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Fund Drama School

By Susan Elkin
September 2006

Former teacher, Susan Elkin is a freelance writer on education, the arts and various other topics for a number of newspapers and magazines including Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph.

The good news...
is that funding drama training is easier than it used to be. Three-quarters of undergraduate courses at drama school, and all at university, attract the same subsidies as any other degree course so studying drama or theatre studies at degree level has the same funding status as doing a physics or economics degree. No longer are hopeful would-be drama students dependent on the capricious whims of local authorities and their old 'discretionary' grants.

The bad news...
is that, even so, the funding is less than generous and drama students, like their counterparts studying other subjects, are likely to emerge from three-year degree training with depressing debts in the region of £20,000 - and often more. Unless the debt is no deterrent you can look forward to three years of dressing yourself from charity shops and plenty of home cooked pasta. And you will have to grab with both hands any opportunity to earn money by part-time work during your training.

Tuition fees

In universities and colleges, including all the accredited drama schools which offer validated degree courses, undergraduate students are liable for tuition fees.

From autumn 2006, or at any time after, your university or drama school will be able to charge you up to £3,000 per year. Under new rules Higher Education Institutions can fix their own rates. The University Admissions Clearing Service (UCAS) insists that very few will charge the full £3,000 and that most will charge much less. See www.ucas.ac.uk

All student tuition fees are 'means tested,' which means that family income is taken into account. Low-income families pay nothing towards tuition fees and there's a sliding scale of reduced fees for families just above the low income level.

Be aware that there is no funding for:

• overseas students
• students on courses which are not accredited for state support
• most post-graduate students

Such students have to pay full fees and living costs from their own resources (but may get a DaDA or other award - see below).

Student loans

All UK and EU degree students on accredited courses have access to the student loan scheme to assist with the payment of tuition fees and to help meet living costs. The maximum amount of a maintenance loan is £4,000 per year. This money is gradually paid back, deducted from your earnings rather like an additional tax, during the early years of your working life.

But it doesn't apply if this is your second bite at the higher education cherry. If you have received government funding for a previous course you are unlikely to be eligible for a loan. The Department for Education and Skills publishes an annual guide.

Dance and Drama Awards (DaDA) Scheme

DaDA awards were introduced in 1999. They are a scholarship scheme funded by the Learning and Skills Council. Their purpose is to increase access to dance, drama and stage management training for all sectors of the community. It means that up to 58% of students in an 'independent' class which does not attract state Higher Education funding, may - given the approval level of talent - be eligible for an award which helps with fees and maintenance. For more information regarding DaDA awards visit the website.

Manchester Education Authority is responsible for processing applications to the DaDA fees and maintenance fund. You can contact it for advice and further information on Telephone: 0161 234 7021 or via post: Chief Education Officer, Student Support Section, PO Box 191, Manchester M3 3ST or by email: fund4study@notes.manchester.gov.uk

Bursaries, scholarships and trusts.

Most drama schools expect students to show that they can pay for the course before the offer of a place is confirmed. Some students get sponsorship and your drama school might give advice about this.

Many drama schools have a small number of bursaries and scholarships. There are also a few external organizations, such as Mackintosh Foundation and Thomas Wall Trust, which sometimes make funding awards to promising drama students.

The part-time option

If you're really determined, and funding is an obstacle, you might consider doing a part-time course as an alternative. Then you can work part-time to pay your fees as you go along. But you would probably need to live at home with your parents in order to keep living expenses down.

And if all that sounds very off-putting...
just remember the late Buster Merryfield, Uncle Albert in BBC TV's Only Fools and Horses. As a young man he felt unable to risk an acting career and went into banking. After years of amateur dramatics he retired as a bank manager, with a good pension as a cushion, at age 57. Merryfield then pursued a highly successful second career as an actor.

All is not lost if you can't do what you want at age 18!

Useful links

FAQs: Funding

Direct Gov Dance and Drama Awards http://www.direct.gov.uk/danceanddrama

National Council for Drama Training: http://www.ncdt.co.uk

Skill: National Bureau for students with disabilities http://www.skill.org.uk

Conference of Drama Schools: http://www.drama.ac.uk/

Standing Conference of University Drama Departments: http://www.scudd.org.uk

Higher Education Funding Council: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/

Department for Education and Employment: http://www.dfee.gov.uk/