Bursaries

Marlborough College is committed to providing financial assistance in the form of bursaries to any child with potential, who could not otherwise afford a Marlborough education, and to deliver the best co-educational boarding school experience in both academic and co-curricular areas. Day places are also available for pupils who live close enough to participate in full school life whilst returning home in the evening.

Our bursaries offer transformative opportunities for young people and we strongly believe that the whole College benefits from a pupil community that is diverse and more representative of our society.  What sets us apart is the significant pastoral benefits that come from living within our full boarding and day community which develop into positive, enduring bonds of friendship for life.

Bursaries are available for eligible families applying for entry to the College at both 13+ and 16+. 

Key support for pupils in receipt of a bursary includes, but is not limited to:

  • daily contact with the Housemaster or Housemistress, the primary pastoral supporters of all pupils
  • regular and ongoing support from the academic tutor and teachers with whom the pupil has contact in house, in lessons and in co-curricular activities
  • support from a pupil Bursary Mentor, an established member of the pupil body who has experienced the same journey
  • access to an Old Marlburian (former pupil) mentor after the Sixth Form who will provide support in making important decisions about life after leaving the College

A bursary is an award in the form of a reduction to fees and is open for application by families who may have financial limitations. 

Depending on family circumstances, a bursarial award can cover between 5% and 100% of fees, plus additional amounts towards extras such as IT equipment, academic trips, travel costs and uniform.

Candidates for a bursary would not be required to present scholarship level in a particular subject, although overall academic strength is an important consideration for all who apply for a place at the College.

A bursary award is therefore different from a scholarship award, which is honorary, based on recognition of a child’s ability in a specific area.  A scholarship award comes with different benefits and there is no reduction to fees, except at the discretion of the Director of Sport or Music.  Further information about scholarships can be found here.

Bursary Application

To apply for a bursary:

• Please contact the Admissions Team for guidance on the application process
• Complete and submit a Confidential Financial Circumstances form (see deadline dates below) via our online bursary portal
• Supporting documentary evidence of income, expenses and capital will also be required to support your online application
• A firm of independent assessors will review your application and recommend the appropriate level of financial assistance
• The Director of Admissions will inform you of the likely level of financial support you can expect to receive, subject to your child being successful in gaining a place through the normal entry assessment and interview process.

Bursary application deadline for 13+ entry: 1st July (at the end of Year 5 for those applying for assessment in Year 6, and at the end of Year 6 for those applying for assessment in Year 7)

Bursary application deadline for 16+ entry: 1st July (at the end of Year 10)

Once a family’s eligibility for a bursary is established, the applicant will need to successfully gain an offer of a place at the College via the standard admissions entry assessment process.

For the Marlborough admissions procedures for 13+ and 16+ please click here.

Bursary Awards

We offer a number of bursary awards which are determined by a means-testing application process:

Marlborough College Named Public School of the Year

  • College bursary awards: These are available to all bursary applicants and make up the majority of our bursary awards. They are funded by the College.
  • Sponsored bursary awards: These are available to all bursary applicants. They are funded by individual donors who, with parental permission, receive periodic updates on the progress of the bursary pupil during their time at Marlborough.

  • The Christopher Martin-Jenkins Bursary: this is available to a talented cricketer or golfer joining the College in the Sixth Form.
  • The Robin Child Art Bursary (sponsored by Simon Mordant): this is available to a talented artist joining the College in the Sixth Form.

  • The Fred Packard Memorial Bursary: this is available to a boy joining C1 House in the Shell.
  • The Susie Frearson Memorial Bursary: this is available to a girl joining Summerfield House in the Sixth Form and the next award will be made for September 2026.

These are available to all bursary applicants as a result of the original generous funding from legacies and donations to the College. Some of these awards have specific criteria attached to them and further information can be obtained from the Admissions Department.


These are available every year to pupils who are part of the Grammar Stream at Swindon Academy and who want to join the College in the Lower Sixth.


The Marlburian Club Charitable Funds provide bursaries for the children of Old Marlburians (former pupils of the College).

Bursary awards are subject to annual testing of parental means and may be varied upwards or downwards depending on the family’s financial circumstances. Our Bursary Policy can be found here.

Contact Us

We understand that this may seem like a daunting process, but we hope that the information on these pages goes some way towards addressing your concerns. If you have any questions at all about the bursary admissions process, we warmly encourage you to contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

A bursary is a means-tested financial award based on a family’s ability to afford the fees. A scholarship is awarded in recognition of the child’s ability (academic, art, design, drama, music or sport).

You will need to fill in a Financial Circumstances Form in the first instance. Please read through the admissions process for more information or contact the Admissions Office.

Marlborough is committed to ensuring that young people with potential are able to attend the College, regardless of their financial means. Any family feels they cannot afford to pay the fees in full can apply for financial support via our bursary programme. You will need to fill in a Financial Circumstances Form in the first instance. Please read through the admissions process  for more information or contact the Admissions Office.

The academic criteria for bursary pupils are the same as those for all pupils applying to Marlborough College.

Bursary applications should be submitted by 1st July in the academic year prior to that in which your child is being assessed (this is normally Year 6 or 7 for Shell entry or Year 11 for Lower Sixth entry). Therefore, it is advisable to contact the Admissions by May to request the Financial Circumstances form you will be asked to complete. You will also be required to submit supporting documentation. Later applications may be considered if funds are still available. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.

We recognise that moving into a full boarding independent school environment will be a significant change for many of our bursary pupils. To ease their transition and onward journey with us, we offer a comprehensive package of pastoral, emotional, logistical and academic support.

In addition to their vital relationships with their Housemaster or Housemistress, Resident House Tutor, Dame (matron) and Academic Tutor, bursary pupils benefit from a pupil Bursary Mentor, a young person who has already made the same journey and can provide practical and empathetic advice. For bursary pupils in the Sixth Form, access is given to an Old Marlburian (former pupil) mentor who can provide advice and support on life after leaving the College.

Yes, although this will depend on individual circumstances. Following the means-testing process we will let you know if your bursary will include funds for extras like IT equipment, academic trips, travel costs and uniform. However, this additional support will only be considered for those who are awarded a full bursary of 100% of the fees.