Bursaries

Please note, bursary and scholarship applications for 2024 entry are now closed.

As a Catholic School our aim is to help children who, under normal circumstances, would not be able to benefit from a Ratcliffe education.

Our Bursary awards are designed to support talented students from low income families and are available for up to 80% of a student’s school Fee and in exceptional circumstances up to 100%.

Bursaries are available for those entering Year 7 or Year 12 and all awards are subject to parental means testing.

Sir Thomas White Scholarship Awards 2024

For Year 12 applicants, Sir Thomas White, a Leicester based charity, will provide a 55% scholarship (Day Fee only) allowing one academically strong student to join Ratcliffe College’s Sixth Form. All applications will be means tested by the College, who may, where appropriate, decide to increase the scholarship award up to a maximum of 100% of fees.

Students who wish to apply for the scholarship should:

• Have a Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland home address and have lived in the area for at least 2 years.
• Be transferring from a state school in Leicester, Leicestershire, or Rutland.
• Expect to gain at least 9 GCSEs graded from 7 – 9. References will be taken from the current school to confirm this.
• Candidates must prove that they will take advantage of all the benefits that can be gained from a sixth form education at Ratcliffe College with reference to the wider co-curricular opportunities.
• Come from a household where it would be otherwise impossible for them to afford to be educated at an independent school. The family’s combined income will be means tested inline with the College’s own Bursary Award Scheme.

Existing Students, Old Ratcliffians and Catholic Families

Bursarial support is provided to successful students in these groups via:
• The Ratcliffian Association and The Cunningham Fund Bursaries
• The Peter Daley Bursaries

All Bursaries are subject to meeting the school’s entry requirements and require parental means-tested assessments, that may be reviewed annually. Students and their families must be in sympathy with the Catholic ethos of the College. Students will also be expected to play an active part in the life of the school.