If your family's finances have taken a battering, perhaps because one of your child's parents has lost his or her job, and all of your carefully laid school-fee paying plans have been disrupted, then you may feel very upset and concerned.
You obviously will not want to disturb your child's education by taking him or her out of the school if at all possible, and this will probably be a particular concern if your child is about to take public exams as he or she will be at a very crucial stage of their education. You may feel like this is the only solution, but you should first contact your child's school to ask for advice.
It is advisable to contact the school as soon as you realise that you are going to face problems paying the school fees: if you have defaulted on a term's payment, and the school has sent you several letters which you have ignored, they are going to be less likely to help out than if you have contacted them in advance of the school bill, advised them that you have serious concerns with paying the following term's fees, and asked for advice.
What To Do Next
It is a surprising fact to many parents that a large proportion of pupils who attend independent school receive some kind of financial help with their fees. This help can include bursaries, which are usually means-tested sums of money to help children who would not otherwise be able to attend the school to study there, or scholarships, which are usually awarded to students based on criteria such as academic ability, or musical or sport or artistic talent. While bursaries can cover the full amount of school fees, scholarships are usually worth less, they are unlikely to be worth more than 50% of the full fees. It's a good idea to ask schools whether any financial assistance is available if you think your period of financial hardship will be temporary. If, however, you cannot foresee being able to pay school fees for the next few years, it may be better to seek the school's advice about taking your child out of school before a particularly important period, such as the GCSE and sixth form years.
This letter format laid out below shows how parents can write to a school to request to meet with an advisor to talk over financial problems and discuss any possible solutions. It is based on a fictional family's contact with their school.
Write about school fees, payment plans, bursaries, or financial difficulty. Takes 2 minutes.
Try our School Fees Letter Writer free, here on this site →The School House
School Lane
Schoolville
England
Family Home
Anytown
England
March 2026
Dear Headteacher
My daughter Kelly is studying in year 9 at The School House and is very happy studying at the school. However, last week my husband was made redundant and our plans for paying the school fees have been heavily disturbed. We are especially worried about paying next term's fees, and wanted to get in touch as soon as possible to discuss this with you. We would obviously love Kelly to continue her education at the School House undisturbed but appreciate this may not be possible as we are unsure when her dad will be able to find employment.
We are obviously very concerned and would appreciate the opportunity to come and talk to you about this. To arrange a time, you can contact me, Mother, on [your phone number] or [your mobile number], or email me at mother@parents.com, or via the address above.
With thanks for your time and best wishes
[signature]
Mrs Sith, mother of Kelly Sith
Families struggling with school fees may also wish to explore government support options that could help during periods of financial hardship. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for Universal Credit, cost of living payments, or other assistance schemes. Visit gov.uk to find out what support you may qualify for.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Since you're dealing with NSFAS funding problems from your Oral Hygiene studies that are impacting your Dentistry registration, I'd suggest contacting Wits' Student Finance Office immediately. They often have advisors who understand these complex situations and may know about emergency funding options or payment plans.
Also reach out to NSFAS directly to clarify the outstanding amount and discuss possible solutions. The Wits SRC might have resources too, as they sometimes help students navigate funding crises.
Don't lose hope. Many students face similar challenges and universities often have processes to help committed students like you continue their studies.
Please help me of writing a letter to request for exception School fee form for my daughter. She will be doing grade 8 next year. I don't don't know how start.
Thank you
How was
your fees paid and who paid it from PLE onwards
If any help this are detail of my Momo account number .
0548843728
Name Bensire Dari Prosper
Region Wa upper west
District wa West
Town Tambaari
My name is Bala a proud father of Mahneerah, I wish to request for your hand in assistance, my dear daughter is in primary 1 in an Islamic school by name ABU UBAYD ISLAMIC SCHOOL, I have outstanding school fees of 11,000 for last term and she has started another term last month and the school are already disturbing for payment of the previous balance and paying of the new one that makes it 32,000.
I sincerely need your assistance.
Here is her account details if GOD touches your heart.
BALA MAHNEERAH SOKOGA
FCMB
4049791012.
THANK YOU.
PROUD FATHER OF MAHNEERAH
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