Scholarships: what they are and how to apply

Mums Tips

Schooling

Published on Wednesday, 30 May 2018 11:23

Last Updated on 26 May 2018

Monica Costa

0 Comments

Private schools can provide high quality education for your child, but the benefits of private school come at a real cost. Private education evokes images of £30,000 a year tuition fees, with private school fees UK adding up to well over £150,000 for parents by the time the child turns 18. There are lots of different ways to pay for private school, however, you can avoid breaking the bank with staggering costs through scholarships. Want to find out all about it? We have all your questions answered here and in the blog below. 

What Are Scholarships?

They are payments or grants made to support a pupil’s education – you can get private school through to university scholarships. They are different to student loans as they don’t need to be repaid. Private school scholarships are awarded on the basis of educational achievement, such as students who display talent in a particular subject, and you may be able to get a bursary on top of this too. Bursaries differ to scholarships in that they are financial awards to enable students whose parents are unable to afford the tuition fees, attend private school.  They are means tested, so private schools will be looking into your financial circumstances. In order to get a private school scholarship, gifted students are typically invited to take an exam at the school and the scholarship is dependant on these exam results.

 

How Do Scholarships Work?

They work in that they are for gifted children who have exceptional talent and potential (usually in music and the arts) that may not be fully realised in a public school and if their parents can’t afford private school fees. It’s important to be realistic about getting a scholarship, as if your child is doing fine in a state school and achieving average grades, a scholarship is unlikely. On the other hand, if you have a lot of money, enough to be able to afford the tuition fees, a scholarship is also unlikely no matter how bright your child is. Each private school makes their own rules when it comes to scholarships (and bursaries too), so it would be advisable to inform yourself and conduct research into the private schools in your area. Private school students awarded a scholarship will have to keep up their high performance and work hard in order to retain the scholarship, as it can be taken away if performance levels drop.

 

What Scholarships Can You Get?

There are different types of scholarships that your child can get and these are dependant on your child’s skillset and the school you are applying for. You can apply for sports, music, academic scholarships and  can be anything from 100% fees to 10% off fees. It’s all dependant on the school you are applying for and you should choose carefully in order to get the most benefit.

 

Who Funds Scholarships?

The private schools would offer them and pay for it themselves.

 

How Are Scholarships Paid?

The parents don’t see the money for the tuition fees – the school would pay for the scholarship itself and admit the child.

 

Where To Get Scholarships?

Most private schools such as preparatory schools and boarding schools have their own scholarship or financial aid programmes. The first place to look should be with the school itself to see what they offer. The scholarships and bursaries that each private school offers will vary greatly, so it’s important that you do some research.

 

When To Apply For a Scholarship?

You need to apply for your child’s scholarship in plenty of time. Deadlines are at least a year before the intended academic year begins, so you should start enquiring into scholarships about two years before you want your child to start private school.

 

It’s important to do a lot of research into schools and the scholarships they offer to find out if it’s right for you and your child. If you have a gifted child, check for example LVS Ascot’s scholarships and grants 2019 programme located just outside of London.