Scholarships at the age of 16 for candidates already at the school are frequently awarded on the basis of GCSE results, with awards for new students being made as a result of an interview and report from the previous school, usually with the requirement to achieve certain grades at GCSE. Competition is very strong, but, as long as the pupil makes satisfactory progress, a scholarship is normally held for the duration of their time at the school.