ASSISTANCE WITH SCHOOL FEES
Since its foundation in 1850, North London Collegiate School has provided financial support to students who we know will thrive at NLCS but whose families cannot afford our fees. We offer this in the form of bursaries to pupils joining the Senior School at 11+ or 16+.
Bursaries exist to ensure that children who would benefit from attending NLCS are not prevented from doing so because of the costs. A bursary can cover any proportion of the costs of fees including 100% fees, lunches, transport for coach users (50% off fares), uniform subsidy, mandatory curriculum equipment, exam fees and compulsory trips for those who are eligible. Currently, 78 NLCS students are receiving financial support in the form of a bursary.
Please note: Our bursary applications are processed by an independent bursary administrator, BAA, and will therefore have no bearing over the School’s decision to offer a place.
BURSARY APPLICATIONS
Bursary applications for 2025 entry will open in May.
11+ Entry: Deadline for bursary applications for 2025 entry:
11+ Entry – 15 November 2024
16+ Entry: Deadline for bursary applications for 2025 entry:
16+ Entry – 18 October 2024
We will inform you of the outcome of your bursary application if your child is offered a place.
Who is eligible for a bursary?
Assuming a child is successful in the entrance exam and interview process, offers of a bursary are based on the total family income and other assets. As a guide, if your total family income is below £40,000 and you have limited assets, you are likely to receive a 100% bursary. If your family income is above £86,000 you are unlikely to receive any fee assistance. Partial bursaries may be offered between these figures. Most awards of bursaries are made to candidates from maintained schools, but in exceptional circumstances, we may make exceptions to this.
We consider each application carefully with our third-party agency, and this will include a home visit or telephone call.
Awards will only be available to girls when the School is satisfied the fee-paying parent(s) are resident in the UK for tax purposes. It is not possible for us to make an award without carrying out the financial assessment. All awards are made at the School’s discretion.
HANDEL MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS
A number of Music Scholarships are awarded at 11+ (for 5 years) and at 16+ on the basis of merit. Candidates must pass the entrance examination and a music audition conducted by the music department to qualify. Click here for further information of our Handel Music Scholarship.
Bursaries – FAQs
Yes. Your daughter has to be considered for a place on academic merit and interview performance before being considered for a bursary. Those marking the tests and carrying out the interviews will not know which candidates have applied for a bursary. Therefore, our academic selection process is separate from our bursary process, so if your child meets our academic standards, she will still be offered a place, regardless of being awarded a bursary.
No. If your child meets our academic standards, she will be offered a place, regardless of her financial circumstances. If your daughter is offered a place, her academic performance in the examination will have no impact on the size of bursary that is awarded.
We review bursaries annually, but these will be continued at the same level if there are no material changes in financial circumstances.
If there are changes in circumstances, bursary awards may be varied upwards or downwards.
We judge each application carefully, considering:
• all sources of income;
• all outgoings;
• all assets (e.g. property, savings, shares);
• all liabilities (e.g. mortgage, arrears, loans);
• any other circumstances that you tell us about or that we consider relevant.
