Creating Exceptional Lives

Bursaries and Scholarships

Bursaries / Financial Assistance

Bursaries take the form of means-tested discounts. These are intended to help a pupil enter the School and the majority will continue for the duration of their time at Loretto, subject to annual review.

Hardship Bursaries are sometimes available to existing pupils, where a family’s financial situation changes unexpectedly during their time at the School, with the aim that a student’s education is not unduly disrupted at an especially difficult time. 

Parents are urged to contact the Head of Operations as soon as possible to discuss such instances.

Our bursary funds are limited so it is not always possible to meet all the requests for support.

The level of a private school bursary is determined by the degree of financial need. In all cases therefore, applicants are required to complete a bursary application form providing details of all income, assets and liabilities. As a result, the size of bursaries offered can vary between families. 

Where the assessment shows that there is no financial need, no bursary will be granted.

All bursaries are subject to annual review and this will require updated financial information. Failure to divulge information when requested or to declare a change in circumstances could lead to a bursary being withdrawn.

Applications open on 1 August and close on 1 November of each year. The Bursary Panel usually sits in the following February and parents are advised as to whether they have been successful shortly after then.

Applications for hardship/emergency bursaries may be made at any time during the year and will be considered by the Head of Operations as soon as possible after they have been informed of the difficulty. 

Parents are expected to pay the remainder of the fees on time by the normal due date. Any ‘extras’ such as trips, school uniform or any specialist activities are payable in full.

Scholarships And Exhibitions

Loretto offers the opportunity to be assessed for a Scholarship or an Exhibition at entry into any senior school year for both new and existing pupils. For new UK and International pupils, applications are open to pupils who intend to study at Loretto for a minimum of two years.

Assessments are held in Academics, Art, Drama, Golf, Music, Piping & Drumming and Sport (main sports being rugby, hockey, lacrosse, tennis and cricket but consideration being given for others involved at national level).

Scholarships and Exhibitions are given in recognition of outstanding performance in a particular field. A Scholarship currently provides a 10% discount on Day fees, and an Exhibition provides a 5% discount on Day fees. Depending on the type, there are a number of additional benefits such as free 1:1 lessons.

Awards are won in open competition, and the number awarded is at the discretion of the Head. Awards are intended to be for the duration of the pupil’s time at Loretto in the Senior School, but are subject to annual monitoring and achievement of set criteria. The School reserves the right to withdraw an award if the pupil no longer meets the criteria.

The deadlines for scholarship applications for the academic year 2025-2026 are:

Current Loretto Year 7 applying for a Second Form scholarship: 11th October 2024

Current Senior School pupils and those new to Loretto in August 2025: 31st October 2024