Eton Bursary

[user34254356]

Hello

DS has his hopes pinned on Eton and while we don’t have a place as yet we know that the fees will be unaffordable for us. I wanted to know what the criteria for bursaries is. Is there a specific income beyond which you are unlikely to be eligible for a bursary? On paper DH and my combined salary may sounds above average. However we live in London and are paying two sets of private school fees and unless we pull our other one out of private school, we don’t have enough buffer in our monthly income to pay for Eton.

I’m not an expert but if what you are saying is you can afford fees but not Eton fees I would think it’s unlikely you’d get a bursary. Perhaps get advice from the prep head?

No, actually wrong @AppleKatie! The beautiful thing about Eton is that the School don't actually expect a bursary applicant to uproot everything and anything in order for them to consider a bursary application. Don't know about other institutions, but I've heard many misconceptions over the years that there's a threshold of family income(s) above which a bursary application will not be entertained. No, this rule doesn't apply at Eton!

Eton understands perfectly well that on paper, a family may seem to be extremely wealthy but to turn all that wealth instantly into hard cash and to pull out from other financial commitments so as to pay Eton school fees may be a totally different matter. Of course, every family's financial circumstances is different. It is therefore, not surprising (to me) to hear, e.g. that the son of "so and so family" that owns that huge estate in the Outer Hebrides is at Eton with a bursary.

So, OP, I'd just banish the thought of pulling out one of your other children from private school in order for your DS to attend Eton. Believe me, Eton would never want that to happen! The other point is about the level of your combined family incomes. This too, you must not let it hinder your hope in getting a bursary. Eton will go through all your earnings/wealth, outgoings (including your other two sets of private school fees), other financial commitments, etc. with a fine comb and come to a conclusion/decision. They will be fair and reasonable.

People often wonder how does Eton manage to get so many huge donations into their scholarship/bursary pots. Clue: These benefactors would most probably be OEs who once upon a time would have benefited hugely themselves from Eton's generosity!

Why not call the bursar and have a chat - they're usually very approachable. There is also an independent schools show on next weekend in Battersea - Eton sometimes have a stall.

Thank you all. I emailed the Bursar and the policy on paper suggests equity would need to be released first from any assets and a similar bursary request to be made to the school of other siblings.

We first of course need to get admission before and so will focus on the first hurdle

I’m not surprised by the policy OP. The bursary schemes are generous but that doesn’t mean demand doesn’t massively outstrip supply.

If the prep head thinks he has a realistic shot of getting in and you are prepared for the financial scrutiny etc... it’s worth a go. But make sure you explain to DS it’s a long shot.

My sense of the bursary situation is that it's often more generous than you might expect, because I think an awful lot of people who would qualify don't apply.

A friend of mine qualified for a bursary post-divorce through the GDST having a fair bit of equity (house in Fulham).

My son started at Eton this year and it is a wonderful school, worth dipping into your equity I'd say. I expect they'd do what they can to help you, every interaction I've had with the administrative side of the school has impressed.

I speak from very personal experience in saying that they will expect a level of personal sacrifice so its not the case of supplementing where you can't stretch to but give a small contribution to the gap and expect to fund the rest.

This is how it has been for us

Other people will tell you differently and everyone has their own opinion but we were way off being able to afford this and were only given a very small contribution.

I hear people get 100per cent bursaries so clearly they do stretch all the way but they didn't do it for us and we are way off a house in Fulham, very much a no frill life very far away from london, cheap part of the country, full time jobs and other children in cheap private schools, very old cars, no holidays abroad and no holiday homes.

Seems it's very much on a case by case basis. At what point after admissions are the bursaries decisions made? I am trying to decide whether we might have to accept another offer anyway if that process takes some time.

It was a few months after the offer letter but still way before anyone would have to commit to a place.. So you will have time

Does Is he particularly talented in something like art or music or just very bright? If so focus your attention on applying for a scholarship first ( will sit additional exams and interviews etc). Often those who have been awarded scholarships are prioritised as far as bursaries are concerned.

Not at Eton as the bursary process is way before the scholarship process.

I take it the website would have been your first port of call, but if not:

www.etoncollege.com/BursaryInformation.aspx

According to this, only one in three bursary applications is successful and that awards are subject to a detailed means test.

Yes I have looked at the website and have also received their detailed policy and process document. I just wanted to understand how it's enacted from a practical point of view and any personal experiences of the bursary application (hence the post on mumsnet)

Thank you all.

