Bursaries – Free and Subsidised Places

We warmly welcome applications from parents with academically strong boys who need full or partial financial support to send their son to Dulwich College.

Bursaries provide financial assistance with school fees. Whilst the majority of bursaries are offered on entry to Year 7 (11+), we also award bursaries to boys joining in Years 3 (7+), 4 (8+), 5 (9+), 9 (13+) and 12 (16+).

We also offer a range of scholarships. Please refer to our scholarships pages for more information about how we acknowledge academic, sporting and cultural excellence.

Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, we are able to give over £4 million every year to support 200 bursary awards

High academic ability

All boys who are offered a place at Dulwich College are in the top 15% of the academic ability for their age group across the UK. Your son’s current school should be able to advise you about whether your son falls within this range of high academic ability.

For boys applying to join Years' 3-7, a guide is that they should be working at Greater Depth in English and Mathematics at primary school.

For boys applying to the Senior School, specimen papers are available on the College website.

148 pupils receive a free place at Dulwich College

Is Dulwich College the right school for my son?

We are a diverse and welcoming community in many different ways, including language, ethnicity, socio-economic background, religious beliefs, and LGBTQ+.

We ensure that every pupil is fully integrated into College life and pastorally supported. We greatly value the ongoing relationship with parents and carers at every stage during a boy’s time with us.

“I knew it was right for him when we visited the school. Something just felt right, like he belonged there.” Parent

Are we eligible for a free or subsidised place?

Available household income*	Bursary Award (guideline only)
£35k or less	100%
£51k	75%
£68k	50%
£88k	25%
£100k	10%

The table gives an indication of the level of support your son might receive if he is offered a place at Dulwich College. We are currently reviewing our Bursary support, so please revisit this page for updated information. Our Bursary committee carries out a full and confidential means-tested assessment of your financial circumstances. Income, assets, liabilities, number of children and value of property are all taken into consideration.

Unless there are exceptional reasons, it is expected that both parents are working or actively seeking employment. In the case of separated parents separate assessments are undertaken.

“He’s so happy here. It’s so friendly and the boys are just fantastic.” Parent

Alumni who held bursary awards at Dulwich

Selvin, Luke, Ennan and CJ talk about what a bursary award meant for them

Selvin

Selvin received a bursary award at Dulwich in 2010 and went on to study Economics at Cambridge University. He now works in the City.

Luke

Through our partnership with the Royal National SpringBoard Foundation, Luke joined us in 2017 in Year 12 with a bursary award for boarding.

Ennan

Ennan read Medicine at the University of Bristol after he left the College in 2011 and hopes to become a Consultant Geriatrician in the future.

CJ

After leaving the College in 2006, CJ studied urban planning, design and management at UCL and then founded the Urbanist Platform.

FAQs

How do we apply and when will we be assessed for a bursary?

Step 1

Complete the online registration form and tick the box to say you are applying for a bursary.
If your son is in receipt of pupil premium you will not need to pay a registration fee.

Step 2

Towards the end of the Michaelmas Term you will be sent a bursary form to complete and return with supporting documentation.
The bursary committee will then assess your application.

Step 3

Bursary awards are made at the same time as an offer of a place at Dulwich College.

Can my son apply for a scholarship as well as a bursary?

Various scholarships are available at each point of entry. Please look at the scholarships section of the age group you are interested in applying for. Academic, Music, Art and Sports’ scholarships can be awarded in addition to a bursary. The maximum level of support will be 100% of tuition fees.

This range of scholarships recognises excellence in a number of areas and very often our awards go to boys from families who would find the paying of full school fees difficult. When this is not the case, we are pleased there is a tradition of families not accepting the awards personally but asking that the support they would have received be transferred to the Bursary Fund to enable others to benefit would not otherwise be able to pay for a place at the College.