Junior Scholarships, Exhibitions and Bursaries
Wycombe Abbey is committed to admitting academically gifted girls whose parents could not
otherwise afford to meet the full cost of fees. Our Scholarship and Exhibition Awards carry
considerable prestige, both inside and outside the School, but are of limited financial value. Awards
are only made if there are candidates of sufficient merit. Tenure of an academic award will normally
be for the scholar's entire career at Wycombe Abbey, but it is subject to regular review and is
conditional upon satisfactory academic progress.
Candidates who would require financial assistance in order to take up a place offered may apply for a
means-tested bursary. Forms are available from the Admissions Office, and must be completed and
returned to the Director of Admissions before 1 November in the academic year in which the
candidate is to sit the examinations.
Scholarship applications must be received on the appropriate form before 1 December in the year
prior to the date of entry, and should be addressed to the Admissions Office.
Past scholarship examination papers are available at £6.00 per set of three years’ papers.
11+ Entry Awards - open to external candidates only
For girls preparing to enter UIII (Year 7) who will be under the age of 12 on 1 September of their
proposed year of entry:
Scholarships worth up to 5% of the fees per annum
Exhibitions of £600 per annum
Candidates are required to come to Wycombe Abbey to sit additional examination papers in English,
Mathematics, Science and Humanities, as well as a Language Aptitude test. These examinations are
usually held in January. The exact dates are available from the Admissions Office.
13+ Scholarship Awards - open to both external and internal candidates
For girls preparing to enter UIV (Year 9) who will be under the age of 14 on 1 September of their
proposed year of entry:
Scholarships worth up to 5% of the fees per annum
Exhibitions of £600 per annum
Candidates are required to sit examination papers at Wycombe Abbey in English, Mathematics,
Science, the Humanities and a Modern Foreign Language (French, German, Spanish or Mandarin
Chinese). There are also optional papers in Latin and Greek, and candidates may choose to take an
additional modern language paper chosen from the 4 options above. Examinations take place in late
January/early February. The exact dates are available from the Admissions Office.
Junior Music Scholarships and Exhibitions
The following music awards (open to both external and internal candidates) are offered annually to
candidates seeking entry at 11+ and 13+:
Music Scholarships providing free tuition on 2 instruments (or one instrument and voice)
Music Exhibitions providing free tuition on 1 instrument (not voice)
Choral Awards providing free singing tuition
The Scholarship audition, conducted by an external adjudicator and the Director of Music, will be held
at Wycombe Abbey in January. Candidates are tested for musical potential as well as achievement,
and evidence of musical flair is as important as technical accomplishment.
Candidates applying for a Music Scholarship are expected to perform on two instruments (or one
instrument and voice), although special consideration may be given to those who are particularly
advanced on one. Candidates applying for a Choral Award may offer voice only for their audition.
First study singers should apply for the Choral Award, though they may also be considered for a
Music Scholarship (Choral plus Instrumental) if they additionally offer an instrumental study of a
suitable standard. Awards in any combination are ultimately limited to free tuition on a total of two
instruments.
Candidates are required to pass the academic entrance examinations before the award of a Music
Scholarship can be confirmed.
Tenure of a Music Award will normally be for the Scholar’s entire career at Wycombe Abbey, but will
be regularly reviewed and is conditional on the Scholar’s satisfactory musical and academic progress.
Music Scholars are expected to make the most of the musical opportunities offered by the School,
and to play a full part in a wide range of musical activities. They will normally be involved in
orchestra, chamber ensembles and choir, and will be expected to perform regularly in public. Music
Scholars are encouraged to consider the option of pursuing Music to at least GCSE level.
Entries
Parents who would like their daughter to be considered for a Music Award should complete the
Scholarship form and return it to the Admissions Office with a confidential report from each of her
individual teachers before 1 December in the year prior to the date of entry. These reports should
contain information pertaining to the candidate’s musical ability and experience, together with details
of any music examinations she has taken.
