11 Boarding Schools With Full Scholarships

It is no news that boarding schools are costly compared to day schools, so how will low-income families afford them? Compiled in this article are boarding schools with full scholarships as well as bursaries. Parents who cannot afford boarding school can instead send their child or children to the boarding school listed here and never worry about the cost.

The wish of every parent is to give their child the best of everything so that they can grow up as adults that can contribute positively to their community and to the world at large. One of the many good things that every parent owes their child or children is a good education, especially at the foundational level. Yes, I am talking about education from K—12th grade which happens to be the most important.

Some parents may choose to enroll their child in day school while others may prefer the boarding option for the child to complete his or her secondary education. Any of the options are great and it all depends on what the parents want. Whether day or boarding, your child is sure to receive a quality education that will shape their future.

However, there are certain things to consider before sending your child either to a day or boarding school. Boarding schools are more expensive compared to day school and the reasons are clear. Boarding schools are expensive because students live on school premises, rather than going home after the day’s academic activities like the day students, they retire to their dormitories.

Aside from living on school premises, boarders are also provided with meals and are specially taken care of by staff. Boarders also get extra lessons and make extra use of school activities even after regular school hours. These extra services attract more money which increases their overall fees. But these “extras” are what make boarding schools unique and are among the reasons why many parents want to send their children to one.

Just as there are private and public or government day schools, there are also independent (private) and public or government boarding schools. The major difference between private and government boarding schools are their cost and class size. Private boarding schools are more expensive and have smaller class sizes.

The cost of boarding school varies by the type – whether it is private or government – the location or country, and students’ residential status. Due to these varying factors, I cannot give an estimate of the cost of boarding school. If you wish to send your child to boarding school but cannot afford it, there are scholarships for boarding school that can help offset or lower the cost. Some boarding schools even offer full scholarships that can cover the entire cost of an academic session.

In this article, you will find the list of boarding schools with full scholarships but note that boarding schools are not the only sources of boarding school scholarships. The other sources include charity organizations, alumni, communities, societies, and individuals who just want to help out.

When your child enrolls into one of the boarding schools with full scholarships, the entire cost of their education will be covered by the school, that is, if they satisfy the criteria for a scholarship. The scholarships are awarded based on excellent performance in sports, academics, music, drama, or any other extracurricular activity.

Boarding schools also offer bursaries which is a type of financial aid offered to students based on financial need. Bursaries are mostly provided by private boarding schools to low-income families to assist with the cost of tuition and other fees. So, don’t just look for scholarships alone but also for bursaries and a student can apply for both.

boarding schools with full scholarships

Boarding Schools with Full Scholarships

Boarding schools equip students with basic life skills, students learn self-discipline, management, and other qualities at a young age while in boarding school. These are skills that will benefit them as adults and better direct them toward their future goals and aspirations.

Now, if you wish to send your child to boarding school but cannot afford it, here are 10 boarding schools with full scholarships and bursaries that you help cover the entire cost of your child’s boarding education. Without any further ado, let’s get started.

The boarding schools with full scholarships are:

  • Rossall School
  • Bridgton Academy
  • Miss Porter’s School
  • Strathallan School
  • King’s College, Taunton
  • Wilbraham & Monson Academy
  • Columbia International College
  • The Worthgate School
  • The Knox School
  • J. Addison School
  • Westbourne School

1.     Rossall School

Rossall School is a private co-education day and boarding school in the UK but accepts pupils from all nationality from ages 0 – 18 years old. The boarding school is open for pupils aged 7 to 18 years old and gets the best possible care. Rossall School offers scholarships to day and boarding students to offset the cost of tuition. Boarders may also get scholarships that will cover the cost of their boarding and tuition.

This scholarship is open to new and returning students of Rossall. The scholarships are awarded based on merit to pupils entering Years 7, 9, and 12 with excellent performance in the areas of academics, sport, music, or art. Aside from scholarships, there are also means-tested bursaries for students from low-income families. Rossall School is one of the schools with full scholarships that should be on the list of every parent who wishes to send their child to a reputable boarding school in the UK.

2.      Bridgton Academy

Bridgton Academy is a leading all-boys college that prepares young men for college, its college-prep program is one of the best in the US. This is a boarding school that you want to send your son to because of the many opportunities they offer. Aside from its reputable college-prep program, students of Bridgton Academy are involved in a variety of sports that prepares them for varsity sports and athletic scholarships.

Boarding students of Bridgton Academy pay $62,500 per year. This fee covers tuition, room and board, iPad, e-books, athletics, and fees for required programs. To make its education accessible to students from all backgrounds, Bridgton Academy offers scholarships and need-based grants to 50% of its students. Parents are required to complete a form for their child to be eligible for a scholarship.

3.     Miss Porter’s School

Miss Porter’s School is an all-girls college preparatory day and boarding school for pupils in grades 9—12. The school is located in Farmington, Connecticut, USA but has a diverse environment of 335 students from 27 states and 30 countries. It is a private school with a small class size of 12 students to one teacher. The tuition for boarding students is $68,725 per year.

Miss Porter’s School assist families who cannot afford the cost of education through merit-based and need-based scholarship. Students are automatically considered for merit scholarships and do not require an application. However, the need-based scholarship requires an application and documents such as student tax returns, copies of the family’s signed federal tax form, and copies of business tax returns.

