Bursary scheme
Would you like to audition for the NCO, but are worried that you won’t be able to afford the annual fees? We strongly believe children should have the opportunity to participate in the NCO based on their musical merit not on their ability to pay.
The bursary scheme exists for children from low income families who would find it difficult to meet the costs involved in being part of the NCO. It works on a sliding scale; people who are most in need receive the most help:
| £0 ➟ £28,000 | £28,000 ➟ £56,000 |
| full bursary | partial bursary |
Figures are based on your family's gross income. Each application is considered on a case by case basis.
As well as helping with the annual fee, there are a number of additional benefits available to bursary recipients:
| Travel | Accommodation | Regional Orchestras | Free tickets |
| We offer all bursary recipients a travel allowance of 12p per mile to help with the costs of travelling to courses and concerts. | In some cases we can offer bursary recipients an accommodation allowance of £50 per night to help with hotel costs after a concert, if the concert venue is a long way from home. |
Partial bursary recipients pay a reduced fee of £6 per rehearsal; full bursary recipients can attend for free. |
If you’re a bursary recipient in Under 13 or Main Orchestra we will offer you two free tickets for each of your public concerts. |
How you can help
To make sure that the NCO Bursary Scheme can help as many children as possible, we ask parents to look for other sources of funding as well. This might be from local charities, businesses or other contacts. We have a ‘how to’ guide which lists lots of ideas for finding help.
What to do next
To join the NCO you need to do an audition first. You don’t need to tell us anything about your financial circumstances in advance as this doesn’t affect your chances of getting a place. If you’re successful we’ll send you some information, including a letter offering you a place and a bursary form. Please fill in the bursary form, closely following all of the instructions and answering the questions honestly and accurately.
Where does the money come from?
As a registered charity, we fundraise every year to find funds to directly help you, through the provision of bursaries. It’s thanks to the generosity of a range of individuals and charitable trusts and foundations, that we’re able to do this.
We reserve the right to request copies of P60s and other documentation to prove your claims.
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