Bursaries

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“I entered Dulwich College at the age of nine as part of 'The Dulwich Experiment'. The style of teaching suited me and after winning a mathematics scholarship I went up to Trinity College, Cambridge and studied engineering. My career as an engineer was successful and I want to give other young people the opportunity to receive a good education so that they can fulfill their potential. As my grandfather used to say “The best gift you can give a child is a good education”
Richard Garrett (1952-61)

From the time of the Founder, Edward Alleyn, who established his College of God’s Gift to provide ‘good learning’ to ‘twelve poor scholars’, Dulwich College has enjoyed a long history of offering an outstanding education to bright boys regardless of their families’ financial means.

Many Old Alleynians will remember – and have been beneficiaries of – the ‘Dulwich Experiment’, begun in the 1940s by the then Master of the College, Christopher Gilkes. Under this scheme the fees of boys who passed the entrance examinations were paid for by the boys’ local authorities. During the 1950s and 1960s as many as 85% of pupils at the College were recipients of such support. Local authority funding was replaced by the central government’s Assisted Places Scheme in 1980, which continued until 1997.

Bursaries Today

Since 1997, the College has relied on philanthropic support and its own financial resources to fund bursary places. The Bursary Appeal Fund was established in 1990 and has been built up through charitable donations over the years. The fund today stands at £11.8 million producing £357,000 in support of College bursaries last year.

In 2017-18, the College will spend a total of £2.74 million on bursary support, with 162 boys receiving a bursary. All bursaries are means tested and reviewed annually, and range from 10% to 100% of fees. Over the coming years, the College is committed to expanding bursary provision at all levels and it is our ambition to be able to offer financial assistance for up to 50% of our pupils whose parents are unable to meet the cost of the full fee.

Our short-term plan is to raise an annual income through regular giving. The long-term sustainable solution is to build up our Bursary Appeal Fund, the income from which will fund these places in perpetuity.

How You Can Help

All donations to the Bursary Appeal Fund, of whatever size, strengthen the College’s long-term ability to provide financial support to deserving pupils. The College also welcomes the support of those who wish to support a boy through a specific, named bursary, which can be funded either through an endowment gift or regular donations.

If you would like further information about bursaries and the Bursary Appeal Fund, please contact the Development Office on +44 (0)20 8299 5335 or email on development@dulwich.org.uk