Fees and Funding

Information for the Course Fees for all ALRA courses can be found on the relevant Fees & Dates tab for each course:

ALRA is a private school, working with partners in Higher Education classed as an Alternative Provider (AP), depending on personal circumstances and the course undertaken, students can access funding from a variety of sources.

ALRA offers help with audition fees as well as a limited number of fully funded places on the Foundation Course through agreements with partner organisations.

Dance and Drama Award (DaDA)

DaDA are scholarships funded by the Education Funding Agency. DaDA can offer greatly reduced tuition fees and access to an income-assessed student support fund. 

DaDA is merit-based and means-tested. DaDA are offered only to the applicants who show the most potential to succeed in the profession based on their audition, and the value of the award is determined on the basis of a national scale and by the circumstances and household income of the student; students from lower income families contribute less (towards fees and maintenance) and those from higher income families contribute more.

DaDA are available for new students starting courses as well as continuing students in their second or third year of study. There are only a very limited number of DaDA available for new students at ALRA, 1 in 4 Acting Students are currently DaDA funded.

Students who are in receipt of DaDA are not eligible to apply for a Student or Maintenance Loan.

Students who are in receipt of DaDA must be means-tested and assessed each year throughout their time at ALRA.

https://www.gov.uk/dance-drama-awards

Student Loan

Students who are not offered Dance and Drama Awards are entitled to apply for a Student Loan to assist them with the cost of tuition. ALRA is classed as an Alternative Provider which means that the government places a cap on the amount of tuition fee loan available. Please note the student loan does not cover the whole tuition fee; the maximum tuition fee Student Loan currently available is £6,165. 

All students who are eligible to receive Student Loan funding are also eligible to apply for a means-tested Maintenance Loan to help with living expenses.  The amount of Maintenance Loan you are entitled to depends on your income (or that of your parents) and where you are living while studying.

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/desig/cdforstudents/

Private Finance

ALRA is a private school and classed as an Alternative Provider, which can mean that despite being in receipt of DaDA or Loan a student needs to clear the remaining balance of fees. A number of our previous students have been able to do this with the help of family or through various fundraising activities.

As our Foundation Course is Professionally Accredited and not part of the Further or Higher Education framework, unfortunately there is no funding support available for students on the Foundation Acting courses. 

Post Graduate Loan

Students who are not offered Dance and Drama Awards are now entitled to apply for a Post Graduate Loan to assist them with the cost of tuition and living expenses. The maximum Post Graduate Loan currently available is £11,222. 

Students who are in receipt of DaDA are not eligible to apply for a Post Graduate Loan.

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/desig/cdforstudents/

Once enrolled at ALRA, students can be considered for various internal and external competitive scholarships, bursaries and awards. The student is supported by Administrative staff and Faculty throughout the application and in their preparation for any performance or interview as required.

Students are nominated by ALRA for bursaries from the following:

• The Laurence Olivier Bursary
• The Stanley Picker Trust
• The Lilian Baylis Award
• The Sir John Gielgud Charitable Trust
• The Lionel Bart Award
• The Talbot House Trust

A number of charities and funding organisations will also consider ALRA students’ applications but the majority that do, tend to focus on undergraduates.

If you are applying for funding, it is important to approach funders whose priorities and concerns match your situation. Please ensure that you research the organisation and how they support individuals prior to making any contact with them.

Previous recipients of bursaries and funding awards include:

The Sir John Gielgud Charitable Trust Bursary
2019 Leah Vanmali
2018 Hanna Durham
2016 Kyle Fisher

The Lionel Bart Foundation
2019 Zoe Murrell, Brandon Worrall, Helder Fernandes
2018 Rhiannon Cura, Joe Rowberry, Charles Barnett
2017 Samantha Jarvis
2016 Nicole Bartlett, Tom Wilmot

Lilian Bayliss Award
2019 Marcia Davies
2017 Winnie Southgate
2016 Lucinda Jarvis
2015 Bethany Reilly
2013 Charlotte Boundy

The Laurence Olivier Bursary
2019 Natalie Blair
2018 Louis Ellis
2017 Romario Simpson
2016 Gaby French
2014 Elena Valentine
2013 Beth Mullen
2012 Lydea Perkins
2011 Maria Louis

Sir Alec Guinness Award
2017 Evangeline Osbon
2011 Raj Bajaj
2010 Kirsty McDuff

In addition, ALRA students have applied to or received help from:

• The Spotlight Prize
• The APHP Headshot Bursary - a free set of headshots to one student each year.
• Equity Student Bursary – two nominated 3rd year students each year (one north one south)
• Constellation Creatives Drama Student Bursary Award - final year East Asian actor
• BAFTA Scholarship Programme
• Sunday for Sammy – for North East Actors - by personal application
• The JAM Scholarship (won in 2020 by Madison Stock)
• Sir Alan Bates Award