Scholarships and funding

If you're a UK student then you can get a tuition fee loan, so you don't have to pay your fees up front. You may also be eligible for maintenance loans and benefits.

Following the UK's decision to withdraw from the European Union, the UK Government has confirmed that EU students starting in 2021-2022 will be classed as international students and pay international fees. EU students will also not be eligible for UK Government funding from the 2021-2022 academic year (unless you have settled or pre-settled status). For more information please see our changes after Brexit webpage). 

There are country-specific funding opportunities, please see our country pages for more information.

If you're a US student you could be eligible to take out a US direct loan.

Information about charities and trusts that offer awards and sponsorship to students and their application procedures can be found in the Educational Grants Directory and The Grants Register. Copies of these are available in our Albert Sloman Library, as well as in most public libraries.

You can also try a grants search at Turn2us. Use the keyword "higher education" and then narrow your search by filling in other information about yourself.

Many charities and trusts are only able to award a small number of grants each year, so competition can be fierce. To be in with the best chance of receiving an award it is a good idea to:

• research charities and trusts carefully as they may have eligibility requirements (e.g. based on your area of residence, family background and subject area)
• apply as soon as possible (many give deadlines for applications)

Funding for Acting and Drama courses can be limited and competition for grants is fierce, but it’s worth looking at the sources of funding above as well as these, which are aimed specifically at students in your field:

• The Society for Theatre Research
• The South Square Trust
• The Costume Society
• Minnie Morgan’s Scholarship – Open to those under 25 who attended secondary school in Llanelli.
  To apply write to:
  Director of Resources
  Carmarthenshire County Council
  County Hall
  Carmarthen
  Dyfed
  SA31 1JP

For ideas of how to secure additional funding take a look at Damian Gaskin’s booklet ‘How to Raise £40,000 and train at Drama School’ (.pdf). (The author has asked you to bear in mind that this was written in 1996, well before all the fundraising advances that the internet and social media have given you and so needs to be read in that context. Please do not contact the author himself for sponsorship!)

You can also take a look at Degrees For Free which has some useful and interesting ideas for fundraising and money-saving. (There is a book of the same name, but don’t feel compelled to buy it, the website is useful in its own right!)

We provide information for parents, carers and care leavers, including additional sources of funding that you may be eligible for.

• Students with children
• Carers
• Care leavers

We and the Students' Union offer financial support if you are experiencing difficulty with your finances in the form of a bursaries, grants or loans depending on your situation. Have a look on our Financial Support page for more information.