Understanding the Funding Options for 18+

[JustaPhase]

I've just spent the afternoon trying to understand what financial help is available at 18+ for full-time Acting courses.

From what I can understand, some courses are run through universities and so you get the full student loan for the tuition fees of >£9,250, plus a maintenance loan, the actual amount of which is dependent on family income.

But, if its a private provider, and if it's validated by a University, you can apply for a (reduced) student loan of £6,155 towards the (more expensive) tuition fees, then bank of mum and dad pay the rest. Can you still apply for a means tested maintenance loan?

And how is is that (say) Mountview can only give access to the reduced loan, but (say) Italia Conti students will be able to access the full loan?

And DaDa funding leaves a massive gap where part of the tuition fees are paid, but unless you're on a very low income, there's nothing available towards maintenance costs!

My head is spinning!

Please can someone tell me I've misunderstood and all our beautiful talented DC will be ale to access high quality professional training without their parents having to downsize to a tent in the park to pay for it!

[jennifer1972]

You seem to have it more or less right (unfortunately!) My DD is at Millennium on a BA, so the student loan covers £6000 out of the £9000 fees but she is able to access a maintenance loan too and that is means tested. DaDas seem pretty good on paper for the diploma courses but many people get offered a percentage, that along with being means tested means that even with a DaDa the fees are just too much!

[lbm1e14]

My understanding is that some degree courses can't access full loans because the colleges are deemed to be "private" or something like that.

I don't know about acting but some MT courses have access to PCDLs - professional career development loans. These are commercial loans up to £10,000 (in total not per year) at just under 10% interest. They are available for years 2 and 3 of a three year course to cover fees and/or living costs. You pay nothing whilst on the course and start paying 1 month after completion, and can repay over up to 5 years. Basically if you take the full £10k over 5 years you pay £200 a month starting one month after the end of the course. You can repay early. The PCDL is not available along with a student loan or DaDa as far as I know.

[lbm1e14]

Forgot to add that PCDLs are only available from the Coop Bank. Barclays used to do them as well. But they were identical Ts and Cs.

[islandofsodor]

My daughter is only applying for DaDa funded courses butvive lookey into the degree funding.

Whether you can access the full amount of student finance of £9,000 depends on how the course is accredited.

If, in the case of Hammond the degree is a University of Chester degree delivered on their behalf by Hammond you can apply for the full amount. Similarly University of East London’s degree is sub-contracted out to Italia Conti.

Arts Ed & Mountview on the other hand have put together their own degree & had it validated by a university but it isn’t the universities own degree, therefore you can only apply for the lesser amount.

[Robin64]

I've just spent the afternoon trying to understand what financial help is available at 18+ for full-time Acting courses.

From what I can understand, some courses are run through universities and so you get the full student loan for the tuition fees of >£9,250, plus a maintenance loan, the actual amount of which is dependent on family income.

But, if its a private provider, and if it's validated by a University, you can apply for a (reduced) student loan of £6,155 towards the (more expensive) tuition fees, then bank of mum and dad pay the rest. Can you still apply for a means tested maintenance loan?

And how is is that (say) Mountview can only give access to the reduced loan, but (say) Italia Conti students will be able to access the full loan?

And DaDa funding leaves a massive gap where part of the tuition fees are paid, but unless you're on a very low income, there's nothing available towards maintenance costs!

My head is spinning!

Please can someone tell me I've misunderstood and all our beautiful talented DC will be ale to access high quality professional training without their parents having to downsize to a tent in the park to pay for it!

You are pretty much right I'm afraid. It limits your choice if you don't have the extra money to fund it. Dada funding is not that useful an option for us as we would have to fund all the living costs and some of the fees too and we can't afford it. DD cannot audition for Mountview and some other colleges because we can't top up the fees. It is important to be fully aware of the cost before auditioning. There is no point in paying out audition fees and travel expenses if the cost of the course is beyond what you can afford. It isn't really fair or a level playing field.

[Marissa]

DD has just been offered a HNC in Musical theatre from UCEN/ Arden. I hadn't heard of doing a HNC but it seems to be another option for a foundation year but funded x

[Robin64]

DD has just been offered a HNC in Musical theatre from UCEN/ Arden. I hadn't heard of doing a HNC but it seems to be another option for a foundation year but funded x

That is brilliant! An extra free year is definitely worth it.

[Joshan18]

My son is currently in his second year of a 3 year Acting Ba and my daughter is currently on a gap year and auditioning again. Both only applied to Drama schools that have Student Loans available. We cannot afford to supplement fees plus maintenance if they were to go to somewhere like Mountview or other 'private' schools. Last year my daughter was offered a place on an unfunded foundation course which we had to turn down because of cost. That was heart breaking enouhh, I couldn'tbear the thought of them being offered a 3 yr place and have to say no.
The audition process is stressful enough without adding extra trauma!

[Katymac]

& remember (I think) that student loabs can only be accessed for 4 yrs max

So an HNC, plus 3 yrs of degree would be it - no further funding available

[Robin64]

& remember (I think) that student loabs can only be accessed for 4 yrs max

So an HNC, plus 3 yrs of degree would be it - no further funding available

Katy I think that is 4 years of student finance for undergraduate level. Free education is offered for students who enrol on a course up to 19 years old so in theory you could get 4 years funded if at a lower level than a degree and this would not affect your 4 years of loan finance. For example - student enrols on btec 16-18 but decides to change direction or needs to retake after 2 years, they can continue in funded education for another 2 years. One example would be an art foundation at fe college after completing A levels. A friend's son did 16-20 at FE colleges before degree, he did 2 different courses. I think the HNC would be in this category and be funded. It would not impact on 4 years of loans. Art foundations are usually offered at further ed colleges and are free unlike MT foundations!! I would say the HNC route just offers a way to fund what is essentially a foundation and seems to be a good idea. There may be rules on who can provide these though, hence they are unfunded at drama colleges.

[islandofsodor]

Katymac is correct. A HNC course is classed as a Higher Education as it’s a Level 4 qualification. That’s why you can access student finance.

The btec course you mention as being funded is classed as Further Education as it’s Level 3. (The same as A levels)

Art Foundation Diplomas are fairly unique in that they are a Level 3 qualification so classed as FE but contain some Level 4 standard modules.

[Robin64]

Katymac is correct. A HNC course is classed as a Higher Education as it’s a Level 4 qualification. That’s why you can access student finance.

The btec course you mention as being funded is classed as Further Education as it’s Level 3. (The same as A levels)

Art Foundation Diplomas are fairly unique in that they are a Level 3 qualification so classed as FE but contain some Level 4 standard modules.

Thanks for clearing that up, I was thinking of level 3 courses which you can access for free. I wonder how it is being offered as funded at Arden then? If it is funded you wouldn't need student finance so wouldn't use up a year iyswim. Marissa mentioned it was funded.

DD has just been offered a HNC in Musical theatre from UCEN/ Arden. I hadn't heard of doing a HNC but it seems to be another option for a foundation year but funded x

[Marissa]

I am gathering it's funded by student finance, from what I've read. Which although I know is a Loan it's the only way we could afford it in the end. I'm presuming it takes up a year of the four yrs finance x so hoping it's enough for hnc and degree but still will be checking this next week with student finance but from what I see it's funded through gov.

[Robin64]

oh okay I see. Sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick thinking it was free like a level 3 but even if it's using student loan at least that's better than coughing up the lot yourself like us for a foundation and all things being normal you shouldn't need more than 4 years worth of finance anyway.