Bursary Support
STAHS welcomes applications from ambitious, talented and motivated girls who are drawn to our warm and academically stimulating environment, regardless of their background or financial position.
Bursary funding is available to pupils applying for Year 7 and Year 12 entry to the Senior School (and in exceptional circumstances other Senior School year groups). Bursaries are not available to pupils applying to join the Prep School.
Students likely to succeed will have a strong academic record. Every year, we get many more applications for bursaries than the school can fund from its resources. Whilst we offer as many bursaries as we can, only a limited number of pupils will receive support.
Next steps
To apply for a bursary, we ask you to complete a detailed bursary application form to help us to assess accurately each individual application.
The application deadlines for pupils joining in September 2025 are:
Senior School: Friday 15 November 2024
Sixth Form: Monday 4 November 2024
We will be delighted to help you through the bursary application process – please contact our Admissions office. All enquiries and applications are handled in the strictest confidence.
Full Terms and Conditions of Bursary Awards can be found in the Admissions Policy document ‘Bursaries and Scholarships’, which is available on our website or by request from the Admissions team (admissions@stahs.org.uk)
Application Process
- If you would like your daughter to be considered for financial support, you must indicate this on our main online application form for a place at STAHS by ticking the ‘bursary’ field.
- We will then send you a link to our secure bursary application platform, where you will be invited to register and complete our bursary application form.
- Your bursary application, along with all the required accompanying documentation, must be completed by the published deadline. Late applications are unlikely to be accepted.
- The Bursar will review all applications to establish the likely level of financial support required for the child to attend the School. This review process includes a financial assessment by an external specialist company, who may also visit the home of the family as part of their assessment.
- The Admissions Selection Committee makes its decisions on offering places without any information on financial status of the candidates. Only after all offers of places have been decided, the Bursar and Head meet to discuss each bursary application based on all the information provided and collected by the Bursar.
- Candidates who are assessed as needing financial support AND who meet our entry criteria are considered for support. Bursaries are awarded to candidates based on their ranking by the Admissions Selection Committee; those candidates who rank highest in the cohort following their admissions assessment will be offered Bursary Awards first, and this will continue in descending order of ranking until the Bursary Fund for that cohort is exhausted. Not all candidates who have applied for a Bursary Award will receive funding if the number of applications for Bursary funding is greater than the available funds.
- Following the School’s decision on offers of places, parents/guardians who made applications for financial support are advised whether their daughter is to be offered a place, whether they have been awarded a Bursary and, if they have, what level of award they will receive.
- Parents/guardians accepting places and Bursary Awards are required to sign a form accepting a place in the School and agreeing to the conditions relating to the award.
FAQS
Many common questions are addressed here, but if you need any additional information, please contact our Admissions team at admissions@stahs.org.uk or on 01727 792 509.
What is a Bursary Award?
A Bursary Award gives parents who have accepted the offer of a place at STAHS a percentage reduction in the School tuition fees. The value of the award is means-tested and, depending on the parents’ financial circumstances, it could be up to 100% of tuition fees. Bursary Awards are discretionary and subject to the financial resources of the School. Families with a gross household income below £85,000 pa may be eligible for an award, subject to net assets. This figure is indicative only and the School cannot guarantee that it will apply to particular parents. The money to support bursaries all comes from the School and from donations. There is no government support.
Who can apply for a Bursary Award?
Bursary funding is available to pupils applying for Year 7 and Year 12 entry to the Senior School. (In exceptional circumstances Bursary Awards may be awarded to pupils applying to join Senior School in other year groups. Bursary Awards are not available to pupils applying to join the Prep School.)
What does a Bursary Award cover?
The Bursary Award will cover, or part-cover, the School tuition fees. It may also cover, or part-cover, educational trips, training camps, examination fees, School lunches, uniform and the School coach service where applicable.
Are there any other costs?
Parents in receipt of a Bursary Award will be required to pay any balance of termly fees in accordance with the School’s terms and conditions. A deposit is also payable when parents accept the offer of a place, but this may be reduced if a substantial Bursary is awarded. Deposits are refundable following a pupil’s final year at the School.
How do Bursary Awards differ from Scholarships?
Bursary Awards are granted based on financial need and Scholarships are awarded to signify outstanding achievement in Academics, Art, Drama, Design and Technology, Music Instrumental and Choral or Sport. Scholarships at STAHS are largely honorary, worth 10% of School tuition fees.
When will we find out if we qualify for a Bursary Award?
Offers of School places include the outcome of Bursary Award applications, so you will hear whether your child has a place at STAHS and if we are able to offer Bursary support at the same time.
Bursary application assessments are conducted independently of the academic selection process.
Does the Bursary Award last for my child’s entire schooling?
The Bursary Award is discretionary and is subject to an annual means test re-assessment. The School normally tries to keep at a constant level any award that is made on entry, thereby enabling parents to plan for their child’s education, unless subsequent annual reviews reveal that an increased parental contribution can be afforded, in which case the award will be reduced accordingly. It is unusual for an award to be increased after a pupil has entered the School unless there has been a significant change in family circumstances.
How can you ensure that my child will not be treated differently to other pupils?
The Bursary application process is undertaken by the Finance Office at STAHS, independent of the admissions process, and the data provided is used to assess your application for financial assistance. An application for a Bursary Award will not affect a candidate’s academic eligibility and vice versa. Once a place is awarded, only certain senior members of staff will be aware of Bursary recipients and this information is treated with discretion. The School focuses on ensuring that every girl is fully integrated into School life irrespective of their economic background, so that they can all benefit from what STAHS has to offer.
