Bursaries and Scholarships

Assistance with school fees (bursaries)

We offer a number of means-tested bursaries for families of limited means. Financial support is available ranging from 5% to 100% of school fees. In the last financial year, the school provided over £400,000 of means-tested bursary support.

Applicants applying to the Perse for a bursary (in any year group) are subject to the standard assessment criteria that form part of the entrance tests. Places are only offered to applicants who meet the admissions criteria.

All applications for bursary places are assessed on a means-tested basis and will include an interview at the school. There are no residence qualifications; however family situations - including the number of school-aged children, the financial circumstances of both parents, and of any current partner of one or both parents - will be taken into account, along with social security benefits and other financial details. These will include both capital and current income. Any awards made for the current year will be subject to annual means-testing thereafter.

As a very rough guide, combined family incomes of much more than £50,000 with one school-aged child, are unlikely to qualify for financial assistance with fees. The school will operate a sliding scale below this limit which it reserves the right to vary in special cases, but all awards are at the absolute discretion of the school. The number of awards which can be made each year is limited. The Deputy Bursar can provide guidance in individual cases.

How to apply for assistance with school fees

Parents should complete and return the Registration Form and Registration Fee to the Admissions Office before 31st December in the year prior to entry. Please ensure that you tick the box on the Registration Form which indicates that you are applying for 'means-tested assistance with school fees'. The Admissions Office will pass the form to the Bursary who will contact you directly. It may be helpful to know that the Bursary will need a detailed means-test form returned by the date when the entrance test takes place.

Harvey Bursary

Thanks to a Cambridge businessman’s generosity, we can also offer a number of Harvey Bursaries to pupils entering the school in Year 7, Year 9 and Lower Sixth.

Harvey Bursaries are available to children who:

are from a state sector primary or secondary school (although we can occasionally consider exceptional cases from elsewhere, and people of different ages)
are able to show leadership and brainpower skills in a particular area of science or technology or possibly in a similar field
are interested in science and/or technology
show initiative and determination to succeed rather than just being clever
will probably not be able to come to the school without financial help

How to apply for a Harvey Bursary

Parents should complete and return the Registration Form and Registration Fee to the Admissions Office before 31st December in the year prior to entry. Please ensure that you tick the box on the Registration Form which indicates that you are applying for 'means-tested assistance with school fees' and enclose a covering letterstating that you would also like your child to be considered for a Harvey Bursary. The Admissions Office will pass the form to the Bursary who will contact you directly. It may be helpful to know that the Bursary will need a detailed means-test form returned by the date when the entrance test takes place.

Scholarships

The school offers a small number of scholarships each year to pupils of exceptional merit. These awards are not means tested but are limited in value.

Scholarships - Year 7 and Year 9

Academic scholarships will be awarded on the basis of performance in the Year 7 and Year 9 entrance tests held in January each year. The school makes awards only if candidates of sufficient merit apply, and will withdraw an award in extreme circumstances if a candidate subsequently fails to justify it.

Music scholarships - potential music scholars will be expected to pass the entrance test and to satisfy the other requirements of Year 7 and Year 9 entrants (e.g. a satisfactory reference from your current school).

They will also be given music auditions in January, by arrangement with the Director of Music (who will be happy to meet parents and candidates informally beforehand). The audition will be on a candidate's main instrument (and a second instrument if they have one). Singing may be offered, either as a main or secondary component. There will also be a sight-reading exercise and an aural test.

Year 7 candidates will probably have Grade 4 or higher on at least one instrument, and Year 9 candidates will have reached at least Grade 5. The school is however looking for future potential rather than current achievement, and will take previous musical opportunities (or lack of them) into account when assessing a candidate, so those with fewer or no formal qualifications should not feel automatically excluded.

Music scholars will be expected to join in as many of the school's musical activities as possible long-term - including those which take place on Saturdays. It is our normal expectation that they will learn at least one instrument in school rather than outside. Parents are asked to discuss any potential clashes with musical commitments outside school, and any concerns about instrumental teaching requirements, with the Director of Music in advance of the scholarship auditions.

How to apply for a scholarship

No application is required for Academic Scholarships. They are awarded on the basis of performance in the entrance tests.

To apply for a Music Scholarship, you should complete the Music Scholarship application form and return it with the Registration Form and fee to the Admissions Office by 31st December in the year prior to entry.

All scholarships are eligible for bursary supplementation on a means-tested basis.

Scholarships - Sixth Form

There are a range of scholarships available for pupils in the Sixth Form. These are awarded on merit alone and are typically worth between 5% and 20% of the tuition fee.

Sixth Form scholarships are open to both current students and to external candidates. All applicants, internal and external, must submit the relevant scholarship application form together with a personal statement.

The closing date for all sixth form applications for entry in September 2011 is Wednesday 24th November 2010. All scholarship examinations and interviews (with the exception of Music) will take place on Saturday 4th December 2010.

Academic scholarships are designed to reward students who show the potential to achieve at least three A grades or equivalent at A Level and a place at either Oxford, Cambridge or an equivalent university.

Requirements:

1) If you wish to be considered for a scholarship you need to complete the correct application form and submit it with your registration form, subject choices and personal statement. These are all available to download from the website.

2) You will sit an examination in a subject paper of your choice. The examination will be 90 minutes in length. Examination papers can only be taken in one subject and must be in a subject offered at A Level at The Perse School.

3) You will be interviewed – this will explore your potential academic and extra-curricular contributions to school.

Art scholarships reward those studying Art at AS and A2 level, who can demonstrate through a portfolio and a practical exam the potential to be an outstanding student of Art.

Requirements:

2) You will be interviewed – this will be based around your art portfolio and personal statement. You are requested to bring a portfolio of present art work with you. This can be GCSE work and/or what you have developed outside school.

General scholarships are designed to reward those currently studying in their GCSE years that have made a notable contribution to the extra-curricular activities of their present school.

Requirements:

2) You will be interviewed – this will explore your potential extra-curricular contributions to school.

Music scholarships - potential music scholars will be given music auditions by arrangement with the Director of Music (who will be happy to meet parents and candidates informally beforehand).

A successful music scholarship candidate will typically be working towards Grade 8 in his or her first instrument or have the clear potential to achieve that standard during the Sixth Form. The School is, however, looking for future potential rather than purely current achievement, and will take previous musical opportunities (or lack of them) into account when assessing a candidate. Those with fewer or no formal qualifications should not feel automatically excluded. Candidates donot have to study Music Pre-U in the Sixth Form to apply.

Requirements:

1) If you wish to be considered for a scholarship you need to complete the correct scholarship form and submit it with your registration form, subject choices and personal statement. These are all available to download from the website.

2) You will attend a musical audition / interview which will last around 45 minutes. Appointments will be made with candidates for late November / early December.

3) It is hoped that you will offer at least two instruments, which may include singing either as a main or secondary component. There is no limit to the number of instruments that may be offered for audition!

4) There will also be sight-reading exercises for the first and second instruments and a series of aural tests (melodic and rhythmic memory, singing notes from a chord etc). There will also be a short interview to explore your musical interests and enthusiasms.

Music Scholars will be expected to make a lively and committed contribution to musical activities within the School – including those which take place on Saturdays. It is our normal expectation that they will learn at least one instrument in school rather than outside.

NB: Candidates do not have to study Music Pre-U in the Sixth Form to apply.

If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please fill in the relevant form found on the application forms page.