Riverview College Foundation Welfare and Bursary Fund Information and Criteria

  • Saint Ignatius wanted his schools to be open to all classes of people, rich and poor alike. In keeping with our Jesuit heritage at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, the principal criterion for the provision of financial assistance from the Bursary Fund is a demonstrable, means-tested inability to afford a Riverview education.
  • While the criteria might appear to be very demanding, the College has very substantial responsibilities to ensure that the Welfare and Bursary Funds monies are distributed with equity, confidentiality and compassion at all times.  Each case will be judged on its merits and, where appropriate, the Rector and Headmaster might exercise their discretionary power to apply financial assistance.
  • The Riverview college Foundation established the Welfare and Bursary Funds to provide financial assistance to persons selected on the basis of need.
  • Application for assistance is open to the public at large and may include pupils enrolled at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview.
  • The Welfare and Bursary Committee takes responsibility for the application of means and other tests to establish applicants’ financial capabilities.
  • Assistance from the Welfare and Bursary Funds will be provided to students and families who, in the opinion of the authorised Committee, will be significant contributors to the College community. The focus will be on generous endeavours in a variety of fields, rather than any notable academic or co-curricular talent. In brief, the two-way street of mutual benefit must be obvious – the student and the College are good for one another.
  • Financial assistance from the Welfare and Bursary Funds is given on a demonstrated needs basis. The provision of complete supporting financial documentation is necessary before any application, or renewal of a Bursary, can be processed. This will include:
  1. Copies of both parent’s past three years tax returns;
  2. A statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income and Expenditure for the last 3 years;
  3. Appropriate attachments.  If you are a beneficiary of a trust, shareholder of any company, member of a partnership, regardless of whether income is earned directly or indirectly in year.  If so:
    1. Records of those entries for the last 3 years;
    2. Assets/liabilities statement (a form filled out on our basis);
    3. Signed by a registered chartered accountant or CPA;
    4. A Statutory Declaration from the applicant’s parents attesting to their financial position(s) indicating their interests in trusts, companies and partnerships.
  • Preference in the decision-making process will be given to families who are obviously committed to the Ignatian ideals. Families known to the College and sons of Old Boys will receive a priority if their values are clearly congruent with those of the College.
  • It is important that applications for Bursary assistance are made at the same time as applications for enrolment in the College. A family who has already accepted an offer of enrolment from the College is deemed on financial grounds to be ineligible for Bursary assistance.
  • Financial assistance is available only to students from Year 7 onwards when the funds will allow it.
  • Financial assistance from the Welfare and Bursary Funds is given on an individual student basis. In the interests of sharing this assistance among as many families as possible, the presumption should be that a family is likely to receive only one Bursary.
  • In the interests of accountability, a family must re-apply annually for Bursary assistance, in accordance with the time lines specified, and re-submit the most current financial documentation so that their eligibility for a Bursary can be rigorously reviewed.
  • The obligation of strict confidentiality is incumbent on both the recipient family and the College Committee overseeing management of the Welfare and Bursary Funds.
  • The College grants a Bursary to a student on the understanding that it is a debt of honour.  In other words, it is expected that the recipient will do all in his power to repay that debt some time in the future and give another young man the chance to have a Bursary place at Riverview.