Getting private school scholarships

Welcome to our guide to applying for a private school scholarship, including private school bursaries.

How to win a private school scholarship

Top private school scholarship exam practice

• Firstly, Westminster scholarship practice papers.
• Secondly, our recommended Eton Past Papers and Eton Kings’ Scholarship past papers.
• And also our FREE Rugby School Past papers.
• Then, Dulwich College past papers.
• Plus, our free St Mary’s Cambridge past papers.
• Finally our FREE St Edwards 16 plus past papers.

13+ Entrance Exams

• Some Independent Schools set and mark their own 13+ Entrance Exams, rather than use the ISEB Common Entrance Exam.
• These exams are taken in Year 8, usually in January, though sometimes taken in November or early summer May/June.
• The core subjects of English, Maths and Science are compulsory and can be offered at more than one level.
• In addition to these, papers can be taken in a range of subjects such as History and Geography; Spanish, French and German; Latin, Classical Greek and Religious Studies.
• Modern Languages and the Classics can also be taken at different levels.

Private school scholarship exams 13+

13+ Geography (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016)
Geography (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015)

13+ History (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016).
History (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015).
13+ History (St Edward’s Scholarship 2014).
History (St Edward’s Scholarship 2013)
13+ History (St George’s College Scholarship)

13+Latin (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016).
Latin (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015).
13+Latin (St Edward’s Scholarship 2014).
Latin (St Edward’s Scholarship 2013).

13+Religious Studies (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016).
Religious Studies (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015).
13+Religious Studies (St Edward’s Scholarship 2014)
Religious Studies (St Edward’s Scholarship 2013)

13+ Science (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016)
Science (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015)

13+ Spanish (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015)
Spanish (St Edward’s Scholarship 2014)
13+ Spanish (St Edward’s Scholarship 2013)

13Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2016)
Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2014)
13+ Maths (St Edward’s 2013-14)

Lastly, 13+Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2013).

13+ Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2016)
Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2015)
13+ Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2014)

Maths (St Edward’s Scholarship Paper 2 2013)

13+ English (St Edward’s Scholarship 2016)
English (St Edward’s Scholarship 2015)
13+English (St Edward’s Scholarship 2013-14)

Private school scholarships exams – 11+ Non-verbal Reasoning

Non-verbal Reasoning
11 Plus Non-verbal Reasoning 1
Non-verbal Reasoning 2
11 Plus Non-verbal Reasoning Test 1
Non-verbal Reasoning Test 2
11 Plus Non-verbal Reasoning Test 3
Non-verbal Reasoning Test 4
11 Plus Non-verbal Reasoning Test 5
Non-verbal Reasoning (IPS 2006)

11+ Verbal Reasoning for private school scholarships exams

11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test 1
11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Test 2
11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test 3
11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Test 4
Verbal Reasoning Test 5
11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test Eight
Verbal Reasoning Test Five
11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test Four
Verbal Reasoning Test Nine
11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test Seven
Verbal Reasoning Test Ten
11Plus Verbal Reasoning Test Three
Verbal Reasoning Test Two

11Plus Verbal Reasoning (The Perse Upper School Cambridge)

Private school scholarships exams – Biology, Chemistry etc

Science (ISEB 2018)
11 Plus Science Mark Scheme (ISEB 2018)

Science Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)

Independent School Bursaries Advice

Most Independent Schools now divert their funds towards Bursaries, to encourage talented children of less well-off families to join their school. Bursaries can be worth up to 100% of school fees, though most are much less than this.

The value of the Bursary is determined by means-testing a family’s financial circumstances (including income and assets). The threshold for family income, in order to award a Bursary, can be quite high, around £50 to £60k.

Bursary Interviews take place throughout the year before entry. Be very honest in answering all the questions and providing all of the detailed information required. A Bursary awards are reviewed annually and can flex up and down a little.

Although the agreed intention is to keep the student at the school for the long-term. Be reassured that schools do not publish lists or identify those students who hold Bursaries. Confidence is kept throughout the process.

Private School Scholarships Advice

Most Independent Schools offer Scholarships to attract the most talented pupils to their school.  Scholarships awarded by the more established and bigger brand schools (Eton, Winchester, Harrow, …) who have large foundations, can be financially significant. The majority of Scholarships are:

• Less about financial value and more purely honorary, resulting in a status within the school or a name on the honours board.
• Worth between 0% and 10% in fee discount.

If your child was reading at three, knew all their times tables at four and was reading demanding books at six, then you may wish to have them assessed by a teacher, to give a view on their current achievement and future potential as a Scholar.

Scholarships are highly competitive. You will also need to invest in time and expertise to help prepare your child towards their Scholarships Exams and Assessments. Do not pressure your child, who of course will want to do well and succeed. Approach it with an attitude of “Let us give it a go!”