King’s Scholarships are the School’s much-coveted academic scholarships. The Scholarships, which are not means-tested, were originally established by Henry VIII and were more formally affirmed by Elizabeth I in 1560 – the historic link with the Royal Family continues today. Our King’s Scholars are privileged to be able to attend a variety of special services in Westminster Abbey, as invited by the Dean; and they have other ceremonial duties to perform in connection with the Abbey and the Crown.

• There are a total of 48 King’s Scholars, with usually 12 chosen every year: up to eight academic King’s Scholarships are awarded each year to pupils entering the School at 13+ and up to six King’s Scholarships are awarded each year to pupils entering the School at 16+. King’s Scholars are required to board at the School and all belong to College, one of the six boarding houses. For information about College, please refer to our boarding pages.
• For election to a King’s Scholarship a candidate for 13+ entry must be under 14 years of age on 1 September of the year of entry and for 16+ entry must be under 17 years of age on the same date.
• The fee for King’s Scholars is set at the day fee for the academic year. The value of a scholarship may be supplemented by a bursary up to a maximum of 100% if there is proven financial need. The Governing Body usually reviews school fees for the subsequent year annually by the end of the summer term, for publication in early July. Please refer to our Fees page for updates.

How to become a 13+ King’s Scholar

In order to be considered for a King’s Scholarship, a pupil in Year 8 can take an examination at Westminster known as ‘The Challenge’. The Challenge is held annually in late April or early May to determine which pupils are elected as King’s Scholars for 13+ entry the following September. The Challenge consists of papers in Mathematics, English, French, Science, Latin, History, Geography, which all Challenge candidates sit, and an optional Greek paper for those who have studied it. You may download past papers here.

• Candidates for The Challenge need not have registered for the School in advance, nor hold a place, but in such cases a regular place will not be offered if a King’s Scholarship is not awarded.
• If you would like your child to sit The Challenge, it is essential to discuss the matter with their present head teacher, who will be required to counter-sign the Challenge application form by February in Year 8.
• Application forms for 13+ Scholarships may be obtained from the 13+ Admissions Administrator (+44 (0)20 7963 1003).

How to become a 16+ King’s Scholar

For King’s Scholarships awarded to pupils entering the Sixth Form at 16+, selection is based on the overall performance in the Sixth Form Entrance Exam papers and interviews, which take place in the November before the year of entry. For further information about the application process and entrance examination, please refer to our 16+ entry page.

The School has a programme of bursary support that provides approximately £1.7m each year to pupils at both the Under School and Great School. This allows pupils of exceptional talent and promise to benefit from a high-quality education regardless of their background or financial position.

Means-tested day bursaries of up to 100% of day fees are available for day pupils and are awarded to pupils according to individual need, at both 13+ and 16+ entry. All bursaries continue until a pupil leaves the School at 18, although they may be decreased or increased if financial circumstances change. We aim to act as sensitively as possible; very few members of staff and none of the other pupils will be aware that a boy or girl is receiving financial assistance. When a full bursary is awarded, it will cover the cost of uniform, equipment and compulsory school expeditions.

Boarding bursaries are not awarded, except when combined with King’s Scholarships: for details of King’s Scholarships, please refer to the section above.

13+ Bursaries

13+ bursaries would usually be awarded only to those who already hold bursaries at their prep schools. To apply for a bursary, please email the Bursar’s Department to request an initial financial assessment form. Once you have submitted the form, you will be contacted by the Bursar.

To be eligible for a bursary, a child’s parent(s) must have lived in the UK continuously in the two years prior to application and must also live in London at the date of application. If a child, who has been awarded a bursary, subsequently wins a scholarship, the monetary value of the scholarship will be absorbed within the bursary. For more information about eligibility for bursaries, please refer to our Bursaries Policy, which is available to download from the Policies and Reports page.

16+ Bursaries

Candidates who wish to apply for a bursary should ask their parents to upload their passports and complete the Bursary Part A (Initial Assessment) and Part B (In-depth Assessment) Forms, which is available as part of the main registration process online. For details of how to register online, please refer to the 16+ entry pages. If a candidate who is applying for a bursary is called back for interview, their parents will be invited to meet the Bursar towards the end of November. For assistance, please contact the Bursar’s Department (+44 (0)20 7963 1028).

If a pupil who has been awarded a bursary also is awarded with a Music or King’s Scholarship, the monetary value of the scholarship will be absorbed within the bursary. Please note that bursaries are available for day pupils who live in London only and who meet the eligibility criteria. Bursaries are available where the parents and children fall into all of the following categories:

• The child has the right to live and study in the UK on commencement of their studies at the School.
• At least one of the parents and the child have lived in the UK for at least two continuous years at the time of applying for a bursary.
• The parents live inside the M25 London orbital at the time of applying for a bursary and whilst their child is in receipt of bursary funding from School.

Parents should consult the UKVI website for a detailed explanation of the criteria established by the United Kingdom. These criteria are used by the School. For more information about eligibility for bursaries, please refer to our Bursaries Policy, which is available to download from the Policies and Reports page.

The School may be able to offer temporary financial assistance to parents (of pupils already at the School), who suffer a significant and unexpected change of financial circumstances, impacting on their ability to keep their child at Westminster School. The financial assistance will be means-tested through the George Herbert Hardship Fund.

Further enquiries should be directed to the Finance Bursar.