Bursaries
Our School was founded on the principle of creating educational opportunities in Southampton. This founding ethos remains as important to us as ever and we are proud to offer a number of Bursary Awards every year, including the EPA Bursary Award.
What our former Bursary Award holders say
Afjal (KES 2017-24) studying Mathematics at Imperial College, London
"I would encourage anyone thinking of applying for a bursary to attend KES to ‘Go for it’. Although it might all seem a little daunting, joining a brand new school, and leaving behind a lot of your friends, there were so many benefits to coming to KES, some that I’m only realising now, and I can’t imagine myself having been anywhere else."
Emily (KES 2013-20) studying Veterinary Science at Surrey University
"I’d encourage any parents/guardians of a young person with a passion for learning and co-curricular activities to apply for a bursary. My interests were science and dance, and KES helped nurture and develop those, but yours might be different. That’s one of the best things about KES – there is such a wide variety of opportunities and a place for you whatever your interests are. If even a small part of you thinks you can do this, KES can be the place to help you grow."
Dom (KES 2011-18) Guest Experience Host at Marwell Zoo
"I wanted to go to the place where I thought I could do the most and achieve the highest – and that was KES. So I applied for the bursary and I worked hard to prove I was the person for it. The bursary allows any judgments or predispositions to take a backseat, and for the stage to fall to you and you alone. If you believe you can do it, the bursary gives you a chance to prove you can with nothing to get in your way. Go for it – KES gave me a secondary education that I will never stop being thankful for."
Eligibility
Bursary Awards are available at 11+ or 13+ and either completely or partially cover a pupil’s school fees. For the 2027-28 academic year, subject to your capital assets, if your gross family income is below £46,000 you may qualify for a full Bursary Award, covering 100% of fees. Between £46,000 and £97,000, a sliding scale operates for partial Bursary Awards. This scale is subject to annual review.
Extra costs
Thanks to a generous gift from the Frank Misselbrook Foundation, from the 2025-2026 academic year onwards, new 100% Bursary Award holders are eligible to receive support with extra costs. This includes:
- £300 for uniform
- School lunches
- Travel on school buses, when living more than two miles from the School
- A device for learning (usually an iPad)
- A £2,000 allowance to spend on school trips at any time whilst at KES
How to apply
To apply for a Bursary Award, please contact our Admissions Team, who will send the application form to you. Please do let them know any questions you have about the process.
In assessing eligibility of the bursary, we partner with Bursary Administration Limited. They will request information on all relevant sources of income and capital assets, and pass this to the School.
Following the results of the admissions examinations, families will be notified if they have been successful in securing a Bursary Award in February. Once awarded, the entitlement to a Bursary Award will remain with a pupil throughout his or her time at the School, subject to financial circumstances being reviewed annually.
