Bursaries and Scholarships Explained: How to Get Help With School Fees
School bursaries are the least understood part of private school fees and the most generous. A bursary is means-tested help with fees, decided on your household's finances rather than your child's talent, and it is far from a token discount: at ISC schools in 2026, more than half of bursary holders have over half their fees covered, and almost one in five pay nothing at all.
How many: 36,676 pupils at ISC schools hold a means-tested bursary, 7.0% of all pupils, worth an average of £14,077 each.
How big: 50.9% of bursary holders get more than half their fees remitted, and 19.2% get full remission or more.
Pay nothing: 8,934 pupils pay no fees at all through bursaries, scholarships or a combination of the two.
Scholarships are different: most are awarded for merit and are small. 61.1% of means-tested scholarships cover less than a quarter of fees.
This page explains the difference between a bursary and a scholarship, what the latest Independent Schools Council census shows about who gets help and how much, how schools assess an application, how VAT interacts with a bursary, and when to apply. For the underlying fee levels, our guide to the cost of schooling in the UK has the 2026 figures by region and age.
Bursary or scholarship: the difference
| Bursary | Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Awarded for | Financial need | Merit: academic, music, sport, art, drama |
| Means-tested? | Always | Usually not, though some schools means-test a scholarship or let it be topped up with a bursary |
| Typical size | Often large, up to full fees and occasionally more | Usually modest; many are worth 10% or less, or are honorary |
| Reviewed | Every year, against updated finances | Usually subject to continued effort and conduct |
The two often combine. A child can win a scholarship for the recognition and then have it increased by a bursary if the family's finances justify it. The census counts 1,630 pupils who pay no fees through exactly that kind of combination.
What the 2026 census shows
The ISC's annual census covers its 1,455 member schools, which educate 526,611 pupils in 2026. Across all forms of help, from sibling discounts to local authority funded places, fee assistance reaches 183,705 pupils, 34.9% of the total, and is worth £2.1 billion. Most of that is not means-tested: staff, sibling and forces discounts and non-means-tested scholarships reach far more pupils than bursaries do, but for much smaller sums.
Means-tested bursaries are where the real money for families on ordinary incomes sits. The chart shows how they break down by size.
Two further points from the census are worth knowing. First, 3.1% of bursary holders receive more than 100% of fees, meaning the school also helps with extras such as uniform and trips. Second, the total value of means-tested bursaries and scholarships has grown from £370.7m in 2016 to £538.5m in 2026. The ISC estimates that, had it only kept pace with inflation, it would have reached around £517.2m, so there has been a modest real-terms increase.
Who can get a bursary
There is no national threshold. Each school sets its own policy, and it depends on the school's endowment and how much it chooses to spend on access. A school with a large endowment might offer free places to families on modest incomes; a small day school may be able to offer only partial help. The practical rules of thumb:
- Your child must meet the school's normal entry standard. A bursary does not lower the bar; it removes the cost barrier once a place is offered.
- Household income is only the starting point. Schools look at assets, savings, property equity, the number of dependent children and sometimes the other parent's finances where parents are separated.
- Help is usually strongest at 11 and 13 plus and at sixth form, the main entry points, rather than mid-year.
- Some schools publish an indicative income band. Check the bursary page of each school you are considering; if nothing is published, ring the bursar's office and ask what a household like yours might expect.
Separately, charities broker funded boarding places for children who most need them. The Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation works with more than 250 state boarding and independent schools to place care-experienced children and those from low-income families, with referrals coming through children's services professionals rather than direct from parents.
How the assessment works
- Register and sit the entrance process as any applicant would. Bursary applications are often made at the same time, sometimes before the assessment.
- Complete the financial form. Expect to declare income from all sources, savings, investments, property, pensions and outgoings, backed by P60s, tax returns, bank statements and mortgage statements.
- Expect verification. Many schools use an external assessor, and a home visit is common for larger awards. It is a check on the figures, not a judgement on your home.
- Receive an offer. Bursaries are usually expressed as a percentage of fees and confirmed alongside the place.
- Reapply each year. Awards are reviewed annually, and a pay rise, inheritance or a change in household can reduce the bursary. A drop in income can increase it.
Be complete and candid. Schools can and do withdraw a bursary where information was left out, and most will be more flexible with a family that tells them early about a change in circumstances.
Bursaries and VAT
Since 1 January 2025, VAT at 20% has applied to private school fees. How it interacts with help depends on who is paying:
- A school-funded bursary or discount reduces the fee, and VAT is charged only on the amount you actually pay.
- A bursary funded by a third party for a specific pupil, such as a charity or trust paying the school, is treated differently: VAT is chargeable on the full value of the fee, not just the parents' share.
So a 50% school bursary on a day fee also halves the VAT you pay, while a third-party award may leave the funder covering VAT as well. Ask the school to show the VAT on any offer so you can budget for the real figure.
When to apply
Earlier than you think. Bursary budgets are finite and allocated as places are offered, and SpringBoard notes that many schools work to a lead-in time of about 12 months. For a September start that means researching schools in the summer a year before, applying in the autumn alongside registration, and completing the financial forms well before entrance assessments in the winter. Late applications may still be considered, but usually from whatever budget is left.
If you are still deciding whether independent school is worth it at all, our comparison of private and state school sets the costs against what fees do and do not buy, and how to choose a school covers the questions to ask at open days, including about bursaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a bursary and a scholarship?
A bursary is means-tested help with fees based on a family's finances. A scholarship is usually awarded for academic, musical, sporting or other merit and is often worth a small percentage of fees. The two can be combined, with a bursary topping up a scholarship.
How much can a school bursary cover?
Up to full fees, and sometimes more. In the ISC Census 2026, 50.9% of pupils with a means-tested bursary had more than half their fees remitted, 16.1% had exactly full fees covered, and 3.1% received more than 100% to help with extras such as uniform.
What income do you need to qualify for a private school bursary?
There is no national limit. Each school sets its own policy based on its funds and looks at income, savings, assets and the number of children in the family. Many schools publish an indicative income band on their bursary page, and the bursar's office can tell you what to expect.
Do you pay VAT on a bursary?
If the school funds the bursary, VAT is charged only on the reduced fee you actually pay. If a third party such as a charity funds a place for a specific pupil, VAT is chargeable on the full value of the fees.
Do bursaries have to be reapplied for every year?
Usually yes. Schools review means-tested bursaries annually against updated financial information, so an award can go up or down if household circumstances change.
When should I apply for a school bursary?
About a year before the start date. Many schools work to a lead-in of around 12 months, and bursary funds are finite, so apply when you register, not after a place is offered.
Sources
- Independent Schools Council: ISC Census and Annual Report 2026, for pupil numbers, fee assistance totals, Table 6.1 sources of assistance, Table 6.2 bursaries by size and the growth in means-tested support since 2016
- GOV.UK: applying VAT to private school fees, for the 1 January 2025 start of VAT on fees and the treatment of bursaries
- Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation: school placements, for its network of more than 250 schools, eligibility, referrals and the 12 month lead-in
Checked on 15 September 2026. Census figures cover ISC member schools in January 2026. Bursary policies are set school by school, so confirm eligibility and deadlines with each school's bursar.