The Friends’ School offers scholarships and fee assistance based on a number of criteria including areas of talent and personal circumstances.
We welcome applications from students who believe they can make a positive contribution to our school community. The number of scholarships awarded each year is dependent upon the quality of the applicants and the availability of places.
Community philanthropy has been integral to The Friends’ School and its core values since the school was founded in 1887. This community philanthropy and generosity continues to this day. Scholarships and fee assistance packages are funded by generous donations from the School community.
If you have any questions about the process for obtaining a scholarship or fee assistance package, please contact the Enrolments Manager, Jen Scharkie, on either
+61 3 6210 2224 or jscharkie@friends.tas.edu.au
Our Merit, Boarding and Music Scholarships for 2020 are now closed for applications.
Scholarships & Bursaries
Thanks to the generosity of its benefactors, The Mather Endowment Trust helps transform the lives of students every year by providing access to a Friends’ education. Funds from the Trust are used solely to provide a Friends’ education to students whose families are without the financial means to attend the School. Many students have gone on to make a positive impact locally and globally.
The Trust was established in 2011 following a generous philanthropic gift from Andrew and Jennifer Brice, a descendant of the Mather family. At the School’s founding in 1887, Joseph Mather was the Chairman of the School Committee and his brother, J Francis Mather, was the Committee’s Secretary. Numerous members of the Mather family have attended the School and served the School throughout its history as teachers and/or Board members. Andrew’s mother, Edith, also an old scholar, Quaker, staff member and Board member, was widowed with her children attending the school during the 1950s and 1960s. Tough times followed for the family until Bill Oats, Principal at the time, offered assistance to Edith telling her not to worry about the fees. This legacy is a result of this action taken during Andrew’s time as a student at Friends’.
In 2018 a further generous gift was made to the Trust by Jim and Jane Walker who were motivated by the needs-based financial assistance provided by the Trust to students each year. Jim Walker and his family have had a long association with The Friends’ School. Jim is an old scholar (class of 1943) and is descended from George Washington Walker who was among the first Quakers in Van Diemen’s Land. George Walker was sent by London Yearly Meeting of Quakers to report on the conditions of both Aborigines and the convicts in 1832. A family connection was formed between the Walker and Mather families when George Washington Walker married Sarah Benson Mather in 1841. Numerous family members have attended and served the School throughout its history.
Process for Application
Further information and Fee Assistance forms may be obtained through The Enrolments office. Please contact Jen Scharkie, Enrolments Manager on 6210 2224 or via email jscharkie@friends.tas.edu.au.
Selection Criteria
Students are selected based upon their demonstrated desire to learn and their involvement in their current school and community. Students entering Year 5 to 12 may be considered for assistance through the Mather Endowment Trust.
Students are required to:
- Demonstrate a high degree of “Academic Commitment” to a selection panel. Academic commitment may be demonstrated through consistent school records with accompanying comments from teachers that the student is completing all of the required work to his or her ability.
- Produce an item of work that they have completed at school. This work should be offered as a good demonstration of their abilities.
- Complete an essay focusing on how they have contributed to their current community and how they see that contribution in the future.
- Produce a document that demonstrates their involvement in co-curricular activities at their current school
- Demonstrate involvement in co-curricular activities at their current school or in their local community, including service to the community.
- Provide a letter of recommendation from a current or recent past teacher who would address what type of student and person the applicant is.
Students would need to be interviewed by the relevant Head of School and Principal.
Parents/Guardians are required to:
Applicant families would need to complete the Fees Assistance Forms provided by The Friends’ School. These are obtained through the Enrolments Office.
Open Date: 3 February 2020
Close Date: 30 June 2020
This is a bursary available for A student from Years 7 to 12 in 2021 from a rural area.
The Frances Parsons Bursary was created following receipt of a bequest from Frances Parson’s estate in 2015. Frances had a passion for the education of women, particularly from rural areas, although the bursary is available to all rural students.
This bursary will be awarded to either an existing or prospective Friends’ School student entering into Years 7 – 12 from a rural area and will provide up to 50% of boarding costs for the tenure of the student’s enrolment.
Friends’ School bursaries are based on financial need and assistance varies depending on the individual family circumstances.
Open Date: 3 February 2020
Close Date: 31 July 2020
Shortly after the First World War, a group of Friends’ School Old Scholars set up a trust fund to support a student moving into Year 11 at Clemes, whose parent(s) had been adversely affected by war. This worthy cause has been modified over the years, extending the support to students who are simply direct descendants of an old scholar and more recently, omitting the word “War” from the title. There is one grant of $4,000 towards Clemes fees in Term 1.
