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My dd is about to complete a L6 diploma in Musical Theatre. The last year has obviously been quite disrupted and she feels her training has been affected by half a year zooming from home. She also wants to work on her singing and acting more.

So she’s applied to four MA courses. Unfortunately several places wouldn’t accept her diploma unless she tops it up to the full degree first which would take another year. She could do this but in the meantime would struggle to continue her training whilst the industry recovers. The four places that were happy to accept the diploma are Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama & Associated Studios.

She hasn’t heard back from the first two but has had a recall over zoom for the last two. She’s waiting to hear from Royal Welsh but has had an offer of a place from Associated Studios. However, they have offered her a 2 year course, not the 1 year course applied for, due to her age and current level (she’s 19 and most applicants are 20-21 years). This has big financial implications as the postgrad student loan is a fixed amount that barely covers 1 years fees, and no maintenance.

If RCS were to offer her a place I think she’d accept that for financial reasons plus the calibre of teaching in all 3 subjects. She sort of feels she’d be mad to turn down RAM we’re they to offer but their dance is pretty much “movement” and she’d have to supplement she thinks which could be expensive and tiring.

But she got a really good feeling about Associated Studios. However it is not as well known. I didn’t know much about their outcomes, do their graduates get work, do agents attend their showcase. Is it worth putting our house renovations on hold to finance?

In the opposite scenario than the one below her dad is very keen to finance it, I’m the cautious one.

Is it definitely the qualification that is her barrier to a MA or her age? I only ask because on browsing around several drama schools websites, I see one of their criteria is you have to be 21+ to study a masters.

Why would topping up to degree mean she would struggle to continue her training?

Afraid I can't help much but I know RCS took an absolute age to get back to my daughter. Submitted in Jan, only got an update last week.

It’s partly both.

She’d struggle to continue her training because once she finishes her diploma in July there is very little on offer for a young person of her age/standard unless she moves to London and goes to somewhere like Pineapple. And if there are any further lockdowns adult training will be stopped. Even now adults can’t return to class until mid May. College training can continue as long as schools are allowed to open. The degree top up is purely a distance learning academic course culminating in a dissertation.

Due to the training disruption of last year she doesn’t quite feel industry ready. She’d like an extra year of full time training.

Ahhh I hadn't realised the degree top up was a distance learning thing.

Yes, there may well be further lockdowns/restrictions even from this Autumn. Presumably you've taken this into account if she studies for a year in a different part of the UK to where you live and might be subject to different rules? We've had 2nd thoughts about a couple of daughter's applications for exactly this reason.

If offered RAM what is the additional cost of accessing dance classes, compared to the additional costs going to Associated studios for two years. Also there's would it be better to be studying for a further 2 years rather than 1 to give the industry further time to recover.


Do you have to make a decision yet?