Junior Art Scholarships
One Art Scholarship is awarded annually for 11+ entrants and one for 13+ candidates (the latter open
to both internal and external applicants). Each award is worth up to 5% fees. Assessment will be by
interview, portfolio and a drawing exercise under timed conditions, at Wycombe Abbey in January.
An award will only be made if there is a candidate of sufficient quality.
Candidates wishing to be considered for an Art Scholarship must be recommended by their current
Headteacher or Head of Art, who should send a confidential reference to the Admissions Office by 1
December in the year prior to the date of entry.
Sixth Form Scholarships, Exhibitions and Bursaries
Academic Awards
Sixth Form Scholarships (5% fees) and Exhibitions (£600 per annum) are available. The
Scholarships and Exhibitions are awarded only if there are candidates of sufficient merit, but once
given are tenable for as long as the holders remain in School, subject to satisfactory work and general
progress. All awards date from the September of entry.
Candidates who are offered a place but require a greater fee remission in order to take up the place
may apply for a means-tested bursary. Forms are available from the Admissions Office, and must be
completed and returned to the Director of Admissions before 1 November in the academic year
in which the candidate is to sit the examinations.
Sixth Form candidates will be considered for the award of an Academic Scholarship or Exhibition,
based on their performance in the Entrance Examinations. Candidates will not be required to sit
additional Scholarship Examination papers or have a further interview to receive an award.
Music Awards
The following music awards (open to both external and internal candidates) are offered annually to
candidates entering the Sixth Form.
Music Scholarships providing free tuition on 2 instruments (or one instrument and voice)
Music Exhibitions providing free tuition on 1 instrument (not voice)
Choral Awards providing free singing tuition
Candidates should have reached approximately Grade 8 standard on their first instrument.
Candidates applying for a Music Scholarship are expected to perform on two instruments (or one
instrument and voice), although special consideration may be given to those who are particularly
advanced on one. Candidates applying for a Choral Award may offer voice only for their audition.
The Scholarship audition, conducted by the Director of Music and Assistant Director of Music, will be
held at Wycombe Abbey the day before the entrance examinations. At Sixth Form level, candidates
are expected to have achieved a high level of technical and expressive mastery at least on their first
instrument, and to have proven their commitment to musical endeavour through involvement with
suitable ensembles.
Candidates are required to satisfy the academic criteria for Sixth Form entry before the award of a
Music Scholarship can be confirmed.
Tenure of a Music Award will normally be for the Scholar’s entire career at Wycombe Abbey, but will
be regularly reviewed and is conditional on the Scholar’s satisfactory musical and academic progress.
Music Scholars are expected to make the most of the musical opportunities offered by the School,
and to play a full part in a wide range of musical activities. They will normally be involved in
orchestra, chamber ensembles and choir, and will be expected to perform regularly in public. Music
Scholars are encouraged to consider the option of pursuing Music at AS and A2 level.
Entries
Parents who would like their daughter to compete for a Music Award should complete the Scholarship
form and return it to the Admissions Office with a confidential report from each of her individual
teachers before 1 December in the year prior to the date of entry. These reports should contain
information pertaining to the candidate’s musical ability and experience, together with details of any
music examinations she has taken.
Internal Sixth Form Awards
Open Sixth Form Scholarships and Exhibitions of varying value are awarded annually to internal
candidates. Wycombe Abbey students are not required to sit a scholarship paper; instead they are
interviewed by the Headmistress and an external interviewer early in the Autumn Term of UV. The
short list for these scholarship interviews is drawn from girls who have performed well in LV, both in
term time and in the summer examinations.
There are also a number of Scholarships – the Flux Dundas for Science, the Fisher and Bathurst,
usually for Arts and Languages respectively, and the Davies Scholarship – which are awarded at the
start of LVI to internal candidates who have performed particularly well throughout the two years of
their GCSE courses.