Dulwich College has a proud and long history of providing an outstanding education to boys from all backgrounds. From its establishment in 1619, the College of God’s Gift aimed to provide ‘good learning’ to ‘twelve poor scholars.’ Our social mission is a defining feature of Dulwich College. We are committed to substantially increasing our provision of means-tested financial aid for those who cannot afford fees. Many Old Alleynians will remember – and have been beneficiaries of – the ‘Dulwich Experiment’ which began in the 1940s under the Master, Christopher Gilkes. This scheme enabled boys who passed the entrance examination to attend the College, with their fees paid by local authorities. At its height in the 1950s and 1960s, as many as 85% of pupils were recipients of such support. In 1980, local authority funding was replaced by the central government Assisted Places Scheme, which continued until 1997. Since 1997, the College has relied on the philanthropic support of alumni, current and former parents and staff, and friends of the College alongside our own financial resources, including income distributions from the Dulwich Estate and income generated through our educational partnership with Dulwich College International to fund bursary places. We currently provide financial support in the form of scholarships and means-tested bursaries to 36% of senior school pupils. Around 200 boys receive means-tested support, which ranges from 10% to 100% of fees, dependent on individual circumstance. However, the majority of awards are transformational and cover more than 75% of fees – of which 95 in 2021-22 were for 100%.
Our Bursary Appeal Fund today stands at £18.6 million and is a key component in supporting the level of fee assistance for talented boys that we offer. In order to expand our offering for the benefit of future generations, we aim to build the Fund significantly. The contributions of donors are critical to achieving this, and we are grateful to all who have made donations in support of our social mission.
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