Fee assistance

Some bursaries cover 100% of our school fees (a free place), while others contribute between 50% and 95% towards the cost of the school place

Additionally, bursary students are eligible to receive financial support (in proportion to their bursary award). This helps towards the cost of coach travel, lunches, and educational school trips. Plus, they will qualify for free music lessons on one instrument.

Bursaries are intended to support a student throughout their entire education at Habs Boys. Meaning it will be paid until your child leaves us, without you needing to reapply at any stage. Of course, this is subject to an annual means-testing reassessment. (See below.)

Bursaries are available to all our Senior School students entering at Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12. To qualify, your child will need to hold the offer of a place from us.

Our financial support is means-tested, so we will need to assess your circumstances before making a decision. Every family is different, so we consider each application individually rather than setting strict thresholds and criteria. We will take into account your sources and amount of income, your outgoings, the size of your family, your assets and liabilities, plus the value and council tax band of your family home.

Bursary awards range in value according to financial need and the funds available for bursaries.

The level of financial support we can offer is based on your financial declaration. The process includes an informal meeting with a member of our Finance team.

As a guide, families whose total household gross income is below £50,000 is likely to qualify for a free school place. Households with total gross income of approximately £150,000 or more are not eligible for bursary support.

Between these two figures contributions towards fees will be on a sliding scale.

Every year, each bursary is subject to a means-test reassessment. This means that if your child has been awarded a bursary in the past but your circumstances have changed and you would not qualify if applying now, your bursary may be withdrawn.

Students who are awarded a free school place will also usually be eligible to receive an award that also covers a £400 contribution towards uniform, a device, coach travel, lunches, academic trips, music lessons and the hire of one musical instrument.
For students receiving a partial bursary (50-95-%) above contributions will be on a sliding scale.

Our bursary awards may be offered in conjunction with one of our scholarship awards at Year 7 (11+), Year 9 (13+) or Year 12 (16+).

Our scholarships hold a nominal tuition fee discount. Please refer to our scholarship page for eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Bursaries will remain throughout the period of a student’s attendance at the school, subject to satisfactory conduct and progress. Families of bursary award holders will complete a financial review each year. The size of the award for the coming year may be adjusted up or down only if there has been a significant change to the family’s financial circumstances.

Families of bursary award holders are responsible for any remaining school fees not covered by the bursary award.

If you feel concerned that a bursary could mark your child out as different, please do not worry.

We will not identify your child without yours and their agreement. We have a large and growing number of bursary students, so it is far from unusual.

Non-bursary students tend to take no interest in who does or does not receive one. Better still, most bursary students are happy to tell others, while older recipients often like to act as ambassadors, encouraging others to apply or donate financially to the scheme.