Scholarships and Grants for Education

The cost of living seems huge these days and getting kids through education is no mean feat, especially if you're a low income family. So are your kids likely to be eligible for any grants or scholarships?

Most educational scholarships are still primarily available for children in private education and they're mainly given out for academic merit, or to help children who'd otherwise be unable to join the school to gain access. Some junior schools offer scholarships for children aged 7 and upwards, but you'll find the majority on offer are senior schools for kids aged 11+.

Each school differs as to how their individual scholarship schemes are arranged, so you need to check with the school concerned for full details. Some will have a special scholarship entrance exam paper for children to sit, whilst others incorporate the process into their standard entrance exam, choosing children who gain the highest marks as scholarship candidates. There are usually overall academic scholarships, or separate ones focusing on particular areas of achievement, such as music, sport, drama or art.

The amount of money given varies according to individual schools preferences. However, as a rough guide, scholarships typically cover between 30% and 50% of the annual school fees. In some instances they are mean tested, which means that the amount available will depend on the income of the parents.

Of the few grants available for families of children at primary and secondary schools in the UK, the main ones are free school meals and clothing grants. Free school meals are available to anyone under the age of 19 whose parents or guardians are in receipt of benefits such as Income Support, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit (but now Working Tax Credit). It means that children will be guaranteed a meal in school each day. Schools in some areas also offer clothing grants, which go towards the cost of school uniforms.

Further Education Grants for Age 16+

One type of grant available for those aged 16+ in England is the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) grant. It's designed for those aged 16+ from lower income families who want to continue in full-time further education at college or school, do LSC-funded Entry to Employment (e2e) or become a Programme Led Apprenticeship.

Successful applicants receive up to £30 per week and the money goes directly to the kids. Any household benefits aren't affected by the EMA money. Household income is analysed to see how much someone is entitled to and it's currently based on the following calculations:

• If your household income is up to £20,817 per year your teen is entitled to £30 per week.
• If your household income is between £20,817 and £25,521 per year, your teen is entitled to £20 per week.
• If your household income is between £25,222 and £30,810 per year, your teen is entitled to £10 per week.
• If your household income is greater than £30,810 per year, your teen is not entitled to anything.

Higher Education Grants and Scholarships

For kids moving on to higher education, there are some grants and scholarships available to help cover costs. There used to be a Higher Education Grant of up to £1000, depending on the household income, which was introduced in 2004. Now this has been replaced with a new maintenance grant. Students from households with an income of £17,500 or less receive the full amount of £2,700 (2006-2007 figures) whereas those with higher income families have access to partial grants. Students qualifying for the grant can also apply for additional maintenance loans and loans for tuition fees.

Some universities and higher education establishments also have their own grant and scholarship schemes. Most are linked in with certain departments, such as engineering or music, and can be found by searching through the relevant website or prospectus.