All bursaries or scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholastic merit or economic need. Overall 22% of students at GDST senior schools receive a bursary or scholarship to help towards their fees. This amounted to £10.1m last year, or 6.5% of the GDST’s annual fee income.

Bursaries and scholarships

The Bursary and Scholarship Scheme aims to ensure that GDST schools continue to be accessible to all able students. The Scheme is available to any student aged 11 and over at a GDST Senior school. Most bursaries and scholarships are awarded pre-entry either for Year 7 or on direct entry to the Sixth Form.

What is the difference between a bursary and a scholarship?

A bursary takes into account academic merit, but every bursary is means-tested and its value is related to the income and financial resources of the pupil's family. The maximum value of the bursary can be the full published fees.

A scholarship is awarded on academic merit as measured in a competitive entrance examination and irrespective of financial means. The maximum value of a scholarship is 50% of the published fees.

Most bursaries will be awarded to students from families with a total income of less than £16,500 per year and with no capital assets other than their home. It is highly unlikely that a bursary would be awarded to a family whose gross income is more than £48,000 other than in exceptional circumstances. The maximum award for bursaries is full fees, for scholarships it is half fees, but a scholarship can be supplemented by a bursary.

GDST schools aim to assist as many families qualifying for bursaries as possible; given the demand for bursaries, those qualifying for a full bursary may not receive a bursary equivalent to the full published fees.

 

Enquiries about GDST bursaries and scholarships should be directed to the Head of the school.

Awards and Prizes

There are a number of annual awards and prizes for current pupils provided by the GDST and the Friends of the GDST. Many celebrate and reward academic excellence, others facilitate travel. For more information visit the Minerva website.