Admissions

Bursaries

City is committed to enabling access to the school for those for whom its education will be most transformational. A bursary is a financial support package for a capped number of pupils who would not ordinarily be able to afford fees and is distinct from scholarships which are a much more limited form of recognition for excellence in certain disciplines.

Our bursary team can be contacted via bursaries@clsg.org.uk 

If you are considering applying for an 11+ of 16+ bursary for 2027 entry, we will be running a webinar at 5pm on Thursday 17 September 2026 to provide information about the application process.  Please register for the webinar here if you would like to attend.

Bursaries at City

We are proud to say that we have around 100 pupils at City receiving bursary support, i.e. financial assistance of up to 100% of our school fees. We usually have 12 to 15 bursary places to allocate at 11+, and 3 to 4 at 16+. Bursaries are awarded if an applicant is successful in the entrance exams and interview, the family is eligible for a bursary and there are sufficient funds available in the bursary fund. Please note that priority is given to applicants for whom the bursary will be most transformational. We have many applicants who pass our assessments and are eligible for a bursary, but due to demand will not receive one.

Our bursaries are awarded thanks to the generosity of benefactors, other parents, the City of London Corporation, and the City livery companies, with whom the school maintains a strong and special link. Where pupils are selected for bursaries from certain donors, they may be expected to stay connected with those donors and give feedback on their progress.

If you have any questions about bursaries, please email our bursaries team.

If you would like to make a gift to our bursary fund or learn more about philanthropy at City, please visit our support us page.

Eligibility criteria  

Transformational bursaries are available to pupils joining City at 11+ and 16+.  These awards are all means-tested.  The criteria depend on a range of financial variables, but as a general guide, families with a net household income of up to £70,000 per annum, with very limited assets, may be eligible to receive some bursary support.  Those with income above this will be unlikely to be considered. Net household income is calculated as income after tax and National Insurance.  Assets may include, but are not limited to, savings, shares, or equity in property.

Should applicants be awarded a bursary, the level of the award will be re-assessed annually and may be adjusted either up or down for the following academic year, according to any change in the family circumstances. Please remember many more families will meet our eligibility criteria than be awarded bursaries:  meeting the guideline above will not be a guarantee of a bursary.

Overseas applicants are not eligible for a bursary.

In circumstances where a family would not otherwise be able to apply, we may be able to reduce the £192 fee for 11+ or 16+ registration to £64 inclusive of VAT.  Families that may be eligible would need to prove a net household income of up to £27,000 per annum (or £2,250 per month). This figure is inclusive of all employment income and benefits.

Please note that reduced registration fees are ONLY administered by the bursary support team so if you would like more information and have any queries, please contact bursaries@clsg.org.uk. Please note that the admissions team will not be able to help you with this matter.

What is included  

We realise that extra costs quickly add up, so a pupil in receipt of a full bursary will also receive support with the following:

• School lunches
• School-issued laptop
• Curriculum-based compulsory school trips
• Uniform for 11+ entry (a one-off payment upon joining the school of £500)
• Travel to school on public transport for families in Zones 2 and up
  • £350 per year from years 7 to 11
  • £500 to £1200 from years 12 to 13
• Further additional funding for co-curricular activities (music lessons, trips, Duke of Edinburgh, etc.)
• Public exams (e.g., GCSEs, A-levels)
• No acceptance deposit payable