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Bursaries

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Every talented young person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential. 

At Shrewsbury School, we believe that exceptional ability, curiosity and character should never be limited by financial circumstances.

A Shrewsbury education has the power to broaden horizons, inspire ambition and transform lives, and we are committed to making that opportunity available to as many talented young people as possible.

Through our means-tested bursary programme, we support families who would not otherwise be able to consider an education at Shrewsbury. Our aim is simple: to ensure that we welcome pupils for who they are and what they can become, not because of their financial circumstances.

Opening Doors to Opportunity

Bursaries are awarded to pupils who demonstrate the potential to thrive at Shrewsbury School, following a successful admissions process and a confidential assessment of family finances. Many pupils receive a combination of scholarship and bursary support, enabling them to benefit fully from the academic, co-curricular and pastoral opportunities that define a Shrewsbury education.

We know that applying for financial support can feel like a significant step. Our Admissions and Finance teams are here to guide families with care, discretions and understanding throughout the process.

Our Commitment

Providing education is at the heart of Shrewsbury's charitable purpose, and widening access remains one of the School's most important priorities.

Each year, we invest significant resources in bursaries and scholarships so that talented pupils from a broad range of backgrounds can become part of our community. Every bursary represents an investment in a young person's future and in the richness and diversity of the Shrewsbury community itself.

If you believe your child would flourish at Shrewsbury, we encourage you to contact our Admissions team. We will be happy to discuss the bursary process in confidence, answer your questions and help you explore the support that may be available.

Bursary Support

Bursary support is available either for new applicants to the School, or for existing pupils whose circumstances have changed.  This is subject to rigorous testing of financial need and limited by the overall bursaries budget.

Individual awards will be dependent on the level of financial need identified. Where the demand exceeds the number of bursaries available, bursary funds will be directed to those pupils who are identified as having potential to benefit most from the opportunities Shrewsbury has to offer, and will be able to contribute to the life of the School with reference to performance in the Entrance Assessments.

Grant-making process

Bursary Applications

Parents wishing to apply for a bursary must complete a Bursary Application Form for the forthcoming academic year. The form helps us understand your family’s financial circumstances and determine the level of support that may be required.

Bursary Application Forms are available from Admissions at [email protected]. The application must be completed and signed by both parents, or all those with parental rights and responsibilities, and returned to the Finance department.

Late or incomplete applications may not be considered and may result in no bursary being awarded.

The assessment process

To help us build a complete picture of your circumstances, please provide as much relevant information as possible. This is particularly important if you anticipate any changes to your financial or family circumstances. You can include additional information on the application form or in a covering letter.

All information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.

The Headmaster and Bursary Awards Committee will consider each suitable applicant’s academic potential, their likely contribution to the Shrewsbury School community and the benefits they are likely to gain from the School’s wider educational and co-curricular opportunities.

Where an applicant is considered suitable, Bursary Administration Ltd (BAL), the School’s independent bursary advisers, will assess the family’s financial circumstances and the level of support likely to be required. This will include a meeting with a parent or parents and may require supporting documentary evidence. BAL will provide full details of what is required. Bursaries are reassessed annually. 

BAL will submit its assessment to the Bursary Awards Committee, who will make the final decision on financial assistance. 

Outcome of an application

Parents will be informed whether their child is being offered a place at Shrewsbury School and, where applicable, the amount of bursary assistance offered.

Parents accepting a place will then be asked to complete an Acceptance Form and confirm their agreement to the conditions of the bursary award.

Please note: International applicants are generally not eligible for financial assistance.

Principles applied to means-testing

Financial Circumstances

Parents are normally expected to meet their child’s school fees however, where a family’s financial circumstances make this difficult, means-tested bursary support may be available after all other reasonable sources of funding have been considered.

To help us understand each family’s circumstances, all bursary applicants are asked to complete and return a Bursary Application Form. The application cannot be assessed until this form has been completed in full.

The completed forms are processed by Bursary Administration Ltd (BAL), the School’s bursary advisers. BAL will assess the information provided and advise on the level of support that may be appropriate.

Factors taken into consideration when assessing a family's financial situation include:

  • Opportunities to release capital either through increased mortgages or sale of investments.
  • The ability to improve the earning power of the family.  Both partners would be expected to be earning where possible.
  • Commitments to the education of other siblings will be taken into account, but where a family has children at other fee-paying schools, Shrewsbury expects parents to have made bursary applications to the other schools as well.
  • The School would anticipate that applicants have asked their extended family for support before requesting a means tested grant.
  • The financial circumstances of both natural parents will need to be reviewed.  In the case of re-marriage the application should include the step parent's financial information.  The obligation of the step parent to his or her natural children will be taken into account.
  • Where families are based locally, we would expect parents to consider the option of day houses where boarding is beyond their means. 

As financial circumstances can change during a five-year period, all awards are subject to annual review.  If there is no material change, awards offered will remain at the same level throughout a pupil's time at the School.

Scholarships

The School offers a range of scholarships for pupils of outstanding academic, musical, sporting, artistic or all-round potential.  These are awarded on the basis of examination and assessment.  Awards cover both third form and sixth form entrants. Click here for more detail. 

The fee remission associated with scholarships is not means-dependent, but recipients will be asked to consider giving up the financial aspect of the award where it is not required.

In cases of financial hardship, the remission associated with scholarships can be augmented. However this element of the award would be subject to means-testing.

Conditions of awards

Bursary and Scholarship awards are conditional upon the recipient playing a full and active part in the life of the School.

Funding of Bursaries and Scholarships

Scholarships and Bursaries are funded from charitable donations, commercial activities, modest income from the School's endowed funds, and from School fee income. In addition to the non-fee sources of funding, the School believes that 5% of gross fee income is an appropriate amount to spend on bursaries and scholarships.

Each year the School sets a budget for bursaries and scholarships, based on anticipated sources of funding. Only in exceptional circumstances will the School exceed this limit.