Bursary - what to expect ?

[Hannahmum35]

We are looking to apply for a possible bursary at a local privet school for my oldest - not sure what to expect - has anyone had experience with this and how difficult is it ?

You normally get a bursary application from the Bursar which asks for very detailed information regarding all your financial affairs. You normally need to back up your figures with bank statements, pay slips etc. They will then decide if you fit the criteria for a bursary and if so how much they are going to award. God luck

It depends on the school in question and your family income wrt how much you are likely to be offered.

However, most schools will require very detailed information about income and assets. P60s, pensions info, bank statements, savings, mortgage info, estimated household assets, even income of other children. This is entirely reasonable, of course, but can feel quite full-on when you're filling out the forms! Some schools also do home visits to confirm you're not just cash-poor but living in a mansion with Monets on the walls

Also, bear in mind that bursaries are also awarded on the basis of how well your child has done in the entrance exams, or what other attributes your do can bring to the school. So whilst you may be eligible income-wise, you may not get one if dc is low on the results table.

There are number of things that will affect your application.
The first is how big your chosen schools bursary pot is. What exactly does it say on their website? These are taken from 2 schools known to be generous with bursaries. "We are committed to broadening access to the School by offering eligible parents means-tested financial support in the form of bursaries for up to 100% of fees payable." "Each year there are funds available for free and subsidised places. The school benefits from the diversity which our pupils bring." In both cases generous bursaries are available unattached to any kind of scholarship but the reality is that this is rare. These are big names with lots of assets and correspondingly high fees. But most schools will attach any kind of bursary to some sort of scholarship usually academic.
So firstly you need to read the schools website and find this out next you need to have an open an honest conversation with the bursar (he's the man or women who controls the money in most school with a governing body the head does not do this) he knows how much is in the bank how much of that is available for bursaries and also assess the individuals financial circumstances. You need to work out how much you can realistically afford lets say its 40% of the fees you then need to speak to the bursar say looked at the prospectus/website love the school your think your DC will flourish etc etc at the school but you would need a bursary of 60% and do they or have they ever awarded bursaries of that size? Your not a asking for a definite yes or no just some idea if it is worth visiting it, bringing your DC, sitting the entrance exam, marvelling at their wonderful facilities oohing and arrhing over their fab exam results etc etc all a complete waste of their time, your time and unfair on your DC if their hopes are going to be raised then dashed if they never offer a bursary of more than 30%.
If you get the green light then visit the school preferably if possible meet the head emphasise what your DC will bring to the school; incredibly brainy, UK judo champion the youngest child to get a grade 8 on the oboe don't slag off your current state school you've got to be offering the school something they don't really care that your DC is one of 35 and the teacher cant add or even spell Wednesday properly!
If it still looks positive you will most likely be asked to complete a registration form and sometimes pay a registration fee and also at some stage a bursary application form.
IME those who are unsuccessful and have done what I've suggested and had a positive feed back from the bursar have money in some shape or form; 2nd houses, assets, shares, savings, trust funds, lots of equity in their current house, a Monet on the wall of the garage. Many on MN bandy around the figure £40 000 maximum earning we earn significantly more than that and still qualify for a bursary a significant bursary. They will expect both parents to be working where possible especially if all children are of senior school age although caring for elderly relatives (could become a problem for me) disabled children etc will usually be taken into consideration. Most will look on google earth nowadays to check your not secretly living in a massive pile, the bursar may even visit you at home to check the Monet isn't real and turning up in a brand new range rover is also unlikely to go down well! Many say the forms are intrusive but so they should be many are hoping for a a significant reduction and therefore they should expect their finances to be carefully scrutinised. We don't find them too difficult as we write can honestly write 0 for everything; saving shares trust fund (in my dreams) etc etc the hardest thing we found the first time round was locating our tenancy agreement to send them a copy! We are not asked about our fuel bill food bill or council tax I think in our schools case an amount is allocated for this but we are asked about how much our other DC costs in terms of education and many will go into every micro detail. Many sadly complete all these stages and are still not successful but as one bursar said to me once if you don't ask you wont get. Be honest with your DC right from the beginning say it might not come off then if it fails it wont be a complete disappointment.

fairly detailed information above which i agree with. Although I have never had a home visit. Don't apply if you are not prepared to expose yourself to financial scrutiny again and again, as you have to reapply every year.

We have applied for our dd. Her school give bursaries on a sliding scale up to £55K joint income for 1 child and up to £60K income for 2 or more children. They claim over 10% children attending the school receive bursaries ranging from 10% to 100%. (school approx 1700).

We got 50% the first and second years but now we get less as I earn more. We have filled in our last form as next year is her last year at school. We got in the habit of putting the documents aside as they came in, ready for the form filling eg P60, mortgage statement, etc etc so the filling in was easily dealt with.

When we applied to the school we had to fill in application form for school in tandem with bursary forms. The response to the bursary come out in the same envelope (in another sealed envelope) as the letter confirming the place so that we knew the financial position when we accepted the place.

If you have any specific questions please pm me.

"When we applied to the school we had to fill in application form for school in tandem with bursary forms."
This is sadly the norm but a few schools encourage you to apply even before completing the registration form they will then give you an indication of what they might offer you. This is obviously the best way as it not only saves everyone's time but also prevents you DC's hopes being raised having looked at facilities etc to find that it is a no goer.

"We have applied for our dd. Her school give bursaries on a sliding scale up to £55K joint income for 1 child and up to £60K income for 2 or more children."
If you are looking at boarding with fees coming in at £30 000+ a year then this wouldn't apply as no one with a joint income can afford that this figure is also unlikely to apply to some day schools charge £6-7000 per term.

Don't forget to factor in the other costs which are not usually covered by a bursary but can add up to significant amounts e.g. Uniform (usually specifically branded so no M&S- but many schools have a second hand shop) , loads of sports kit, music lessons, local trips, international trips for teams (e.g. cricket tour, choir tour etc.) as well as factoring in extra childcare costs for the longer holidays which private schools generally get.

Our school factors all this in. Maybe not if it a £4000 trip to Bruni but then only a handful will go but certainly everything else and we literally pay for every piece of paper, book, pen etc.

What you need to factor in is unexpected and unwelcome bills that aren't school related dentist the boiler breaking down a new clutch etc.