Scholarships & Bursaries
Our Scholarship Awards are for Entry at 11+, 13+ and 16+
At Downside, we seek to encourage and nurture excellence through our Scholarship Awards, and for these awards to be funded by a financial package to enable pupils to come to the school who, without the assistance of a scholarship, would not be able to do so. As a guide, scholarships are generally worth between 5% and 10% of the fees, or cover music and art lessons. This financial award may be enhanced by a means-tested bursary if parents are able to demonstrate, through application, that they could not otherwise send their child to the school.
Awards for new entrants to the school are made at 11+, 13+ and 16+ entry, for excellence and potential in various fields. Please do get in touch with the Admissions team, who would be delighted to connect you with a Head of Department if you would like further information on each award.
Please see the Scholarship booklet for further information.
Please click here for Scholarship and Bursary Application and Assessment Dates.
Scholarship Awards Available
- Academic Scholarship 11+ / 13+ / 16+
- All-Rounder Scholarship 13+ (Academic & one other discipline)
- Art Scholarship 13+ / 16+
- Drama Scholarship 13+
- Music and/or Choral Scholarships 11+ / 13+ / 16+
- Product Design Scholarship 13+ / 16+
- Sports Scholarships 11+ / 13+ / 16+
- Drama & Theatre Scholarship 16+
- The Sill Organ Scholarship 16+
- Pilar Scholarship 13+
Please note: the 13+ All Rounder Scholarship and 13+ Francis Dix Awards are awarded by the School and candidates are not required to enter.
TIMINGS
11+ Entrance and Scholarship Assessment, including Music/Choral and
Sport Assessment Wednesday 15th January 2025
11+ Academic Scholarship papers Morning of Thursday 16th January 2025
FORMS
Please click to download further information and the relevant application form here for 11+ Scholarships.
TIMINGS
13+ Academic Scholarship – 2 days of exams
Tuesday 28th + Wednesday 29th January 2025
13+ Drama Assessment Thursday 30th January 2025
13+ Sports Assessment Monday 27th January 2025
13+ Art Assessment, 13+ Product Design Assessment and 13+ Music/Choral Assessment Thursday 30th January 2025
FORMS
Please click to download further information and the relevant application form here for 13+ Scholarships.
TIMINGS
16+ Academic Scholarship Assessment and 16+ Music/Choral/Organ Scholarship Assessment Thursday 8th November 2024
16+ Art Scholarship Assessment, 16+ Product Design Scholarship Assessment & 16+ Sports Scholarship Assessment Monday 11th November 2024
16+ Theatre Studies Assessment Tuesday 12th November 2024
FORMS
Please click to download further information and the relevant application form here for 16+ Scholarships.
Bursaries are means-tested and are available to pupils entering the School at all age levels. Bursaries can also be awarded to parents of current Downside pupils whose financial circumstances may have changed unexpectedly.
Bursary application forms can be obtained from the Admissions Office. All applications are treated in the strictest confidence. The Bursary application closure deadline is the end of December for entry the following academic year.
11+ & 13+ Scholarship and Bursary application deadline Monday 6th January 2025
16+ Scholarship and Bursary application deadline Friday 18th October 2024