The application form outlines the areas on which students will be evaluated. We are looking for a student who is academically sound, an active participant in the life of the school and strong in service. Students should provide details about their contributions in the application.
A panel of Old Scholar Trustees and Heads of High School will shortlist the applicants and then conduct interviews.
Applications for the Old Scholars Memorial Grant are now open. Please contact Kim Rowlands for further information.
Open Date: Tuesday 23 July 2019
Close Date: Wednesday 23 October 2019
Available to students entering Year 7 and 11 in 2020.
A Merit Scholarship provides a 25% reduction in tuition fees only. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.
These scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate they have strong abilities across a range of the key areas of learning.
Examination papers are written by a team of Friends’ teachers, who represent a broad range of learning areas. A variety of questions invite students to present written responses intended to demonstrate both the breadth and depth of their academic proficiency. We seek students who are academically well-rounded and who also embody the values reflected in our Purpose and Concerns.
Candidates who are successful and shortlisted following the examination paper will be invited to an interview with our scholarship panel. During this process, the panel will seek information on how the student might contribute to The Friends’ School beyond their academic capabilities.
A rigorous appraisal of the student holding a Merit Scholarship from Years 7 through to Year 12 will be conducted in Year 9 to determine the status of their current academic standing at The Friends’ School. If there are doubts that the student is contributing to the anticipated level, the student and parents will be informed. The student will be counselled and offered support to refocus his or her energies. A Merit Scholarship awarded for Years 7–12 may be withdrawn after the completion of Year 10 if the student fails to meet the School’s expectations of academic commitment and/or personal conduct.
Open Date: 3 February 2020
Close Date: 28 March 2020
Available to students entering Year 7 and 11 in 2020.
A Music Scholarship provides a 25% reduction in tuition fees only. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.
Music Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate outstanding musicianship and the ability to make an ongoing, strong and varied contribution to the musical life of the School.
For a candidate’s musicianship to be considered outstanding, he or she needs to be able to perform fluently and with the subtlety of expression, and demonstrate instrumental and/or vocal technique advanced for their age.
All successful candidates will be expected to play an active part in promoting the musical life of the School.
Music Scholars in the High School meet with a Head of High School and the Head of Music once during the course of each year to review involvement in the Music Program and academic participation. Years 11 and 12 Scholars meet only with the Head of Music unless a meeting with the Head of Clemes is also necessary.
A significant appraisal of music scholarship recipients is undertaken in Year 9. If there are doubts regarding a student’s musical and academic performance, the student and parents will be informed. The student will be counselled and offered support to refocus his or her efforts. A Music Scholarship awarded for Years 7–12 may be withdrawn after the completion of Year 10 if the student fails to meet the School’s expectations of academic commitment and/or personal conduct.
Music Scholarship applicants are not required to sit the merit scholarship examination paper. Instead, a candidate’s commitment to their studies will be ascertained through feedback from referees, samples of school work and the interview at the time of the audition.
Open Date: 3 February 2020
Close Date: 28 March 2020
Available to students entering Year 7 and 11 in 2020.
A Boarding Scholarship provides a 25% reduction to tuition and boarding fees. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.
Applications for Boarding Scholarships are invited from students who would otherwise be unable to attend the School because of their remote residential location or other circumstances related to their residential arrangements.
Candidates who are successful and shortlisted following the examination paper will be invited to an interview with our scholarship panel.
Shortlisted boarding candidates will need to demonstrate a willingness to participate in school life and be a positive member of our Walker House residential community.
If there are concerns that the student is not contributing to the anticipated level, or their behaviour is not meeting expectations of boarding staff, the student and parents will be informed. The student will be counselled and offered support to refocus his or her energies.
Open Date: 3 February 2020
Close Date: 28 March 2020
Bursaries
Subject to a range of factors, such as levels of funding and available spaces in relevant year groups, limited bursaries for boarding and tuition are occasionally available. These may be offered to exceptional students who demonstrate qualities that will enrich the entire school, and contribute to our ability to deliver the Purpose and Concerns statement. Bursaries are based on financial need and assistance varies depending on individual family circumstances.
Current bursaries have been listed above and are:
- The Mather Endowment Trust
- The Frances Parsons Bursary
There is no examination for bursaries but families will be expected to make available a range of financial information to allow assessment of their application. Applications are assessed by the Fees Assistance Committee of the Board of Governors and all details are held in confidence.
The Board may, from time to time, offer targeted bursaries to assist students from certain special groups. These are advertised in the local media and on this website.
For more information on scholarships and bursaries please contact the Enrolments Office.
