The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BURSARIES
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
U
R
S
A
R
I
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "financial assistance for scholars" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case financial assistance for scholars = bursaries.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BURSARIES mean?
BURSARIES noun- A monetary award to university students that allows them to continue their studies.
- The treasury of a religious order or public institution.