Funding information

All applicants should be aware that studying in London is not cheap and funding should be arranged well in advance. In addition to your tuition fees you will need at least £1,050 - £1,200 per month for rent and living costs in London. You can download some further details to help you plan here.

For students requiring a visa to study in the UK, the UK Border Agency requires, as part of the visa application process, that students demonstrate that they have the means to pay for their tuition for their first year and the means to support themselves (an additional £7,200).

The School’s Student Funding Officer is available to advise and assist applicants, current students and parents in respect of queries about funding studies at the Guildhall School. Please contact registry@gsmd.ac.uk.

Funding assistance from the Guildhall School

The School offers a wide range of financial awards (bursaries and scholarships) to all students regardless of domicile. These awards are supported by a variety of external donors including City Livery Companies, grant-making trusts and foundations, businesses and individuals. All of these donations are made on a voluntary basis and the awards they fund enable students to take up their places at the School or continue their studies here.

A scholarship award may be made to cover either the full cost of tuition fees or a fraction of them, and may include an element for maintenance. Awards are made by academic staff to individuals on the basis of their talent, their potential and their personal financial need. The School awards in excess of £1million per annum to such eligible students.

Guildhall Bursary Scheme

The Guildhall School provides generous additional support for UK undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds via the Guildhall Bursary Scheme. No application procedure is necessary – all students in receipt of a means-tested maintenance grant from the UK government (see section below) will automatically be paid the additional bursary by the School. Once you have enrolled, the bursary payments are made in three instalments at the beginning of each term at the same time as the maintenance grant, and are paid directly into your bank account.

The value of the bursaries is equivalent to 50% of the value of the English maintenance grant. In order to ensure that all UK undergraduate students are treated equally, the method of calculation is based on the household income thresholds and criteria of the English maintenance grant.

As an example, a UK undergraduate student who commences his/her studies in 2010 and whose annual household income is less than or equal to the lower threshold for the English maintenance grant (£25,000 for 2010/11), received a bursary of £1,453 (this being 50% of the maximum English maintenance grant for 2010/11 of £2,906). The School will pay 50% of the value of the English maintenance grant right up to the new higher income threshold of £50,020 (see section below).

The above grant and bursary amounts, and income thresholds, map to thresholds set by the government and may be subject to change.

School Hardship Funds

The School endeavours to support students who find themselves in financial difficulties. Under normal circumstances students are expected to have arranged sufficient funding prior to the commencement of their course. However, if a student experiences an unforeseen change of circumstances they may qualify for an award to help them overcome their financial difficulties.

Funding assistance from the UK Government

Undergraduate UK students

The following Government support is available, and most students will not need to pay any fees while they are studying unless they wish to:

Tuition fee loan

All UK students embarking on their first undergraduate degree can receive a low cost tuition fee loan from the Government which is not means-tested. Students will repay these loans only once they have left University and are earning over £15,000 per year. When applying for the tuition fee loan, please take care that you state the correct tuition fee. Fees will be published on this website in autumn 2010.

Maintenance grant

This is a means-tested non-repayable grant, which for 2010/11 is worth up to £2,906 for English students. The actual amount you will be entitled to receive will depend upon your household income. As a result of recent changes made by the Government to increase student funding, for students commencing their studies in 2008 or later the English maintenance grant is now payable in full where the annual household income is £25,000 or less. It is payable on a reducing sliding scale up to an annual household income of £50,020 (for 2010/11). The table below gives examples of what you might get:

The above grant and income thresholds apply to students from England. Different arrangements apply for students from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Please see the relevant website below for further details.

Once you have enrolled, the maintenance grant payments are made in three instalments at the beginning of each term at the same time as the Guildhall Bursary (see above), and are paid directly into your bank account.

Maintenance loan

The maintenance loan is a part means-tested loan repayable after you graduate, which for 2010/11 is worth up to £6,928.

Mature students undertaking their first course of higher education are also eligible for Government support. Students may choose whether or not to pay national insurance contributions while they are in full-time education. Full details can be obtained from your local Department for Work and Pensions office or the website www.hmrc.gov.uk

Additional funds may also be available for students with dependants or students with a disability.

You should apply for these funds as soon as possible – do not wait for a firm offer of a place. You can apply online at www.studentfinanceengland.co.uk.

Further information is available as follows:

View the "Money for Uni" DVD online at www.direct.gov.uk/unimoney

England: www.studentfinanceengland.co.uk
Wales: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
Scotland: www.saas.gov.uk
Northern Ireland: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

Access to Learning Fund

The Access to Learning Fund is a Government scheme administered by the School that provides financial assistance to full and part-time UK undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Awards may be given as grants or loans depending upon a student’s circumstances. The Fund is particularly aimed at students with low incomes who need extra financial support to access and remain in Higher Education.

Undergraduate EU (non-UK) students

The following Government support is available, and most students will not need to pay any fees while they are studying unless they choose to:

Tuition fee loan

All EU students embarking on their first undergraduate degree can receive a low cost tuition fee loan from the Government which is not means-tested and will be repayable after you graduate.

You should apply for these funds as soon as possible – do not wait for a firm offer of a place. When applying for the tuition fee loan, please take care that you state the correct tuition fee. You can find information and application forms at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance or by contacting the EU Customer Services Team on the details below:

EU Customer Services Team
Mowden Hall
Staindrop Road, Darlington
DL3 9BG, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)141 243 3570
email: EUTeam@slc.co.uk

Postgraduate students

As there is little financial support from the government for postgraduate students, the School provides guidance on potential sources of external funding such as charities, foundations and educational trusts. In addition, the School also provides information on how to plan and execute a fundraising campaign. Visit our Funding Guidelines and Advice page for further details.

The School expects students to take the initiative in supporting their studies and advises that they should apply to as many sources of funding as possible. Ideally, potential postgraduate students should consider how they will fund their studies a year prior to starting their postgraduate studies.

Funding assistance from other sources

Applicants are advised to start looking for funding as soon as they decide to apply for a programme of study. A fundraising information sheet with useful links is available here.

For further information on financial assistance to support your learning, please visit www.direct.gov.uk/adultlearning or contact 0800 100 900.

A small number of grants and awards may be available for non-EU students in their own countries. Students should consult their local British Council office early in the application process to find out what awards may be open to them. Prospective applicants are also advised to read the in-formation and advice on the British Council’s website www.educationuk.org

The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) is an independent advice agency for EU applicants seeking funding for further or higher education. Telephone the EGAS information line on +44 (0)20 7254 6251.

Postgraduate music applicants from the USA may be eligible for a Guildhall Marshall scholarship. Please see www.marshallscholarship.org for more information.

US Stafford Loans programme

The School is certified to participate in the United States Stafford Loans (FFEL/Direct Loans) programme administered by the US Department of Education. Please download the School's Guide to Student Funding for students from North America. Additional information is available from www.dl.ed.gov. http://www.ed.gov/

Applicants to whom this scheme refers should contact the Registry before they apply since the process for international institutions is slightly different to US institutions. The Guildhall School ID number is 021967.