Support Our Bursary Programme
We believe in the power of education to change lives. For generations, we have provided children with the knowledge, skills and values they need to thrive and make a meaningful impact on the world. But now, more than ever, we need to call on the support of our community to help ensure that more children, regardless of financial background, can benefit from a transformational education at Erskine Stewart Melville.
The schools were founded through philanthropy, with the aim of opening up educational opportunities to all children regardless of means. It is important that these doors of opportunity remain open to children from diverse backgrounds. There are a number of ways in which you can support our Bursary Programme and a variety of funds to donate to. Every gift, no matter the amount, makes a real and tangible difference, supporting children to attend our school.
Our Bursary Programme opens the doors of opportunity to children from all backgrounds. Thanks to kind support from our community, we can give bursaries to children, whose families do not have the means to pay the full fees. Every year, we receive bursary applications from families across Edinburgh for their bright and hard-working children, but without the means to access the education that could shape their child’s future. Our commitment remains steadfast, to continue providing the opportunity of a life-changing education to current and future generations of pupils, but the demand for bursaries continues to grow and we need your kind support to help us meet this need.
There are three projects that are part of our Bursary Programme:
Bursary Fund
The Bursary Fund provides financial assistance to children from S1 to S6 who do not have the means to pay a full fee. Applicants are subject to an academic assessment and means-testing by an external provider and awards made range from 10% to 100% of the fees. Regular giving to this fund ensures that current and future pupils are able to join and helps ensure consistent funding for bursaries, enabling long-term financial planning.
Pupils’ Fund
The Erskine Stewart Melville Pupils’ Fund provides grants to help students go on extra-curricular trips or excursions at home and abroad. These range from study trips to representing their school, or even their country, at sport and other activities. Trips are an important part of the all-round education we offer at Erskine Stewart Melville. As well as helping children become more independent, they can foster new interests and encourage pupils to excel. With financial support from the Pupils’ Fund, more children can thrive through these opportunities.
The Pupils’ Fund is open to any students at Erskine Stewart Melville and applicants are means-tested in a similar manner to those applying for Bursaries.
Hardship Fund
The Hardship Fund aims to provide short-term support to a student whose family has had a sudden and unexpected change in circumstances that is out with their control and without which they would be unable to complete their year at Erskine Stewart Melville. It gives the family breathing space to put plans in place for future years of education and supports the student with short-term stability.
Area of Greatest Need
Donations to this Fund allow us to meet demand each year. Some years we need less bursary funding and more hardship or Pupils’ Fund and other years the inverse is true. If you are happy for your support to be directed to the area that has the greatest need, this is the Fund for you.
How You Can Help
Making a Single Gift: Making a Single Gift will boost funds for the year ahead, allowing us to offer more support to children who would like to attend Erskine Stewart Melville.
Making a Regular Gift: Making a Regular Gift allows us to plan ahead for future years and commit to providing an Erskine Stewart Melville education to a child over multiple years.
Sending a donation by cheque: If you prefer to send a cheque, you can do so using the form here.
Leaving a Gift in Your Will: Today, gifts in wills from kind members of our community continue to secure the future of our school and current and future generations of pupils. A decision to leave a gift in your will is a gesture that is both profoundly practical and deeply noble. Your gift will help us continue our life-changing work, last beyond your lifetime and be remembered by future generations.
USA and Canada based donors: USA and Canada based donors can support us in a tax-efficient way through the British Schools and Universities Fund. For a donation to be tax eligible, please make your cheque or wire transfer, marked for Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools.
