At Oxford High School, we aim to focus our support on girls for whom the chance of a GDST education would be a transformative, life-changing opportunity. We are fortunate that we are able to offer generous bursaries to allow these opportunities to happen.
All bursary applications are assessed independently by the Fees Office of the GDST and not Oxford High School itself, and applications are means-tested, taking into account parental income and assets. In addition to satisfying the means-tested criteria, recipients of bursary awards must also score highly in our admissions assessments. Bursaries are reassessed annually to reflect changes in parental circumstances.
Our GDST bursaries range from 30% to 100% of school fees and are available at Year 7, Year 9 (external candidates only) and Year 12 entry. We unfortunately are not able to award bursaries to candidates applying for other year groups. However, the GDST are able to consider current, non-bursary recipient Year 11 pupils for a bursary in Year 12 if they can demonstrate sufficient change of financial circumstances. The amount of any bursary depends on individual circumstances, local demand and the funding available. Sometimes awards of a lesser value may be offered. Pupils who are awarded a bursary at Oxford High School may also receive assistance to meet the cost of their school uniforms, lunches and travel.
For an insight into the impact of a GDST bursary, watch the video below in which Dr Bethan James, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, discusses her experience of receiving a bursary.
Opening Doors: Dr Bethan James' Story
Eligibility for Bursaries
To assess who is eligible for a bursary, the GDST take into account a range of objective criteria including the income and capital resources of the families applying. It is anticipated that bursary awards will last for the duration of the student’s time at the school. The GDST do re-assess award holders annually to take account of significant changes in family income and circumstances. A bursary may go up or down to reflect these. This ensures that those most in need receive our support.
Most higher-value bursaries are awarded to pupils from families with a total income of less than £37,500 per year who have no capital assets other than their home. It is highly unlikely that a bursary would be awarded to a family whose annual income is greater than £87,500, other than in very exceptional circumstances. For families whose annual income is between these levels, a sliding scale determines the amount of assistance you may be offered.
The bursary application process does not affect whether or not your daughter is offered a place at Oxford High School but candidates have to be registered prior to application. Bursaries can only be awarded to candidates applying in the main application round (i.e. the Autumn Term preceding the year of entry – see Key Admission Dates); those who apply later than the deadlines in the autumn preceding the year of entry regrettably will not be eligible for a bursary but may still be awarded a place in the school if places are available.
To apply for a bursary, you must tick the box on the initial registration form or let the Admissions team know. Applications for bursaries cannot be made to the Trust once offers have been made. If you have ticked the bursary box on the application form (or let one of the Admissions team know in writing), and you have applied before the deadline for the main entry rounds, you will be contacted once the Trust’s online bursary application portal is open in October. You will be provided with the login details required for you to complete the bursary application. The outcome of the bursary application will be communicated later in the Autumn Term.
Please contact our Admissions Registrars, who will be happy to provide further information, on admissions@oxf.gdst.net or please read through the Admissions Policy for more details. You can also have a look at the Fees and Bursaries section of the GDST website for more information.