Scholarships and Bursaries
Life-changing opportunities
Northampton High School is part of the Girls Day School Trust (GDST), the largest group of independent girls’ schools in the UK. As a charity, the GDST awards a number of bursaries and scholarships every year to girls entering eligible year groups.
Scholarships
Our Scholarships are awarded to pupils entering Years 7, 9 and 12 in recognition of outstanding achievement. The deadline to apply for a Flair or Spirit Scholarship is Friday 20 November 2026.
Scholarships do not hold a remission in fees and are not means tested. Scholarships normally stay with the pupil throughout their time with us, up to the end of Sixth Form. It is possible to hold more than one Scholarship and a Scholarship and a Bursary.
Scholars will have access to our Scholars’ Programme, which recognises, rewards and celebrates our pupils’ characteristics, talents, interests and aptitudes, whilst providing them with enrichment and support.
Our Scholars:
- receive an annual award of up to £500, to enhance their academic interests.
- are given dedicated support to guide them in their supra-curricular and cocurricular activities.
- are invited to attend an annual Scholars’ Celebration.
- are invited to attend discussions on pupil-led topics, critical thinking sessions and lectures.
- are invited to attend an annual Scholars’ event. This could be to a museum, exhibition, theatre, lecture or a series of workshops or talks.
-
Reach Scholarships recognise academic talent. Those who achieve the highest results in the entrance assessments in Year 7 and 9 will be invited to take the Reach Scholarship paper.
The Year 7 and 9 Reach Scholarship paper consists of English and Mathematics sections.
In Sixth Form, girls will be invited to sit the Reach Scholarship paper. The Sixth Form Reach Scholarship paper consists of Maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and an essay based paper.
Dates can be found on our Application Process page.
-
Flair Scholarships recognise outstanding talent and excellence in a specific discipline with all applications warmly considered.
Talent can extend across a wide variety of areas- including Sport, Art, Dance, Textiles, Food, Music, Creative Writing, and Drama – as well as pursuits outside the standard school curriculum.
We celebrate individuality and have previously recognised diverse talents ranging from farming to competitive Rubik’s Cube solving.
All girls in Years 7, 9 and 12 are welcome to apply for this Scholarship external applicants must be registered in order to apply.
Candidates are asked to submit approximately 500 words outlining the key reasons they are deserving of this award. External evidence may be included separately where appropriate. A short video, up to two minutes, should also be submitted to support the application.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview before awards are offered to the
successful applicantsDates can be found on our Application Process page.
-
Spirit Scholarships recognise characteristics prized by the school and which align with the
school’s ethos and values.This could include students who demonstrate an active commitment to community service, dedicate their time to volunteering, support charitable causes, or champion vital initiatives such as climate action and animal welfare.
All girls in Years 7, 9 and 12 are welcome to apply for this Scholarship; external applicants must be registered in order to apply.
Candidates are asked to submit approximately 500 words outlining the key reasons they are deserving of this award. External evidence may be included separately where appropriate. A short letter of reference should also be included by candidates to support their application. This can be written by a teacher, volunteer supervisor, or another suitable mentor who knows the students’ work well.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview before awards are offered to the
successful applicants.Dates can be found on our Application Process page.
How to Apply for a Scholarship
To apply for a Scholarship, please register your daughter with us. On the registration form, you can select the awards you wish to apply for; once you have submitted your application and paid the £100 + VAT registration fee, you will be able to access the Scholarship application forms within the system.
The deadline for applying for a Scholarship is the 20 November 2026.
Bursaries
As part of the Girls’ Day School Trust we are dedicated to helping talented girls reach their full potential. We offer means-tested bursaries for entry into Years 7 and 12, awarding financial support to applicants who show outstanding academic promise.
Girls must be entering an eligible year group during the main admissions period. Applications for girls in other year groups and at other times are not usually considered. For entry in September 2027, the deadline for submitting a Bursary application is Friday 20 November 2026.
Applicants must be a UK resident of fulfill the GDST Bursary residency criteria. Families must be financially eligible, with higher value Bursaries offered to pupils from families with a total income and resources of less than £44,000 per year.
Girls must be selected for a Bursary award by the school following the entrance assessment process. For Year 7, this entrance assessment is on 15 January 2027. For Sixth Form, girls must request to sit the Reach Scholarship paper to apply for a Bursary, which is on 4 December 2026.
Not everyone who is eligible for an award will be offered one. Priority is given to those who show the most academic potential.
Bursaries range from 30% to 100% of school fees. Students in receipt of a full Bursary award will also receive help to meet the costs of uniform, lunches, travel and trips.
Bursary applications are now open and are available to view through our Parent Admissions Portal, the same system used to register your daughter.
The closing date for entry in September 2027 is the 20 November 2026.
For further information on the eligibility, please refer to the GDST Bursary information here.
Bursaries are reassessed annually, in case of a change in circumstances. A bursary award may go up or down to reflect such changes. This ensures those most in need continue to receive our support.
How to Apply for a Bursary
To apply for a Bursary, please register your daughter with us. On the registration form, you can select the awards you wish to apply for; once you have submitted your application and paid the £100 + VAT registration fee, you will be able to access the Bursary application form within the system.
The deadline for applying for a Bursary is the 20 November 2026.