Inclusivity is fundamental in all areas of school life and we continue to prioritise fundraising for transformational bursaries to enable more young people to benefit from a fully funded Fettes education. 

Fettes was founded on the principal of philanthropy and since our foundation in 1870, we have provided support for hundreds of students to thrive and realise their full potential. Fettes is fortunate to have support that has allowed us to create a wide-reaching and sustainable financial assistance programme. Bursaries take many forms. Some provide 110% of fees, others provide critical support with fees. Fettes has worked hard to provide innovative bursaries in the form of ‘Kick-start’ bursaries.  Each year, this unique bursary is awarded to two 11-year-old children giving them the opportunity to make the most of their potential and to live, learn and grow at Fettes despite not having the financial means to do so.

Bursaries are oversubscribed and highly competitive. To find out more about applying for a bursary, please view 'A Guide to Bursaries'.

Philanthropy continues to play a critical role in making bursaries possible. If you would like to know more about supporting bursaries or would like to donate, please email foundation@fettes.com or call +44(0)131 311 6960.

a guide to bursaries

Every student at Fettes is actively involved in volunteering and fundraising activities which are well embedded in the school year.

We continue to foster strong links with organisations outside the school. These include hospitals, charities, care homes, other schools and core partners such as SuperTroop (a charity providing residential breaks for young people with physical and learning disabilities),  FetLor Youth Club (supporting children of North Edinburgh), the Rock Trust (Scotland’s youth homeless charity) and Opportutoring (an e-learning non-profit organisation providing English tutoring to refugees around the world). We also engage in community involvement by opening up our campus and facilities for schools and community groups such as the Lord's Taverners Scotland Region Wicketz programme.

We are proud to host a week-long annual residential holiday for SuperTroop children in early July. Fettes students, teachers and operational staff are involved throughout the week on a 24/7 basis, taking the lead in a range of activities and supporting the holiday-makers to get the most out of the holiday. Our students also fundraise for this charity, raising over £20,000 during a 24-hour endurance challenge which enables the charity to provide travel and admission to a range of places and activities throughout the residential week. 

The special relationship with the FetLor Youth Club extends back to the founding of the club by OId Fettesians in the 1960s. The club supports up to 300 children each week, providing them with a safe place to develop their resilience, confidence and achieve their potential.

Our engagement with local schools covers several areas: over 160 S5/Year 12 students attend our annual Careers and Higher Education Exploration Day; subject specialists from Fettes support a number of external state school Oxbridge candidates; and over 120 students from six local state High Schools joined the Fettes Science Society lectures and were invited to participate in the Sandy Gunn Aerospace Careers Programme giving them the opportunity to explore and engage with university academics and their scientific subjects of interest.

The highlight of the fundraising year is our annual whole-school Charity Run which raises in excess of £20,000.