Scholarships
Merit awards
Between 10 and 100 percent of the programme fee, awarded on the strength of the student's independent work rather than on grades alone.
What this is, and what it is not
A merit award reduces the programme fee for a student whose existing work makes a strong case for mentorship. It is competitive, it is limited by the places available in a given start window, and most awards are partial rather than full.
It is not a discount offered to everyone who asks, and it is not a closing tactic held back until a family hesitates. The criteria are below so that a student can judge for themselves whether making the case is worth their time.
We do not publish a number of available awards. Admissions here are rolling rather than run in a single annual cohort, and mentor availability changes month to month, so any published quota would either be broken or would sit unfilled. What we will say is that a place cannot be created where no mentor exists in the field, which is the real constraint.
What we assess
Evidence of independent thinking
Work the student chose to do without being set it. A reading log kept for six months, a project abandoned and restarted, a question they could not let go of. Prizes and placements are useful but they are not what we are looking for first.
Specificity of interest
A student who can say precisely which part of a field interests them, and why, is easier to mentor well than one who names the whole subject. Narrow beats broad here.
What the award would change
We ask directly what happens if the award is not made. Where the honest answer is that the student proceeds anyway, the award does less work than it would elsewhere, and we weight that.
Readiness to use the place
Capacity to commit the weekly hours during the programme window. A strong candidate in the middle of exams may be better served by a later start than by an award now.
Grades are context, not the criterion. A student with modest grades and a year of genuine independent work makes a stronger case here than a student with perfect grades and nothing they chose to do themselves.
Merit award or financial aid?
Merit award
Based on the case the student makes
Assessed on independent work, specificity of interest, and readiness. Household circumstances are not considered. Available to any applicant regardless of ability to pay.
10 to 100 percent of the feeFinancial aid
Based on household circumstances
Need-based and contribution-based. Families state what they can reasonably contribute, and supporting information may be requested before a decision.
How financial aid works →The two are assessed independently and a family may request both. Requesting financial aid has no effect on the merit assessment, and receiving a merit award does not reduce eligibility for aid.
Also open
The Research Question Prize
An open essay competition for students aged 14 to 18 anywhere in the world. Entrants take a question in their subject that they think is badly asked, and ask it better in under 1,000 words. First prize covers half the fee for a ScholarBridge programme, up to $3,000, and entry is free.
Read the prompt and the rulesFrequently asked questions
How much is a merit award worth?
Awards range from 10 to 100 percent of the programme fee. Most awards are partial. We express awards as a percentage because programme fees differ by length and scope, and the fee is confirmed at the consultation.
How many awards are available?
We do not publish a number. Admissions are rolling and mentor availability varies month to month, so a fixed quota would either be broken or would sit unused. Awards are made when a case is strong enough, and are limited by the places available in a given start window.
Can I apply for a merit award and financial aid together?
Yes, and the two are assessed separately. A merit award reflects the strength of the case the student makes. Financial aid reflects household circumstances. A family may receive either, both, or neither. Requesting aid does not affect the merit assessment.
When do I apply for the award?
Indicate interest on the application form, then make the case during the consultation. There is no separate deadline, because there is no fixed award round. If the consultation has already happened, reply to the written summary you received and say you would like to be considered.
Does an award affect the programme itself?
No. Award recipients receive the same mentor matching, the same contact time, and the same supervision as any other student. The award changes the fee and nothing else.
Is there anything expected of award recipients?
One thing, and it is a request rather than a condition. At the end of the programme we ask recipients to write a few honest sentences about what the work was actually like, which we may publish with their first name, year group, and country. Recipients are free to decline, to ask to be anonymous, or to withdraw it later, and none of that affects the award or the programme. We publish these as written rather than editing them into marketing copy.
Does receiving an award improve university admission chances?
No. Nothing ScholarBridge offers changes admissions outcomes, and any provider suggesting otherwise should be treated with suspicion. An award reduces the cost of the programme. What the student produces during it is what carries weight, and that depends on their work.
Requesting consideration
Indicate interest on the application form and make the case at the consultation. If you would like to know what the consultation involves before committing to anything, that is written out in full first.