Student Loans

Students taking our 3 Year BA (Hons) in Professional Acting course may be eligible to apply for a student loan through Student Finance England.

SLC Course Code: 844318

All applicants should register as a student of University of West London on their application.

EU nationals can apply for a student loan as a UK national if you've been living in the UK for more than 5 years before the first of September of the first academic year of your course. 

Students taking our MFA in Professional Acting with Independent Production may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Masters Loan through Student Finance England. More details can be found on our Postgraduate Loans page.

Unfortunately, students taking our 1 Year Diploma course are unable to apply for a student loan and should look at the other options available. 

DSL's Student Bursary Award

The Friends of Drama Studio London is a small semi-independent charity funded largely by donations from alumni of Drama Studio London.

The money must be used for living expenses not for fees, and can only be applied for once a place has been accepted and confirmed.

Deadline for applications is the third Monday in October each year and the decision on who receives the bursaries will be made by a small panel at the end of that month.

No audition is required and bursaries are offered on the basis of financial need. Decisions will be made on the evidence of a short letter no longer than 1 A4 page addressed to the Managing Director setting out the case for receiving the assistance.

»Find Out More

Mayflower Theatre Bursary

Mayflower Theatre is the biggest theatre on the south coast who operates as an independent charitable trust with the aim to bring a diverse range of shows to Southampton. They have allocated up to £50,000 per year to support young people who wish to undertake a career in the arts. They offer financial backing to contribute towards tuition fees as well as smaller grants for short courses, materials etc. Typically, the individual bursary awards fall into the £500 to £2,500 range. The criteria are:

• The main residency must be in Hampshire.
• Students must be aged between 16 and 25.
• Applicants must provide documentary evidence that they have been accepted for an accredited course of study.
• They will only pay course fees directly to Drama Studio London on receipt of an invoice.
• Applicants must provide receipts for a bursary which covers travel or course materials.
• Household income is a factor in the allocation of a bursary and they rarely consider an applicant if their income is above £20,000 pa.

Applicants must apply directly to Mayflower Theatre

»Find Out More & Apply Online

Your Council & Other Local Options

If you contact your local council, local Citizens Advice Bureau, town hall or local clergy. they may be able to inform you of any performing arts scholarships available. Generally, these only cover part of your fees and you will be required to fund the rest yourself.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with disabilities you may be eligible to receive financial support. The Disability Rights UK website offers more information. 

Funding Awards Whilst Training

Each year Drama Studio London is eligible to nominate a student for the following awards, generally based on talent and need. Nominees will be competing against nominees from other drama schools.

School nominated prizes (students cannot apply themselves):

• The Lionel Bart Foundation
• The John Gielgud Charitable Trust
• The Olivier Award
• Yellow Earth (for East Asian Actors)
• The Maggie Ollerenshaw Prize for Comedic Acting: A prize of £500 awarded annually to one graduating student who, in the eyes of the faculty, has displayed a natural talent for comedy and has developed their skills in this area during their time at Drama Studio London. It is not based on a single performance but on their work over the whole course. The winner is decided and announced each May. Students are unable to apply for this, it will be awarded by the school. Maggie is perhaps best known for playing the role of Mavis in the BBC sitcom series Open All Hours and its spin-off series Still Open All Hours. The winner in 2020 was Henry Settle - BA (Hons) in Professional Acting.
• The Anon Prize for Shakespeare Performances: A cash prize is awarded annually to one graduating student who, in the eyes of the faculty, has impressed with their Shakespeare Performances during their time at Drama Studio London. It is not based on a single performance but on theire talent and progress over the whole course. The winner in 2020 was Sally Sharp - 1 Year Diploma in Professional Acting

Student applied prizes:

• Alan Bates Award: students can apply for this in their graduating year. The award prize bundle is worth over £5000. Find out more..

The Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise (DBACE)

The DBACE is an awards programme for final year undergraduate/postgraduate creative students and first-year graduates, providing financial and business support to help launch creative careers. Five winners of five categories will each win £10,000 and all winners and shortlisted applicants will also receive two days of intensive small business training.

Students on our Diploma and Degree course are eligible to apply.

»Find Out More & Apply Online

Other Charities & Trusts

Some charities/trusts offer funding to people covering a wide range of eligibility criteria. Some online research is bound to provide some results.

There is also a Grant Search function on the Turn2Us website which you might find helpful.

Successful applications often result from local or regional connections. You may have to do a lot of research but we advise you as a first step to 'think local'.

› Make sure you check that you satisfy the eligibility requirements for your chosen grant before applying.