Founder’s Scholarships are prestigious awards that recognise academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, analytical rigour, and flexibility of mind.
Successful candidates receive a 25% reduction in school fees. Scholarships are awarded on merit and are not means-tested. They are available to new pupils joining the school in Year 9 and Year 12, and in the Sixth Form they are open to both day and boarding pupils.
Applicants may apply for both a Founder’s Scholarship and a means-tested bursary. These awards may be held simultaneously and are applied cumulatively. For example, a pupil awarded a 25% means-tested bursary and a 25% Founder’s Scholarship would receive a total fee remission of 50%.
Scholars and Exhibitioners join the school at 13+ having succeeded in Election, our academic scholarship examination.
Scholars board in College, the home of academic scholars at 13+, and are distinguished by the black gowns they wear. Exhibitioners join a boarding house rather than College.
These titles do not automatically include fee remission.
The 13+ academic scholarship examination is known as ‘Election’. Election is taken instead of the Winchester Entrance exam and is a unique selection process involving both written examinations and interviews. Election typically takes place at the school over three days in the April or May of Year 8.
This year, the Election papers will take place on Monday 27th, Tuesday 28th, and Wednesday 29th of April 2026.
You can find out more information about Election here
