Financial Assistance

Means-Tested Bursaries for Day Entrants to Form I

At Dollar Academy, widening access and encouraging a diverse and inclusive student population are key to our thinking and development.

Through our bursary scheme, we are reaching out to families to offer what can be a transformational educational experience for a child. Our bursary awards, for children entering Form 1, are means-tested and are targeted towards those in greatest financial need. We warmly welcome applications from families whose children are reaching the end of their primary education, are interested in Dollar Academy but are unable to afford the cost of an independent education.

Awards may cover the full tuition fee or part of it, depending on financial circumstances and the outcome of means-testing. Subject to continued satisfactory academic performance, and observance of our school rules and regulations on behaviour and conduct, an award will apply for the duration of a child’s registration at the school.

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Form I Means-Tested Bursary Scheme Note of Interest
Dollar Academy

Form I Bursary Scheme Application Information

  • How Do I Apply for a Place and a Bursary?

    Whilst we cannot guarantee a bursary for everyone who requests one, it is worth considering making an application.

    We recommend that you apply for a place and bursary no later than during the first term of Primary 7, as entrance assessments are held at the end of January.

    Application for Enrolment forms and bursary Note of Interest forms are available on our website: https://dollaracademy.org.uk/admissions/how-to-apply/ or call us on 01259 742511. The forms should be completed and returned to Admissions, as directed on the enrolment form. A Registration Fee of £60 is normally required when the enrolment form is submitted but please get in touch with us if you are unable to meet this cost.

    Once we receive your Application for Enrolment and Note of Interest, arrangements will be made for your child to sit the entrance assessments, which consist of an entrance examination (which all applicants to independent schools sit), an interview with the school’s Rector, Ian Munro, and a review of reports from an applicant’s primary school. Our assessment process is not designed to be a simple pass/fail academic exercise; we’re looking for young people who are enthusiastic and curious, who will contribute to the life of the school and make the most of everything we have to offer.

    For help with enrolment and admissions: Amanda Clark – registrar@dollaracademy.org.uk

    For help with bursaries: Marion Campbell – campbell-m@dollaracademy.org.uk

  • What Does Means-Testing Involve?

    To ensure we give bursary support to the families who need it most, all applicants are means-tested.

    We will ask you to complete a means-test form and submit copies of documents to support the information you provide, for example: accounts, if you manage your own business; P60; evidence of rent or mortgage payments; bank statements; separation agreements; benefits statements, and so on.  We shall consider all household income, investments, savings and realisable assets, together with all expenditure, and make an assessment about the appropriate level of award.

    We understand that, even with bursary support, families may need to make sacrifices in order to send their children to Dollar Academy. The school and its Governors have a duty to ensure that all bursary awards are focussed on those most in need.

    We are unable to accept bursary requests where pre-tax annual household income is in excess of £70,000 and we shall also consider the following factors when determining awards:

    • Can the financial position of a family be improved? For example, where there are two partners in the household both would be expected to be employed, unless there are mitigating factors;
    • Can capital be released from significant investments, pensions, savings or equity in houses;
    • In cases of separation, the earnings of, and any financial contribution from the absent parent will be considered, as will any financial support provided by members of the wider family, or others;
    • The award of a bursary is not consistent with, for example: new or luxury cars; investment in significant home improvements; a second property or land holdings.

    If you are awarded a bursary, we reserve the right to request updated information at any time and bursaries may be reduced or withdrawn should a family’s financial position improve.

  • Is There Additional Financial Help?

    Support with buying uniform and sports kit is usually made available on a biennial basis and we shall assist with the cost of local school trips and events.

    Charges for daily travel to and from school, lunch and any costs for co-curricular activities are normally the responsibility of parents although additional support with these costs may be provided at the discretion of the Academy.

    Bursary recipients are not normally permitted to participate in non-curricular or expensive overseas school trips, as the cost of such trips is high, inconsistent with receiving means-tested financial assistance and may result in the reduction or withdrawal of bursary support.

  • When Will I Know?

    Following the entrance assessments, the Rector will write to all applicants in mid-February to confirm whether or not they have been offered a place at the school.

    At the same time, bursary applicants who are offered a place may be asked to undertake means-testing or, depending on numbers of applicants and assessment outcomes, they may be placed on a wait list. We shall work through the wait list, as funds allow.

Assistance with Fees for Current Families

The Governors have limited resources to support families who experience financial difficulties once their children have started their education at Dollar. Consideration may be given to pupils in Forms IV and V to allow completion of the next phase of public examinations by ensuring continuity of curriculum in that regard. Only in exceptional circumstances will pupils in Form VI be considered.  Pupils in the Prep and Junior schools will not be considered, nor will pupils in Forms I, II and III.

Awards of assistance will be means-tested and will be granted only if sufficient funds are available. A pupil’s disciplinary and academic record will be taken into account.  Any decision made by the Governors will be final and there is no right of appeal. In the case of any award of assistance parents or guardians must inform the Bursar, in writing, of any material change in their financial position without delay. In some cases this may obviously lead to the withdrawal of any award.

Discounted Fees

Sibling Fee Remission / Day and Boarding **
Where more than two siblings of the same family attend the Academy concurrently, tuition fees for the third child (and subsequent children) will be reduced. Where the children concerned are boarders, the reduction will be applied to the tuition element of the fee only. Where siblings are not admitted to the school in chronological order, the remission is applied to the youngest child/children. For new families applying for the first time after 23 November 2016 to enroll their
children, the level of remission on the tuition fee will be 25%.

Fee Remission for Full Time Serving Members of HM Forces / Day and Boarding **
The children of HM Forces families are eligible for a 20% reduction on the full boarding and/or tuition fee, as appropriate. Contact should be made with the Bursar’s Office to expedite the claim. At least one parent must be a full-time serving member of HM Forces, and documentary evidence of this will be required. Please note that the Reserve Service does not qualify.

Fee Remission for the Families of Foreign & Commonwealth Office Staff and for British Council Staff / Boarding **
We shall also offer fee remission to the families of Foreign & Commonwealth Office employees, and British Council employees, whose children take up a boarding place at Dollar. Remission of 20% will be applied to the boarding element only of the fees. As described above, we shall require documentary evidence to support a claim for remission.

** Please note that only one form of remission may apply at any time.