Intensive postgraduate study is vital if the next generation of musicians are to achieve their potential, but the costs are astronomical. Taking living expenses and tuition fees into account, the cost of a two-year postgraduate degree can easily reach £40,000.
Help Musicians' postgraduate awards offer support to students who wish to complete their studies at the leading UK conservatoires and performing arts colleges. The charity has been making awards to postgraduate music students of between £1,000 and £5,000 since the 1970s.
Previous winners of these awards include trumpeter Alison Balsom OBE, percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, violinist Clio Gould, cellist Guy Johnston, violinist Tasmin Little OBE and guitarist Miloš Karadaglic.
In 2019, the average award for a postgraduate musician was £2,780, helping a total of 103 students with their next year of study.
Who can Apply
This year our postgraduate awards are open to students who are either hoping to start a postgraduate degree or move in to a second year of postgraduate study in September 2020.
Our postgraduate awards are only open to students who are studying on a music performance related course at the following conservatoires or performance institutions:
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama
- Leeds College of Music
- National Opera Studio*
- Royal Academy of Music
- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
- Royal College of Music
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Royal Northern College of Music
- Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
- Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
- Wales International Academy of Voice*
*Opera courses only
Please read the full application guidelines before submitting your application.
From 2 January 2020 we will accept applications from students who wish to study a the following disciplines:
- Brass
- Guitar
- Harp
- Historical Performance
- Jazz
- Lower strings
- Percussion
- Piano/ piano accompaniment
- Upper strings
- Voice
- Woodwind
Applications from the following disciplines should apply in April 2020:
- Musical Theatre
- Opera
- Popular Music
- Répétiteur
- Traditional Music
To apply for our postgraduate awards, students must:
- Be intending to study a postgraduate degree in September 2020. (ie. Mmus, MA, PGDip, Artist Diploma)
- Have lived in the UK for at least 3 consecutive years at the start of the academic year in which they will be supported by the award
- Be in financial need
- Demonstrate that they have the musical potential and ambition to create a successful and sustainable career within the music industry
Help Musicians strongly encourages applications from students from underrepresented backgrounds, including those from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds, D/deaf and disabled people; and those from lower socio-economic groups.
Through our Postgraduate Awards, we are unable to fund:
- Non-music performance degrees such as composition, music technology, music education, music therapy, arts administration and music business
- Undergraduate courses
- PhDs, MPhil, DMus, Doctorates
- Study from the previous academic year
- Applications from students not intending on studying at the above institutions
Please contact creative@helpmusicians.org.uk if you are not sure whether you are eligible or if you have any queries regarding our eligibility criteria.
How to Apply
To apply for our postgraduate awards, you must complete our online application form.
Please read the application guidelines for full details on how to apply, the process involved and audition requirements should you be shortlisted.
Do not hesitate to get in touch with the Creative Team should you have any queries. You can email us on creative@helpmusicians.org.uk or call us on 020 7239 9119.
The deadline for applications is Monday 3 February at 5pm. Any applications submitted after this date will not be accepted.