I think it’s perfectly reasonable that any bursaries are subject too detailed means testing. But I’m surprised and it seems a shame that only 1 in 3 are successful maybe I’ve got the wrong end of the stick her but that’s not the impression that has been given in the past by some posters on here.
The basic problem is that bursaries require a very significant amount of cash to fund properly all applicants and if schools like Eton et al are struggling to go “needs blind” then there’s not much hope for all the rest of them.

I’m surprised and it seems a shame that only 1 in 3 are successful

Why? Surely that only indicates that currently many, many more people than before are now aware of this as a possibility? The TV documentary a few years ago and the tireless work of a few posters on MN must inevitably have increased interest in these particular bursaries.

I agree it’s stressful for applicants who genuinely will not be able to attend if they don’t get the right level of award. But there must be a fairly large proportion of parents who think it’s worth a shot even though through income, assets, life chances they don’t actually meet the criteria.

Parents with other children in ‘cheap private schools’ might be considered to have other options - as opposed to the parents of a child whose only other school options might be staggeringly bad. It’s a long time since I looked at any application guidance notes - but I’m pretty they used to mention the potential of a bursary award to improve/alter the prospects of the family as a whole, by, for example, freeing up a single parent to work further afield once their child was boarding. The change should ideally be fundamental rather than merely decorative.

(I’m pretty sure ...)

"No parents with a talented boy should feel that Eton is necessarily beyond their means but should be aware that the school does not have sufficient funds to satisfy all requests and currently only one in three applications is successful"

That's what the School's website says and it is also said officially by the School that currently 82 boys at the school paid no fees at all and that the average award of fee remission remaining 65% of the full fee.

First things first . . .
a) there are more than 1300 boys at the school
b) the current full school fee is £42,500 p.a.

So, I'll leave it to you guys to work out for yourselves just how much Eton spends per year in promoting social mobility. And of course, all the above funds spent do not include Eton's other activities in helping to level the playing field by e.g. being the sole educational sponsor of a state school, Holyport College, and its continued involvement with the London Academy of Excellence and other schools in the Berkshire area, too many to mention here.

But I’m surprised and it seems a shame that only 1 in 3 are successful maybe I’ve got the wrong end of the stick her but that’s not the impression that has been given in the past by some posters on here.

But some people think Eton is Father Christmas!

This is particularly ironic given that the school these people are always trying to promote as Eton's rival - the one in Hampshire, being "more academic", "better selection procedures and house system", etc. - but deafeningly quiet about their efforts in opening access and promoting social mobility, is here exclaiming surprise that only 1 in 3 is successful in getting an Eton bursary.

Well, Eton is not Father Christmas.

To many, Eton is better than Father Christmas!

Father Christmas does not exist. Perchance, one day, Eton will not exist.

Through thick and thin ETON has existed continuously for almost 600 years. It would take a brave person to say it wouldn't be here in another 600 years!

peteneras Im not criticising Eton for only offering bursaries to 1 in 3 of those who apply. Im a great beleiver in bursaries and I guess I'm just disappointed that a school of Etons status is not in a position to offer more; I was hoping that it had managed to go "needs blind". As Im sure you are aware a few others are aspiring to this including SPS and Winchester. But it doesn't bode well for them in their desire to achieve this ambition in the nearish future and it definitely doesn't bode well for all the others who dont have the sort of money/assets that schools like Eton SPS and Winchester have.
"but deafeningly quiet about their efforts in opening access and promoting social mobility,"
deafeningly quiet or just quietly working away to achieve long held ambition.

I am quite surprised to learn that Eton has such few bursaries. Unlike most schools, they state that you will apply, get accepted and then discuss finances. So, do they then make a u-turn after accepting you if it turns out you are not well off enough?

I will say there is a lot of schools with a great reputation, who apparently don't have as much funds as you would think. St Paul's previous Headmaster said the school was built 40 years ago to last for 20 years and they did not update it till now, or something along those lines. Kings Wimbledon seem to rely on their sport centre to fund bursaries.

I thought as an old school, Eton would have the resources honestly, schools like Whitgift, Christ Hospital etc. who all seem to practice what they preach in regards to bursaries and charity status.

Happy I sent you a pm a few weeks ago.

I am quite surprised to learn that Eton has such few bursaries.

Currently around one fifth of the pupils are in receipt of a bursary award, at varying levels. 90 boys receive 100%.