KMS Bursaries

KMS have a limited amount of funding to help parents and carers on a low income. This means we can give children in Year 3 and above who attend an RBK school, bursaries (discounts on fees).

The criteria to apply for bursary is as follows:

• Child must be eligible for Free School Meals* (see notes below)
• Child must currently attend an RBK school
• Students will have a 20 minute individual or 30 minute group lesson only (this can only be extended to 30 or 40 minutes at the request of a tutor/parent if the child has made sufficient progress and is committed)
• You can only apply for one course per child
• Child must be in Year 3 or above

What support will I get?

• 60% reduction in fees (see fees page for bursary fees)
• 60% reduction in instrument hire
• Free membership of an ensemble for one year and at 60% reduction in fees thereafter

Who can apply?

You could get help to pay your KMS fees if:

• you have an annual income of less than £16,190, and

you get one or more of these benefits:

• income support
• income-based job seeker's allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• the guarantee element of state pension credit
• support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• child tax credit (but not working tax credit)
• working tax credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

How to apply

Once you have applied for lessons with KMS, for lessons at school or a music centre, please complete this KMS Bursary application form and we will be in touch. We may contact you for further information.

Once a bursary has been granted it is the parent/guardian's responcibility to let KMS know of any changes in finacial circumstance straight away. If something changes and you no longer meet the criteria for the bursary we will ask you to pay the full amount for the lessons. We reserve the right to recover any underpayment of fees. 

Ending bursaries

We reservce the right to withdraw students from the bursary programme if they are not regularly attending lessons or making satisfactory progress.

View the Charges, Remissions and Subsidy Policy

FKMS Hardship fund

Who are we?

FKMS (Friends of Kingston Music Service) is a registered charity that manages a hardship fund to support families struggling to pay the full cost of music tuition in the short term. Music lessons can seem like a luxury but the benefits to children go much further than simply playing an instrument, so we aim to help out where we can. 

How do FKMS do this?

FKMS is run by a committee* which meets 3 times per year to consider applications from parents and carers for subsidised music lessons and ensemble membership. Deadlines for applications are:

• 1st September
• 4th January
• 20th April

The application process includes a form to fill in with some financial details plus a mini report from a KMS tutor. Our procedures are GDPR compliant. Successful applicants are usually awarded music lessons at 50% cost plus free membership of an ensemble for a year in the first instance. We like our applicants to play in ensembles as we know the social side of music making is just as important as the music making itself! 

The admin team at KMS can email a copy of the application form on request.

Keep in touch with FKMS news and fundraising.

Before the pandemic FKMS used to fundraise at KMS concerts and events; FKMS supporters could often be seen selling cakes or shaking buckets at commuters and such. In 2020 fundraising moved online with a family quiz and sponsored Practiseathon. We hope to resume normal duties where possible but you can donate £5 to FKMS at any time by texting FKMS to 70085. 

*we're always pleased to have new committee members so do get in touch if you want to be involved. 

E-mail address - fkmskingston@gmail.com

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Kingston-Music-Service-105061894755318

Twitter – @FKMSKingston

Instagram - @FKMSKingston

Third-party organisations who might be able to help...

Trinity College London Music & Drama Access Fund

The Music and Drama Access Fund provides small grants for Trinity candidates based in the UK and Ireland who experience barriers to accessing music and drama education and our qualifications. These barriers could include having special educational needs and disabilities, living in areas of rural isolation and/or socio economic deprivation or being in a specific minority group, plus a range of other factors. The grants can be used in order to help these candidates achieve one of our Music or Drama qualifications.

View the Trinity website for more information, guidance and to apply.

London Music Fund

The London Music Fund award four-year music Scholarships to children who have started learning an instrument and are doing really well but whose families find it difficult to pay for music lessons, meaning that without our support they would have to give up their studies. Application come through KMS on an annual basis. Let you KMS teacher know if you are interested in applying.

See the LMF website for more details.