Can anyone tell me about funding for diploma/performing arts courses?

[musicposy]

Hi there - I'm having serious sleepless nights with this and would appreciate any help!

My daughter has been lucky enough to get a place at a London performing arts school to do a 3 year diploma. She's been awarded a DaDa which is amazing. However, this only covers most of the tuition fees.
Our income is just over 30k and at that level we have to pay £1,275 of the fees (which we can manage) but all her maintenance. She's going to have to live up there in London as we are nearly 70 miles away and commuting would cost as much as accommodation. Accommodation is £600 per month (our mortgage all over again) plus we have to find her food costs, costs of equipment etc.

If it was uni she would be eligible for over £7000+ loan for this on our income, but students in receipt of a DaDa cannot get student finance loans. Professional development loans have to be for 2 year courses or less and advanced learning loans are for age 24+.

We've already had to act as guarantor for her fees and now we are going to have to do the same for accomodation. I have no idea how we can manage this on top of our own mortgage and I'm in a major panic. I've tried looking for trust funds etc and cannot find anything relevant. I have a younger daughter about to go into 6th form who also has dance and music lessons and I don't want to sacrifice all her chances for DD1. On the other hand, we know lots of people who applied to such schools and DD1 was the only one offered a place so we know it's an opportunity we can't turn down.

It seems so unfair that she isn't eligible for the student loan. If anyone knows anything about this I'd be so grateful for advice.

Would she be better off doing a performing arts degree without the dada (no idea what a dada is)

I think a DaDa is a dance and drama award for private drama schools / academies / conservatoires etc.

OP, there's a poster called KatyMac who knows all about this kind of thing and who is really helpful. You could maybe PM her a link to your thread?

Yeah get hold of KatyMac and see what she knows. She was talking about going on holiday though so may not be around at moment

I am here (I can't afford a holiday)

I'm really sorry to say most people sort this out before auditioning

Last year DD got into 2 colleges but with no funding she couldn't go; this year she had 7 offers and 6 were with various funding. Despite being in the band which would give us full funding & full maintenance grant (£5185) it was better for DD to take private funding (an anonymous donor & a charity grant)

Charities can be applied to but again you are very very late most were closed/decided before Easter

Career development loans can be taken over 3 years for PA courses but are only for 2 years, £10,000 & must be paid back once the course finishes even if your DD doesn't have a job

I don't really know what to suggest - it's unlikely that your DD will manage a job as the courses are very intensive (esp at Urdang/Performers for example)

Sorry

If you want to PM me we can chat more but a degree might be the only way to go (Bird, Urdang, LSC all offer the degree)

When does she start? Can she get a job during the holidays to help towards all of this? has she had a job and can put some of her money towards it?

Hi KatyMac!!!! Sorry you didn't find a cheap holiday deal :)

They normally start first week of September - DD has raised enough money through 3 jobs this summer to save her spending money while away this year

Has she considered deferring for a year and saving up like mad? Mind you she would have to re-audition for the DaDA

Hi Kez - no way could I afford anything this year.....but I could dream

When she is working on cruises holidays will be cheaper but if she goes West End we will still be broke! (I posted some new photos of her yesterday on a modelling thread!)

OK, thank you! I think we will just have to muddle through somehow.
She won't want to give it up as she auditioned at 16 and last year for ballet schools and didn't get in (wouldn't listen to advice to go for general performing arts at that point) and she's 19 aready - so older than a lot.

She's been working for a year and saved up a nice chunk, not enough to get her through a year but certainly accommodation for half. She can go back to her job in the holidays if she has time- they've allowed her to keep it on. I feel as though we are kind of sorting it but it's such a shame that all her other same age friends are at uni with funding. At least DD2 doesn't want to go down this route! It kind of took us by surprise that she got in - we thought she'd given up on it - so that's why we've been a bit unprepared. I know nothing about the dance world and the whole thing has been one long muddle through since she first begged for ballet lessons at six.

She thinks she can manage a job in the evenings but I think she's underestimating the course. One thing I think we could do - we have a uni near us and they are always desperate for home let families to let a room - I've got friends doing that. I think she would rather give up her room here to let out than give up her place and that may be the way to go! I'm hoping we can look at charities etc for next year but we are at a loss as who!

Turntous webpage has a good grant finder - start now

One of the big banks has one too - but I can't remember which

Is anyone in the family a Mason - they have TalentAid

Set up a just giving page & FB like mad; car boot sales with a picture of her & some DVD's of her performances

If she did the degree she would have shed loads of debt; I can't understand a government that will subsidise PA but not teachers/doctors etc & I say that as a family who hoped to benefit from it

Loads of luck to her - PM me where she is going?

Thank you katymac and I will :)

She may have met DD going round the college....if she did a few

No advise (my dd is younger & at vocationsl lower school) but she will be looking at similar courses at 16/18

There are very few if any charity grants. We have a very low mortgage so hopefully when the time comes we'll be able to help pay for accommodation.

Are there any cheaper accommodation options around?

Can someone advise me on daDa funding. My DS has been awarded a daDa and has just started at a performing arts school for drama. He still remains on a reserve list for another school, his first choice. Should a place there become available, would we still be able to reapply for a daDa there again? The school says the list is still active but is asking questions on where he is now and his funding situation. I can only assume that they would change their minds on his possible offer of a late place.