In the past two years, the ** of private school tuition in the UK has been a topic of discussion and concern for many parents. In the face of an uncertain financial situation, more and more parents are beginning to pay attention to the financial support that schools can provide - scholarships and bursaries, which can not only alleviate the pressure of increased tuition fees, but also reduce the overall financial burden on families and provide more opportunities for their children to choose private education.
A recent survey of the financial situation of 50 private schools showed that:Due to the rising cost of living in the UK and the potential threat of 'taxes', some private schools have slashed their financial support, while others have taken the opposite approach and increased financial support for student incentives or aid.
The specific data is as follows:
Of the 50 schools surveyed, one-third of the schools, including CLC and Perse School, have cut financial allocations to student financial aid in the past year;
Eleven schools increased their budgets for scholarships and grants by more than 16 percent. Including Eton College, Charterhouse School, Benenden School, Sherborne School and other schools. Among them,Charterhouse School even increased its budget by 45 per cent, allocating £2.4 million for scholarships and bursaries;
The 4 schools invested an average of more than £7,000 in financial aid per student;
18 schools gave an average financial incentive of less than £2,000 per student;
The principal of Highgate School is one of the highest-paid principals in the UK, but the school is at the bottom of the 50 private schools in terms of spending on scholarships and bursaries;
ETON College and Latymer Upper School are offering grants and scholarships to further exempt more students from all tuition fees.
Of all schools surveyed,As many as one-third of students receive grants or scholarships, and some students receive both grants and scholarships;
Many people think that only children from well-off families can get the opportunity to go to a private school in the UK, and this is not unreasonable. But in fact, more and more children from ordinary families are able to show their strength, win the favor of private schools, get scholarships or grants, and get some or even all of the tuition waivers.
Private schools generally offer a variety of scholarships to recognize students who are gifted and outstanding in certain areas. The types of scholarships set up by private schools in the UK generally include: academic scholarships, art scholarships, ** scholarships, sports scholarships, dance scholarships, drama scholarships, etc.
The scholarship is more of an honorary award, with an emphasis on the "award" rather than the "gold."Generally, children who receive scholarships in a certain field will receive additional help and support in that field in school, and have more opportunities than other students, such as sports scholarship winners will have professional coach training, more opportunities to participate in various sports events, and so on. When applying to colleges, having the experience of receiving a scholarship also increases the chances of admission.
Competition for scholarships is often fierce, such as the application for the prestigious Eton College King's Scholarship, which can be described as a fierce battle: about 250 new students enter each year, and only 14 students receive King's Scholarship to become King's Scholars. Unlike regular students, King's Scholars live in the 'College House', where each scholar has their own bedroom and their own black scholar's cape, in addition to Eton's special long tuxedo uniform. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attended Eton College as a King's Scholar.
Bursaries are awarded based primarily on the applicant's family situation and the student's grades. Different schools have different policies on applying for financial aid. Most schools grant grants on the premise that the student has passed the school exams and received an offer, and can prove that the family is unable to afford the tuition.
In contrast, the amount involved in a bursary will be much higher than that of a scholarship, accounting for tens to 100% of the tuition fee. When applying for financial aid, parents need to explain their family's financial situation and needs in detail, the school will analyze the specific problems according to each child's situation, and some schools will also conduct a detailed investigation and verification of the materials and evidence provided by the parents. In the case of Eton College, for example, the school carefully assesses the family situation of each student applying for financial aid, and the financial aid provided ranges from 5% to 100% of the tuition fee. In 2021-2022, a total of 267 students at Eton College received a tuition waiver, with an average of 71% of the tuition fee compensated, of which 100 students enjoyed full tuition waiver.
In 2019, Hasan Patel, a student living in London's East End, was offered a life-changing opportunity when the son of a bus conductor was awarded Eton College value76,000 lbsto study at Eton College for A-Levels, which covers his tuition, uniform and other miscellaneous expenses.
Nettie Glandfield, a girl from East Sussex, her mom works at the post office, her dad is a firefighter, and her family is not good enough to support her for a private education, but she achieved the top 10% of her Roedean School entrance exams, and at the same time, she also passed the school's financial survey, and received both scholarships and bursariesTogether, these bonuses cover about 70% of her tuition fees, which will support her to complete her studies.
G**in Horgan, the principal of Millfield School, a famous sports school in the United Kingdom, said in an interview on the topic of bursaries:
I always advise families that even if you are not financially wealthy, you can consider sending your children to private schools, and now that schools are facing potential tax pressures, for many schools, they need more money, which also means that there will be less money available to provide financial assistance to their children, and the best advice I can give to families is -Ask the school for moneySometimes, the reluctance to ask for money can be an obstacle to a good student's access to quality private education. ”
G**in Horgan also said that schools will conduct a means test for families applying for financial aid. Schools generally consider all of the family's assets, and if a family owns a large property, they will recommend cashing out a portion to cover school fees, for example, if a family owns a £1 million property without a mortgage, the school will not provide bursaries to the family even if the family's current income level is low. At the same time, the school will also consider various factors for families in advance, so that they do not end up in financial difficulties in the coming years because of the investment in education.
At present, more and more private schools in the UK are raising funds not to build new facilities, but to support those who may not be able to afford to attend private schools. Some long-established public schools, such as Eton College, Harrow School, Winchester School, etc., have made significant donations to the school over the centuries, and a large part of these donations will be used to provide bursaries for children from economically disadvantaged but outstanding abilities.
Sometimes, some families with special backgrounds also receive financial assistance for education, egRoyal Hospital School offers fee waivers for children whose parents have served in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Royal Fleet units.
Whether it's to ease the financial burden or to give you a competitive edge in your future college applications, applying for a scholarship is a smart choice. For students with excellent academic results who are unable to attend private schools due to their family's limited financial resources, bursaries open the door to a broader future.
When it comes to applying for scholarships and bursaries, different schools have different requirements, awards offered, and subjects involved. Eton College, for example, does not offer sports scholarships and arts scholarships, which are common in private schools, despite its excellent history and excellent results in sports and the arts. In addition, not all schools' bursary policies apply to international students, and parents need to check the school's official website in advance or contact the school directly for specific information.
Therefore, for those students with outstanding specialties or academic performance, if they want to achieve "fame and fortune" in the application process, they must do their homework in advance and go all out to prepare!
People draw lines.