Scholars play a full and active role in the life of the RCM. They also benefit from the long-term personal relationship formed with their donor and the support this can give them through their studies and beyond.
We are always delighted to hear from organisations and individuals who would like to make donations in support of Royal College Music students.
There are a number of scholarships and awards available to help fund your course at the RCM. Please check the different types below, expanding each section for details on eligibility and how to apply.
Every student who applies for a place on one of the RCM's performance or composition courses commencing in 2025 and 2026 will be considered for scholarship, whether you attend an audition or interview in person or submit a video audition. There is no separate application process.
Eligibility for scholarships is based on merit, which is determined by performance at audition (or by submission of video) or the strength of portfolio and interview for composers.
Unfortunately, the RCM does not currently have scholarships or study awards available for students on the MSc in Performance Science course.
If you are offered a scholarship you will normally receive a letter via email with further details within 10 days of receiving your formal offer.
Applicants who do not receive an award letter should assume that they have not been awarded a scholarship. The RCM website provides guidance on finding other sources of funding.
All postgraduate and international award holders have the value of their award deducted from their tuition fees. These awards are not paid directly to you and will be reflected on your tuition fee invoice.
As Home undergraduate students are eligible to take out a full tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company, they may choose whether to have their scholarship deducted from their tuition fees or to use their scholarship for their living costs. The RCM’s Finance Office will write to Home undergraduate scholarship holders in August prior to the start of each academic year of their course, to ask how they wish to use their scholarship. Those choosing to take their scholarships for living costs will have their award for that year paid to them in three termly instalements, with the first following New Student Check-in in September.
Duration of awards
The duration of scholarships for students on taught performance & composition courses can vary, see the details below.
The award letter will specify whether a scholarship or study award is to be awarded for the first year only, or whether you will receive an amount for each year of the course. Where vocal scholarships are awarded for only the first year of a longer course, students may be considered for funding in subsequent years of the course based on their progress during the year. Where awards are made for each year of the course, they will not go up or down in subsequent years of the course.
The award letter will specify whether a scholarship, study award or tuition fee bursary is an entrance award, to be received in the first year only, or whether you will receive an amount for each year of the course. Awards are made based on performance at audition and there is no opportunity for reconsideration in subsequent years of the course.
Those students who receive their entire award in their first year only retain the title of ‘RCM Scholar’ for the duration of their course.
As part of its Access and Participation Plan commitments, from 2025/26 the RCM is establishing a new bursary scheme, to promote equality of opportunity to access conservatoire study, by providing financial support to UK undergraduates from low-income backgrounds.
Bursaries are allocated based on the assessment of your household income by the Student Loan Company (SLC) for your student loan application. There is no separate bursary application process.
To receive a bursary students must be:
Bursaries are allocated based on the assessment of your household income by the SLC for your student loan application. There is no separate bursary application process. Students must apply for a student loan from their relevant local funding agency (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, Student Finance Wales or the Student Award Agency for Scotland). We recommend applying promptly when funding applications open to ensure your assessment is visible to the RCM by the start of October.
Visit the GOV.UK website for details of how to apply for a student loan.
As part of the student loan application students must consent to means testing by their funding body and agree for their data to be shared with the RCM. Students must re-apply annually for Student Finance from the SLC and will be re-assessed for bursary eligibility for each year of their studies. Students can be considered in any year of their BMus programme. It is not a requirement to have been a bursary recipient in previous years.
The RCM will review the household income data provided by the Student Loans Company in October following enrolment. If students are eligible for a bursary, they will receive a letter confirming the value of their award.
How awards are paid
Eligible students will need to provide their bank details to the SLC. Awards will normally be paid in two equal instalments, in November and February each year. Top up bursaries for care leavers will be paid in June.
Each year the RCM awards at least three scholarships to recognise outstanding potential and encourage participation in conservatoire education from students from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who are currently underrepresented in the classical music industry. The scholarships are worth the full fees for each year of the course and can be used either to cover tuition fees or to help with living costs.
Eligible applicants must:
UK applicants for the BMus programme will be sent an e-mail in November inviting them to apply for consideration for these scholarships. Where there are more eligible applicants than available awards, scholarships will be allocated on merit based on performance at audition.
Successful applicants will receive an award letter via e-mail before Christmas.
As Home undergraduate students are eligible to take out a full tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company, they may choose whether to have their scholarship deducted from their tuition fees or to use their scholarship for their living costs.
The RCM’s Finance Office will write to Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse Scholarship holders in August prior to the start of each academic year of their course, to ask how they wish to use their scholarship. Those choosing to take their scholarships for living costs will have their award for that year paid to them in three termly instalments per year, with the first following New Student Check-in in September.
Each year the RCM awards scholarships supported by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. The details of these awards is to be confirmed for 2026 entrants, but for 2025 the following scholarships were awarded:
Nominations are made to the ABRSM by the RCM’s Admissions Committee based on performance at audition.
There is no separate application process.
To be considered applicants must audition in London during the main audition period (November-December). All other criteria listed above must also be met. There is no opportunity to be reconsidered for scholarship in future years.
If you are offered a scholarship you will normally receive a letter via email with further details within 10 days of receiving your formal offer.
Applicants who do not receive an award letter should assume that they have not been awarded a scholarship. The RCM website provides guidance on finding other sources of funding.
See the details below on the bursary and studentships available to eligible doctoral students.
The RCM offers bursaries to support doctoral students in funding their studies. Awards normally represent a contribution towards tuition fees.
Doctoral students who are undertaking their initial or main period of registration are eligible to apply. Students who are writing up are not eligible.
Applicants who have been offered a place and continuing students will be sent a link to the online application form.
Doctoral bursaries are awarded for the coming academic year only. Continuing students will be invited to apply for bursary funding again in subsequent years of their course (up to a maximum of three full-time or six part-time years of registration).
Doctoral bursaries are deducted from students' tuition fee invoices.
The RCM's Research Department is sometimes also able to offer funded studentships for doctoral applicants for specific areas of research. Any available studentships will be advertised on the RCM website along with the relevant and application processes and criteria.
Students experiencing unexpected financial hardship partway through their course, or who need assistance towards paying for treatment for performance related injury, or disability related costs that cannot be met through the Disabled Students Allowance may be able to apply to the RCM’s Hardship Fund.
Please contact the Admissions team for enquiries about auditions and award letters.
If you are a current student and would like to enquire about how to reference your award (including in your biography), or relations with your scholarship donor, please contact the Scholarships team.
General enquiries about RCM scholarships and seeking other sources of funding
Please contact the Finance department for enquiries about the payment of any scholarships and study awards that have already been awarded by the RCM.
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