Welcome to our feature Getting private school scholarships!mincluding private school scholarships and private school bursaries.
How to win a private school scholarship
Top private school scholarship exam practice
- We offer many FREE past 13+ papers to introduce you to 13 plus entry exam formats:
- The Eton College scholarship and Westminster Scholarship exams are challenging assessments.
Introducing the Independent Schools Council
We recommend that you read the independent, non-profit ISC’s Getting an independent school scholarship. The ISC represents about 80% independent schools in the UK. Independent schools that belong to the ISC are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) according to a framework agreed upon between the various assessment bodies including the DfE and Ofsted.
* * * Try our ISEB, UKiset and CEM Select practice tests.
Or, our 11 plus Common Entrance exams.
Then next our 13+ Common Entrance ; 12+ independent school entrance +
And finally our 8+ practice test papers and 7+ practice test 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.
The fee for Common Entrance Exam Entry is £115. The fee for other 11+ Entrance Exams and 13+ Entrance Exams is £125.
Scholarships exams
Maths Scholarship Specimen Paper A (Dulwich College 2013)
11 Plus Maths Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
Maths Junior Scholarship 2013 (Insert) (St Paul’s School)
11+ Maths Scholarship Specimen Paper A (Dulwich College 2013)
Biology Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
11+ Biology Junior Scholarship 2013 (insert) (St Paul’s School)
11Plus Chemistry Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
French Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)[
11Plus Geography Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
Greek Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
11+ History Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
History Junior Scholarship 2013 (Insert) (St Paul’s School)]11+ Latin Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
11Plus Physics Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
Science Junior Scholarship 2013 (St Paul’s School)
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)
Private school scholarships exams – 11+ Verbal Reasoning
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!”
Scholarship Exams
How to get an academic scholarship
Academic scholarships are the most common type of financial award at Common Entrance. Some schools award academic scholarships automatically to the highest achievers on their entrance exams. Other schools require candidates to sit special scholarship papers, so you will need to decide in advance whether to enter your child. Some schools use the ISEB Common Academic Scholarship while others write their own scholarship exams.
Scholarships are also. Typically in those subjects that indidual independent schools specialise in. S, that means art, music, drama or for a specialist sport like rugby or hockey.
Scholarship or bursary?
- Its the potentially top students are awarded Scholarships based on their academic and exam results to date.
- Yes, the aim of bursaries is to attract highly able students. However, bursaries – unlike scholarships – are intended to help those parents in financial need who cannot afford to pay the full independent school fees.
Independent school scholarship / bursary values
Scholarships vary in value, from approx. 10-25% of total independent school fees.
- So there are small savings if you consider the high annual costs of most boarding schools ( £30K) and for day school attendance (approx. £20K).
- Typically, means testing procedures are used by independent schools to set their bursary values.
- Bursaries can be combined with scholarships to increase the value of the financial assistance.
- Hence, sometimes financial assistance may be worth 100% of the fees with extra help for uniforms and trips on top.
Independent school scholarships
In the United Kingdom, educational scholarships are quite common. There are many trust funds and grants that are set up for students to assist them in completing their education.
Primarily, scholarships are provided based on merit and these can be educational qualifications or merits in the field of sports or artistic skills such as music.
Firstly, there are prep schools that prepare a student to get admitted to an independent school. From a successful completion of the program in the independent schools, there is a good chance the student will get another scholarship for college or university as well.
Many third-party investors such as churches or charitable institutions have accumulated and distributed their funds assordingly. The full school fees are covered and the families do not have to pay anything out of their pocket. In prep schools, the low numbers of scholarships that the students can avail themselves of are also based on academic merit.
Secondly, when it comes to independent schools, almost all of them provide extensive scholarship programs. Most of the time, the schools provided such programs to attract the top – not just the richest – students into their schools. The scholarships attract the most talented minds.
What are private school bursaries?
Bursaries are also funds that are provided to promote education. Unlike scholarships, bursaries are based on family finances. If the parents fall under a certain low-income group, then the parents can apply for bursary programs.
These bursaries are funds that have accumulated from the trust fund or rich alumni donations. Such bursaries cover most of the education fees, including school uniforms. An effective background check is usually done to determine the actual financial condition of the family – given the large savings involved.
The most able children can opt for both. Bursairies usually need to be applied for two years in advance and obviously depend upon current fund availavilaity compared to the number of applications made that year. Whereas, applying for a scholarship only means completing form(s). In fact, much of the paperwork is arranged and completed by the independent schools themselves.
Private school scholarships, bursaries, grants
- Firstly, our Private School Scholarship Exams 11+ and 13+.
- Secondly, School Entrance Tests‘ guide to the Most Prestigious Private Schools.
- Then next, St Mary’s scholarship exams and Westminster Scholarship exam practice.
- And our features on How much is prep school? and How to arrange an independent school bursary.
- Plus also Eton exam practice and How much are Eton College fees?
- And then finally, our getting an Eton College scholarship.
private school scholarships exams