Kent Music Financial Assistance

The Kent Music Financial Assistance Scheme for the academic year 2023/24 is available for children and young people aged 5 – 18 years, living in Kent (not Medway) and attending a school in Kent.

At Kent Music we believe music is for everyone, and that cost shouldn’t be a barrier. As such we’re pleased to offer financial assistance to support learning for young people.

Financial assistance can be applied to the cost of music lessons, as well as membership of Kent Music’s music centres. We provide assistance to students having music lessons from all sorts of music providers, not just ourselves as long as they are delivered in a Kent school or a Kent Music Music Centre.

As such, if you have an agreed lesson with any music provider in a school, please don’t hesitate to apply. Please ensure you are stating the correct provider when you apply.

Applications for students living in Medway and attending Kent Music’s Medway Towns Music Centre, or who are receiving music lessons outside of school (if meeting the financial assistance criteria) may still apply for financial assistance but if approved the award will be made from the Kent Music discretionary fund. If this applies to you, please contact us before making an application.

Subject to the conditions and criteria set out in the Financial Assistance Criteria document, linked below, successful applicants will receive 75% financial assistance up to a maximum of £115.00 per term (3 terms per academic year) towards the cost of one course of instrumental or vocal tuition for the academic year.

Students awarded financial assistance for their lessons are also entitled to 75% financial assistance towards the payment of ensembles. All ensembles must take place at a Kent Music Centre.

Musical Instrument Hire

Financial assistance may also be provided for loan of a musical instrument which will be supplied from Kent Music’s stock of instruments free of charge, if Kent Music has an appropriate instrument in stock. A free of charge instrument cannot be guaranteed. Please refer to the criteria document below for full information.

Find out more about hiring an instrument on the Musical Instrument Hire page here.

How to Apply

In order to apply for our Financial Assistance scheme you will need to:

• Review our Criteria and T&Cs document to make sure that you are eligible
• Click ‘Apply at this button’ below where you will either log in to your existing account with our online portal SpeedAdmin or be prompted to create a new one (it’s easy)!
• Your application will be processed by our team. We will let you know as soon as possible whether you have been successful

If you’ have any questions or require assistance with your application then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via email at financialassistance@kent-music.com

Please note that the application below via ‘Apply Here’ is not applicable for County Groups or Summer School activities – please see below section for information on this. 

Kent Music County Programmes: County Groups and Summer School activities

If you require financial assistance for Kent Music County Group or Summer School activities please download the form linked below and return with supporting documents to financialassistance@kent-music.com

Click here to download the County Programmes Financial Assistance Application Form

Please note that applications for financial assistance with County Programmes activities cannot be processed through the main ‘Apply Here’ button above, and must be done using the above form.

If you would like further information about County Programmes financial assistance, please contact Valerie Cordina, County Programmes Manager, at vcordina@kent-music.com.

Other funding opportunities

ABRSM Scholarships and Funding
gb.abrsm.org/en/about-us/scholarships/

Awards for Young Musicians
Awards for Young Musicians can offer financial support for a range of musical costs for talented young musicians.
www.a-y-m.org.uk/how-to-apply-for-an-award/

Blyth Bursary
The Blyth Bursary has been introduced to offer a place to a local, talented and deserving pupil to Sutton Valence School. Up to 100% bursary will be offered to one student a year, the amount of bursary offered will be based on means testing and the bursary may be split between two or three families, if financially viable. The bursary will be offered for a day or boarding place at Sixth Form (16+).
www.svs.org.uk/BlythBursary.aspx

EMI Music Sound Foundation is an independent music education charity, established in 1997 to celebrate the centenary of EMI Records and to improve young peoples’ access to music education in the UK & Ireland.
www.umuksoundfoundation.com/awards/

Dance and Drama Awards
You could get a Dance and Drama Award (DaDa) to help with fees and living costs at one of 19 private dance and drama schools.
www.gov.uk/dance-drama-awards

Future Talent
Future Talent provide each musician they support with one-to-one mentoring, financial support towards musical costs, and unique opportunities to learn from and perform with professional musicians, including workshops, masterclasses and concerts. Our Junior and Development Programmes support young musicians under age 18 from low-income backgrounds across the UK.
www.futuretalent.org/join

Kent and Medway Young Musicians’ Trust
Awarding grants to promising young musicians, the KAMYM Trust is passionate about helping the next generation of musicians progress on their musical journey.
www.kamymtrust.org

Music and Dance Scheme
The Music and Dance Scheme provides grants and help with fees at 8 independent schools and 21 centres for advanced training.
www.gov.uk/music-dance-scheme

SCALE Vocal Trust
SCALE Vocal Trust is a charity who assist gifted young singers in need of financial assistance.
www.scalevocaltrust.org.uk/applications/

Swale Youth Development Fund
Grants are available for many activities, including music, dance, drama, all sports, indeed almost anything that will help young people to make the most of their talents and opportunities.
www.swaleyouthdevelopmentfund.org.uk/home

‘Take it away’ Musical Instrument Scheme
Take it away offers interest-free loans for the purchase of musical instruments.
www.takeitaway.org.uk/about-take-it-away/

Talents and Interests grant scheme
The scheme is designed to support young people identified by their schools and communities. A trusted adult from the school and/or communities can apply for a grant on the young person’s behalf in order to access hobbies such as sports, the arts or music.
www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/community-grants-and-funding/talents-and-interests-grant-scheme

Trinity’s Music and Drama Access Fund
The fund provides small grants to Trinity candidates in the UK who are experiencing barriers to accessing TCL qualifications. You can apply for up to £1500 for a group and £300 for an individual and the grant can be used for areas such as exam fees, lessons, accompanist fees, instruments, travel, sheet music etc.
www.trinitycollege.com/local-trinity/UK/music/music-support-events/music-drama-access-fund