Upvote:3
You can't find much info about grants as scholarships from the government are a fairly recent development. In the 18th and 19th century rich individuals gave grants. The terms of each grant varied very much.
Your teenager is probably a child of the lower or (lower) middle class. Most likely the middle class. It wasn't impossible for lower class children, but extremely unlikely to happen. Upper middle class and upper class could afford to pay the fees themselves. Very likely he'll try to stay with family, if someone lived in that area. Otherwise he'll be living in a boarding house.
He could have gotten that grant because his father and/or mother worked for a rich and powerful individual and was able to pull of that favor. He must be really gifted and showing lots of promise and interest - otherwise nobody would grant him anything. Your teenager is intellectually gifted, with almost certainly glowing recommendations from his schoolteacher and/or priest/minister.
Unless this rich individual was very generous, your teenager will have to live soberly and likely have a job at the side to make both ends meet.
The reason why he will get that grant is, for example, his father doing the rich individual a special favor. Rescuing his life for example, or in a mugging. Or his father is manager of the rich person, and able to get him to support his gifted son. Someone of some importance who is in regular contact with the patron. A manager of the estate, chief game keeper, that sort of thing. (Not one of the farmers, or regular game keepers.) Or he could be a lieutenant in the army/navy, asking his once general/admiral for a favor.