4.     Strathallan School

Strathallan School is a leading independent day and boarding school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 7—18. Other UK citizens and international students are welcome to apply either for the day or boarding options. Strathallan School features 7 boarding houses, 4 for boys and 3 for girls. The school has a reputation in the areas of sports, arts, and academics.  

Every year, Strathallan School offers several scholarships and bursaries to deserving students. The scholarship program is designed to recognize students’ talents in academics, sports, and arts while bursaries are provided based on financial need. A student can get both scholarships and bursaries if they meet both criteria.

5.     King’s College, Taunton

King’s College Taunton is a private day and boarding school in Somerset for boys and girls aged 2 – 18 years old. Boarders of King’s College are charged £13,785 per term. This fee covers tuition, meals, textbooks, stationery, and laundry.

Scholarships at King’s College are categorized as 11+ scholarships, 13+ scholarships, and 16+ scholarships than the Somerset Scholarship. Read the requirements for each of these scholarships to know where you fall and whether you are eligible to apply.

6.     Wilbraham & Monson Academy

The above-named academy provides merit-based and need-based scholarships to deserving day and boarding students. Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a college-prep school in Massachusetts, USA for boys and girls. The boarding school is for students in grades 8 and above.

35% of students at Wilbraham & Monson Academy receive financial aid annually to offset the cost of their tuition. If you want to apply for financial assistance, notify the Admission Office. Applicants for financial aid are assessed based on their Personal Financial Statement. Financial aid recipients are expected to work hard and contribute positively to the school.

7.     Columbia International College

This is the largest private boarding school in Canada for students in grades 9—12. There are about 1,700 students enrolled at Columbia International College from different parts of Canada and around the world which gives the school a quality vibrant and diverse feeling. The annual tuition for boarding students is $24,000 but merit scholarships are provided to offset the cost of tuition.

The merit scholarships do not require an application and are awarded based on excellent performance in academics, athletics, and other extracurricular activity.

8.     The Worthgate School

The Worthgate School is an international private co-educational day and boarding school in Canterbury, England for pupils aged 13 years and above. As an international school, it caters primarily to foreign students. Parents who are looking to send their child to a boarding school abroad may consider The Worthgate School and these kids can also win scholarships offered by the school.

Every year, Worthgate School offers a limited number of scholarships to students with excellent academic performance irrespective of their nationality, which means, it is available to UK and international students. Winners of this scholarship will be reimbursed with the last two years of their tuition and accommodation fees provided they gain entry into the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.

9.     The Knox School

The Knox School is one of the co-education boarding schools with scholarships, it also admits day students. The school is based in Long Island, New York but accepts students from all parts of the world to enjoin in the world-class education the school provides. Knox has an acceptance rate of 69% with 127 students enrolled every year and an average class size of 12 students.

Of course, the fees for international students are higher compared to what Australian students pay but every student is eligible for a scholarship to finance their studies provided they meet the requirements. The Knox School offers need-based financial aid to students who demonstrate financial need. The amount of aid a child receives depends on the family’s annual income and the merit of the applicant.

10.    J. Addison School

J. Addison School is located in Ontario, Canada, and features as one of the boarding schools in the country offering need-based and merit-based scholarships to deserving students. J. Addison School is a private boarding school with state-of-the-art facilities to develop pupils into becoming the best versions of themselves and be prepared for the next phase of their life. Day students are also admitted.

J. Addison School has a population of 250 students and an average class size of 15 students. The tuition for day students is $22,500 per year while boarding students are charged $40,800 per year. International and domestic students are welcome to apply to J. Addison School. To help make its education affordable, J. Addison School provides scholarships to students who demonstrate excellence in a specific area of study or discipline.

11.    Westbourne School

Westbourne School is one of the boarding schools in the UK offering scholarships to pupils in prep school, senior school, and sixth form. You can only become a boarder from 11 years onwards pupils below this age will have to be day students.

Academic scholarships are offered to talented students from prep to senior school. Pre-students are assessed with two CEM tests, one math quiz, and one reading quiz before meeting with the help of the prep school for an interview. For senior students to receive the academic scholarship, they will sit for an online CEM test, an English entrance paper, and a math scholarship paper in addition to meeting with the principal.

Aside from the schools here, there are other boarding school scholarships and grants that you can apply for, see them below.

List of Boarding School Scholarships

  • Washington Scholarship Fund
  • Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund
  • Halsey Fund Scholar
  • The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange
  • School Choice Scholarships
  • The Shepherd Foundation Scholarships
  • BP Program STEM Academies
  • IMAGINE America Foundation
  • Independent Scholarship Fund
  • Green Heart Travel
  • Tri-County Scholarship Fund
  • Latino Student Fund

List of Cheapest Boarding Schools

The following are the cheapest boarding schools around the world:

  • Red Bird Christian School
  • St. Edward College, Malta
  • Lustre Christian High School
  • Mercyhurst Prep School
  • Caxton College
  • St. John’s Academy, Allahabad
  • The Phelps School
  • Fishburne Military Schools
  • Bond Academy
  • Shady Side School
  • Oakdale Christian Academy
  • Oneida Baptist Institute
  • Bronte College
  • The Kiski School

Conclusion

These schools listed here offer scholarships and bursaries to students who meet the requirements. Most of the scholarships do not require an application rather pupils are assessed upon their entrance into the school through their application and awarded a scholarship. However, for bursaries an application is required and financial documents will be required.

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