Financial Assistance Bursary
Bursaries are awarded to students based on financial need. Funds vary from year to year and the Academy tries to help as many students as it can.
The Academy awarded 180 students with financial assistance bursaries in academic year 2024/25 with most bursary awards in the region of £1,000 to £2,000.
UK-fee Bachelor Degree students are not usually eligible for Academy bursaries because they can access both tuition fee loans and maintenance support.
However, we are offering maintenance bursaries for UK-fee BMus students in the most challenging financial circumstances.
If you believe you fit this criteria, please contact Christina Jefferson, Student Funding Manager, at admissions@ram.ac.uk.
Information for Junior Academy applicants can be found on our Junior Academy Financial Support page.
Financial Assistance Form Academic Year 2026-27
Applications are open to International (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) and Home (Postgraduate) students.
In order to make a complete bursary application you need to demonstrate that you have (or intend to):
- Apply for any tuition fee or maintenance loans that are available in your country.
- Apply for external funding from as many funds as possible. Click the link below for more information.
- Non-UK students need to contact either their own education ministry and/or British Council office for details of possible awards for study abroad.
- Be prepared to work during the long Academy vacations.
- Outline all other sources of funding
About your request
Please note the following about your request:
Please ensure you complete all questions in the form in full.
Also note that this form is a request only and the Academy cannot guarantee we will be able to provide funding for everyone who applies.
Bursaries are awarded for one academic year only so students need to make a new application if they require bursary support in subsequent years of study.
Deadlines for submission
Applications open on Tuesday 6 January and will close on Monday 25 May 2026 at 5pm (UK time).
2026-27 Financial Assistance Bursary Timeline
Phase 1: Application Window (January – May)
- January 9 (9:00 AM UK time): Applications officially open.
- May 25 (5:00 PM UK time): Deadline to submit your application.
Note: Around May, you may also be asked to submit an Update Requests Form if your financial situation or external funding status changes.
Phase 2: Review & Decisions (June – July)
The Financial Assistance Committee meets over two months to review applications and issue decisions via email.
June: First Committee Meeting
The committee reviews all applications submitted by the May deadline. You will receive an email with one of three decisions:
- Bursary Awarded: You have been granted a bursary for the 2026–27 academic year.
- Application On Hold: A decision is postponed (usually because you are waiting on external funding or the committee needs more information).
- Action Required: You will be asked to fill out an Update Requests Form with your latest financial info.
- Application Unsuccessful: The bursary is denied (most commonly because the application steps/eligibility were not clearly demonstrated).
July: Second Committee Meeting
The committee meets again to review all applications that were placed on hold or brought forward from the June meeting.
Phase 3: Late Applications & Close (August – September)
- August: Late applications may be considered at the committee's discretion, but only after all on-time applications have been processed.
- September: The academic year begins. The bursary process officially closes, and no further applications will be accepted.