Applying for financial assistance for a private school in the UK

[Scarlett29]

Hi, my daughter has got a seat at Sevenoaks secondary school in the UK and I would like to apply for financial assistance with the school fees. Has anyone here applied for assistance and could tell me how they do the assessment, what things they ask you for to determine whether you are eligible? Thank you!

Are you from the uk? It will be on their website or phone the Bursar. We normally call it a place rather than a seat fyi.

You normally apply for funding at the same time as for a place. It is pretty late for entry this September and bursaries will already be allocated.

They look at income, outgoings, assets etc

Policy and eligibility is published here : https://www.sevenoaksschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Financial-Assistance-with-Fees-Policy-May-2025.pdf

How can this be, @Scarlett29? You must know that any bursary enquiry would have needed to start at the time you first registered and attended Open Days. You must have seen all relevant information long before your child was awarded a place?

You’re not getting financial assistance for a child starting at Sevenoaks in September now.

can you afford it without financial help? If not, you beed a plan B asap

I made an appointment with the head on the first day of term, explained my situation, and asked for a bursary. I was fortunate to be granted 50%.
While I’m not saying this approach will work for everyone, I just wanted to share my experience to show that there’s always a chance.

Wishing you the best of luck!

When was this, @hairyunicorn, and what type of school? Did they have an established and (relatively) transparent bursary system that everyone could read about on the website?

The website says you have to apply at pre-testing stage and they can’t accept late applications.

@PrimevalStomp This was 5 years ago at a Times top 50 school in London. Their bursary system was very transparent, and we had been turned down when applying for funding with our original application.

It was a massive risk, and I was very cheeky, but it paid off and we got the bursary.