Bursary FAQs

Bursaries are a means-tested financial contribution towards school fees awarded by John Whitgift Foundation which are conducted after the school has shortlisted your child, on the basis of the highest performance in the entrance examination.

Scholarships are a financial contribution towards school fees awarded by Old Palace, Trinity School or Whitgift School Bursaries are a means-tested financial contribution towards school fees awarded by John Whitgift Foundation which are conducted after the school has shortlisted your child, on the basis of the highest performance in the entrance examination.

Scholarships are a financial contribution towards school fees awarded by Old Palace, Trinity School or Whitgift School based on exceptional talent either academically or in a specific subject area. Parents do not ‘apply’ for scholarships, these are decided by the school only.

We welcome applications from families whose total annual income and assets fall below £85,000 per year.

Bursaries are available from Year 6 and above at Whitgift and Trinity, and from Year 7 and above at Old Palace.

Bursaries are not available to Old Palace Nursery, Old Palace Preparatory School or Whitgift School boarders.

As the bursary award is determined as per our assessment model, a bursary award can cover up to 100% of the fees. It will not cover however the school lunches, school uniforms, school trips or exam fees.

Yes.

Demand for bursaries is high. Each year, we receive more than 900 applications from families applying to Old Palace, Trinity and Whitgift Schools. Approximately 1 in ten prospective parents will receive a bursary supported place offer.

If you have applied for a 6th form entry bursary support, the admission team staff will contact you when they have reviewed the entrance exam results to inform you that they have shortlisted you for a bursary application. This will happen in early December. You will then receive a courtesy call from the JWF Bursary team to explain how to access your online bursary account to complete the bursary application. You will then find out about the place offer within 3 weeks. If you have applied for a year 6, year 7 or year 9 entry bursary, you will hear from the admissions team by the 2nd week of January and will receive your courtesy call within the last 2 weeks of January. You will then receive the place offer by mid-February.

Yes, you are welcome to apply for a bursary at Old Palace, Whitgift and Trinity.

You will have received a courtesy call first explaining to you in detail how to log into the bursary portal for the first time. You will also receive a detailed email with instructions on how to fill in the form. You will of course be able to ask any questions by liaising with the Bursary team by email at fees@johnwhitgiftfoundation.org.

If successful in your initial bursary application, the bursary will last for the duration that your child is at the Foundation school. However, you will be re-assessed each year and reviewed by John Whitgift Foundation to ensure you still qualify for a bursary.

Please contact the bursary team immediately by email at fees@johnwhitgiftfoundation.org and we will contact you for a confidential chat.

You can apply for a bursary for more than one child; however, this does not guarantee you will receive a bursary.

If parents divorce, providing the divorce is finalised before the child sits the entrance examination, the parental contribution will be assessed on the relevant income (including maintenance) of the parent who has the main custody of the child. There will be some specific checks made to ensure that we have a clear understanding of the financial involvement of the other parent who does not have the main custody of the child, and of where this parent lives.

No

You will receive an invoice each term. You can either pay the terms fees in full before the start of each term or monthly by Direct Debit.

If you have any concerns about not being able to pay the fees you should contact us immediately by email at fees@whitgiftfoundation.org and we will call you for a confidential chat. Not honouring your reduced fee payments whilst being in receipt of a bursary award may put this award at risk.