We welcome applications for financial assistance from families with daughters entering St Helen and St Katharine from the age of 11 through to 18.
Opening up access for families who would not otherwise be able to afford the fees has always been central to our ethos. This means that we offer support of up to 100% of fees to families who demonstrate through a means testing process that they could not otherwise send their daughter to St Helen’s.
What is a bursary?
Bursaries can be awarded from 20-100% of fees, and may include assistance with school bus travel, uniform and curriculum activities. They are awarded to candidates whose performance in the entrance assessments suggests academic merit and where the application satisfies the financial constraints set out by the Governors. Bursaries are reviewed annually; they may increase or decrease according to financial circumstances.
Sixth Form bursaries
Students applying for Sixth Form at St Helen’s can apply for a standard, transformational, or Sixth Form subject-specific bursary – click below for more information about transformational and subject-specific bursaries.
How do bursaries differ from scholarships?
Means-tested bursary provision is separate from the scholarships programme. Scholarships are awarded to recognise excellence, ability and potential in one or more academic or extracurricular areas. The financial value is a nominal fee reduction and they are not subject to means testing. Visit the scholarships page for further information.
How do I qualify for a bursary?
Bursary support is based on an assessment of financial circumstances and considers both capital assets as well as income and makes allowances for household expenses. Where fees are being paid to other schools, the award will take these outgoings into account, although the School would expect to see evidence that equivalent awards had been made by other independent schools.
The School considers that the following examples would not be consistent with the receipt of a bursary: frequent/expensive holidays, new/luxury cars, investment in significant/expensive home improvements, a second property/land holdings, excessive pension contributions, or capital overpayments on mortgages.
Subsequent to entry, the School operates a Hardship Bursary Fund for those whose financial arrangements have unexpectedly changed for the worse. The application process is the same (see below) but the timescales for review and confirmation of an award are managed on a case-by-case basis. Parents should be aware that the School would not expect to provide financial assistance within the first two years of a student joining (other than being in receipt of a bursary on entry), since it is expected that sufficient financial resources exist to cover school fees commitments during this period.
"Without a doubt, I would not have built the platform that I have done for myself without my time at St Helen's and the generosity and warmth of those who contributed to the bursary fund."
How do I apply for a bursary?
Prospective parents wishing to apply for a bursary should contact the Admissions office in the first instance on admissions@shsk.org.uk to indicate their interest. Applicants will be asked to complete the bursary application online and supply supporting documents by the relevant closing date below. Prospective parents must register their daughter for the admissions process before completing a bursary application form.
No applications will be reviewed after the offer of a place.
Other support for school fees
Sometimes the School is not able to assist to the extent required or in the necessary timeframe. For those parents who are experiencing financial difficulty, we suggest contacting the charitable organisations listed on the Educational Grants website.
Bursary application
Completed bursary applications for entry in September 2025 need to be received by the closing dates shown below.
- Year 7 by Friday 8 November 2024
- Year 9 2025 by Monday 23 September 2024
- Year 9 2026 by Friday 7 February 2025
- Lower Sixth by Friday 18 October 2024
Bursary application forms are available on request by contacting the Admissions office.
Please get in touch
We would be delighted to hear from you if you are considering applying for a bursary. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us – we are here to help.
01235 530 593
