WOW!


Widening Opportunity at Wellington

Widening opportunity and access is part of our DNA at Wellington

The College was established to educate the sons of soldiers killed in action at a minimal financial cost. While the need for this has, thankfully, diminished over the years, our ambition to ensure that children of talent and promise are able to reach their full potential is stronger than ever.

Widening Opportunity at Wellington

WOW!

We are supporting the aspirations and ambitions of young people in the UK and helping to change lives by widening opportunity at Wellington.

In 1945, 34% of all Wellington pupils received some form of fee remission

In the future we aim to provide this level of support again. We want to be able to offer over 25% of our students significant means-tested fee support over the next 10 years. Our ambition is to ensure that the make-up of our student body reflects today’s dynamic and diverse society.

If everyone in the Wellington Community gave £30 per month, then in just 2 years, over £10 million would be raised for the ‘WOW!’ campaign. This in turn could allow over 250 students to come to Wellington on a 50% means-tested bursary. Now THAT’S the WOW Factor!

We are extending our reach to allow children with real promise, but limited financial means, the opportunity to come to Wellington. Scholarships are a key part of our widening opportunities work, aimed at raising attainment of young people in our partner schools and local community, and sit alongside the work we do with the Wellington Academies in Wiltshire, the Independent State School Partnership, our Teaching Schools programme and the Global Social Leadership programme.


 

“The experiences I gained at Wellington and the memories I now cherish have shaped my future. Words simply cannot express the gratitude I feel towards receiving a bursary – the two years I spent at Wellington have changed my life.”
Maya Stock OW 2017


 

“Wellington is more than just a school – for me it is a place where lifelong friendships were born and where character-defining events in my life happened. I owe it to this College for making me the person I am today – my beliefs, values, character and aspirations were all formed within these walls – thanks to the generosity of the bursary programme and academic scholarship which enabled me to attend.”
David Kim OW 2016

 

We are now reaching out to our community and asking you to pull together to help widen opportunities at Wellington.

OUR SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS

Our scholarship students are motivated, aspirational and committed to transforming their lives by taking advantage of all the experiences that an education at Wellington can offer. All scholarship students must have the potential to be able to cope and thrive in the busy and high-achieving atmosphere of Wellington College. This promise is likely to manifest itself in terms of academic potential and character, but may also be in other areas of school life, whilst taking into consideration the lower levels of support and opportunities that each student may have been given up to the point of entry.

 

Our successfully run scholarship programme has three key elements:

FUNDING

Funding comes from very generous donations from the Wellington Community; parents, OWs and friends. Our scholarships are awarded to both day and boarding students to cover fees and additional costs when required, to cover items such as clothing, equipment, trips, laptops and stationery.

SELECTION

We consider each application on a case-by-case basis. Successful candidates show potential academic ability and preferably offer potential excellence in other areas of College life. Whilst direct contact is an acceptable route to applying for a scholarship, the College has close affiliations with partner organisations including; Springboard, Eastside Young Leaders Academy (EYLA), Into University and others. All our partners have rigorous systems of selection to ensure due diligence and selection based on our criteria.

TRANSITION PROCESS AND ONGOING PASTORAL SUPPORT

We understand that our scholarship students and their families may need additional pastoral support, both when they begin and throughout their time with us, and to this end there are a range of initiatives to support the process including: familiarisation days, parent/carer get-togethers, a ‘buddy’ system for the students as well as the parents/carers.

Latest news

Anthony Dutton Takes on 4-Day Rowing Challenge

21 July 2026

On Friday 24th July, Anthony Dutton (Hl 88) and James Shone will set off on an extraordinary four-day rowing challenge along the River Thames in support of I Can & I Am. Together, they will row 78 miles (125km), navigating 28 locks in a specially designed carbon-fibre coastal training boat. Each day, they will be […]

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OW Uni Ambassador Scheme: Supporting Pupils Through the University Journey

13 July 2026

Choosing what to study, deciding where to apply, or considering a gap year can make the university application process feel overwhelming. While prospectuses, open days and online research are all valuable resources, nothing quite compares to hearing directly from someone who has already been through the experience. That’s exactly why we created the OW University […]

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Life Beyond Fifth Form: Preparing for What Comes Next

02 July 2026

The Life Beyond Fifth Form Programme 2026 offered pupils an inspiring and practical introduction to the skills, mindsets and experiences that will help them thrive in Sixth Form and beyond Wellington. Over three immersive days, pupils took part in workshops, interactive sessions and hands-on activities designed to build confidence, independence and curiosity about the world of work […]

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