Are scholarships awarded because....?

[push-pull-mum]

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the children of clergymen tend to score quite high on the scholarship/bursary quota.

Unless the school states explicitly that the scholarship will be awarded solely on the outcome of an exam (which is rare as most prefer to have an interview as well) then the sole criteria for giving a scholarship is "wanting" that particular child (or family?)

I did hear a rumour that one very minor public school I have dealings with gave a scholarship to an older child because they were so impressed by the younger sibling at an Open Day. Younger sibling then followed into the school three years later, also on a scholarship.

[hermanmunster]

I think it is worth remembering that these days scholarships are usually quite small and hence don't reduce the fees all that much - I know of people who have been offered them but still prefer another school on full fees (and often there is no difference in what is paid out).

Some scholarships have no money at all attached, just the honour of having it and the requirement to be in the orchestra etc

What is probably of more interest these days is the bursary pot of money which can in some places be huge and is divvied up according to a specific formula for the school. Of course people with perceived high incomes may not do well in that pot - clergymen's kids probably will do..

[ElizaBennett]

At my sons' school scholarships are honorific only and bursaries are awarded after thorough financial review. It's nothing to do with parents' occupations, other than that you won't get a bursary if you have a high salary.