Student Bursaries: The Gift of Opportunity

This winter we’re taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021, raising money for the College’s new Bursary Fund to directly support students here at RWCMD.

How do Bursaries Help Students?

We’re always striving for diversity and excellence among our student community, and Bursary support is one of the ways we’re able to achieve this, helping our students to reach their potential.

Bursaries open up pathways into specialist conservatoire training for talented young people who might not be able to accept an offer due to financial constraints. It can provide them with the support they need to reach artistic excellence.

International Chair for Opera Carlo Rizzi told us why he pledged to our bursary fund:

‘I feel very passionate about the fact that every person that has talent should have the opportunity to progress, to find a pathway in the profession that they choose.’

We’re lucky to be able to welcome talented students from all backgrounds and around 50 countries, creating a culturally and creatively diverse College community. Creating an inclusive environment is immensely important to us and ensures that we play our part in developing an innovative and successful workforce for the future.

We spoke to Becky Mercer, our SU president, who told us how vital financial support was to her when she first came to College:

‘It was really important, wherever I chose to do my postgraduate degree that I receive some sort of financial help…I’m living proof that your background shouldn’t have to affect getting a career in the arts.’

In the case of many students unforeseen circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, family illness, or other unexpected financial hardships can mean that plans to accept their place to study suddenly seems unachievable.

For these students, the promise of a bursary can take away the weight of financial pressure of their degree, increasing their confidence, commitment and enjoyment of their studies and allowing them to fulfil their potential.

‘Finding out that I’d got the financial support was amazing, it made me feel so much more confident in my studies.’ – Jessica Dunne Perkins, Acting Student

High-quality training and opportunities like those provided at RWCMD should be available regardless of financial circumstances. We spoke to Acting lecturer Suzanne Packer, who’s experienced first-hand how transformational financial support can be for students:

‘My parents would never have been able to afford for me to come to drama school, or university for that matter… I’d never be doing this job as an actor, as a teacher if it wasn’t for a grant or a bursary.’

To support our Big Give Christmas Challenge please visit our campaign page.

Thanks to RWCMD Development intern Tilly Scott for writing this blog post on our Student Bursaries.

Feature Image: Kirsten McTernan

Main picture shows Abel Selaocoe, from the Manchester Collective, working with students earlier this term.