Funding your training
We know that working out how to fund drama school can feel complicated. We’re here to make it as straightforward as possible.
Depending on your course, age, residency and household income, you may be able to access government funding to help cover your course fees and, in some cases, your living costs.
From September 2027, eligible students joining our Three Year and Foundation Courses will be able to apply for funding through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE). All eligible MA students are able to apply for Postgraduate Loans from their respective regional student loans provider.
We also offer a range of OSD bursaries and scholarships to help make training more accessible.
Funding Guide
You can click through the headings below to get a quick summary of the government funding options available to you for each course.
Important: Government funding has its own eligibility rules, including requirements relating to your residency, previous study, age and the course you’re applying for. Funding isn’t automatically guaranteed because you have been offered a place at OSD.
Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) tuition fee funding is available if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Postgraduate loans are available, depending on where you live and your previous studies.
For the first time, government funding is available for our Foundation Course!
Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) tuition fee funding is available if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Lifelong Learning Entitlement
New Funding For OSD Students
From September 2027, eligible students joining OSD’s Three Year Course and Foundation Course will be able to apply for funding through the Government’s Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).
The LLE is the new student finance system for students based in England. It replaces the previous higher education student finance and Advanced Learner Loan systems.
For eligible students, the LLE can provide a Tuition Fee Loan to help cover the cost of your course. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be eligible for support with living costs.
Who Can Access the LLE?
Your eligibility depends on a number of factors, including your residency or nationality status, age, and previous study.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, eligible students will be able to access the relevant LLE equivalent. You should check with your relevant student finance authority to find out what support you may be able to access.
Funding For Three Year Course
What are the Course Fees?
Three Year Course in Acting: £10,050 per year (academic year 27/28)
What Funding is Available to Me?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement
Eligible students living in England will be able to apply for LLE funding towards their Three Year Course fees.
This replaces the Advanced Learner Loan route for students starting under the new system.
LLE Alternative
Eligible students living in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be able to access the LLE equivalent offered by their own Student Finance Authority:
- Welsh Students – Student Finance Wales
- Scottish Students – SAAS
- Northern Irish Students – Student Finance NI
Example LLE Funding Scenarios - Three Year Course
Scenario One
I live in England, but I already have an Undergraduate degree which I funded fully though a government student loan.
Depending on when you completed your studies, you may still be able to access some LLE funding, as the equivalent of three years of tuition-fee funding is normally deducted from your LLE entitlement.
The LLE provides you with a lifelong pot of funding equivalent to four years of study at the current capped rate.
So, if you studied for three years with fees set at £9,250 you will have used a total of £27,750 of funding. When starting a course in 2027, you have access to a total of £40,200 through the LLE. Once we remove your existing loan, you could have a total of £12,450 remaining to help cover your fees on our Three Year Course.
The remaining course fees would need to be privately funded.
Scenario Two
I live in England, and have never taken out a student loan before
You are eligible to apply for the LLE, subject to meeting the other eligibility requirements.
As you have no previous higher-level study, you have your full LLE tuition fee entitlement available.
You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan through the LLE to cover the eligible tuition fees for your training.
You may also be eligible for additional student finance to help with your living costs.
Funding For One Year MA
What are the Course Fees?
One Year MA in Professional Acting: £21,000 for the whole course (academic year 27/28)
What Funding is Available to Me?
Postgraduate Master’s Loan
As a new full-time postgraduate student, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan. These loans are repaid after your studies.
A Postgraduate Master’s Loan will cover most of your course fees. Master’s Loans are capped and set by the government, and they are not means-tested. You do not apply for your funding with us at OSD; rather, you apply directly with the Student Finance authority.
There may be some differences in what you can apply for, depending on where you live.
There is more detailed information below, as well as on the Government’s website.
It is worth noting that, if you have already taken out a Postgraduate Master’s Loan then you will not be able to take out a second loan to cover your course fees here at OSD. Keep reading for more details, and for some funding scenarios designed to help bring this information to life.
Example Funding Scenarios - One Year MA
Scenario One
I live in Wales, and I have never taken out a Master's Loan before.
You could be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan through Student Finance Wales.
The maximum loan you could receive is £19,858, and you can decide how this funding is allocated (either course fees, living costs, or a mix).
If you use the full allocation towards your course fees, you will need to self-finance the remaining course fees.
- £1,745 self-finance
- £19,255 Master’s Loan
Scenario Two
I live in Scotland and have never taken out a Master's Loan before.
You could be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan through the Student Awards Agency Scotland.
The maximum tuition loan you could receive is £7,000 in addition to a Living Cost Loan, which could be up to £6,900
You will need to self-finance the course fees not covered by your Tuition Loan.
- £7,000 Tuition Loan
- £14,000 Self-funded
Scenario Three
I live in England and have never taken out a Master's Loan before.
You could be eligible for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan through Student Finance England.
The maximum loan you could receive is £12,8580 and you can decide how this funding is allocated (either course fees, living costs, or a mix).
You will need to self-finance the course fees not covered by your loan
- £12,858 maximum course fee loan
- £8,142 self-funded
Scenario Four
I live in the UK and I have taken out a Post Graduate Master's Loan already to support myself through a different course
You are not eligible to take out another Post Graduate Master’s Loan and will need to self-fund your course fees.
OSD offers some Burasaries to those who may need support in funding their training. If you have received an offer to train at OSD and are interested in applying for a One Year Course Bursary, please get in touch with Laura, our Student Support Manager, at l.murray-white@oxforddrama.ac.uk, to request further information.
Funding For Foundation Courses
Fees
What Funding is Available to Me?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement
Eligible students living in England will be able to apply for LLE funding towards their Three Year Course fees.
This replaces the Advanced Learner Loan route for students starting under the new system.
LLE Alternative
Eligible students living in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be able to access the LLE equivalent offered by their own Student Finance Authority:
Bursaries and Scholarships
The School has a number of bursaries and scholarships available to support course fees and living costs for students who need extra support or who are facing financial hardship.
OSD Awards
The Oxford School of Drama Bursaries
The Oxford School of Drama is committed to promoting inclusivity in the arts and is working proactively towards greater diversity in the range of actors training for the profession. Lack of available funding, which disproportionately affects those applying for our Foundation and One-Year courses, can be a barrier to talented prospective students.
Foundation Bursaries
As part of our commitment to ensuring fairer access, we offer three bursaries for students accepted onto our Six Month Foundation Course for entry in September 2026.
The bursary amounts are as follows
- 3 x Foundation Course bursaries – £3.5k each
For the Foundation Course bursaries, applications are welcomed from anyone with a household income under £35,000 for whom the total fee amount acts as a barrier to accepting a place.
You must have received an offer to attend the school to request an application form. Please email Laura, our Student Support Manager, at l.murray-white@oxforddrama.ac.uk
The deadline for applications will be 3rd July 2026.
Applicants who receive an offer after the deadline date cannot be considered for the bursaries.
Further detailed information about the Foundation Course Bursaries can be found here.
One Year Bursaries
We are aware that the Postgraduate Master’s Loans don’t cover the full cost of course fees, and that the amount you can apply for varies depending on where you live.
We want to ensure our training is accessible to as many people as possible.
To help improve access to our training, we offer a limited number of Oxford School of Drama Bursaries for students joining the One Year MA in Acting.
The Busary amounts are as follows:
- 7 x One Year MA Bursaries – £3,000 each
If you have received an offer to train at OSD and are interested in applying for a One Year Course Bursary, please get in touch with Laura, our Student Support Manager, at l.murray-white@oxforddrama.ac.uk, to request further information.
Student Hardship Fund
The Oxford School of Drama has established its own Hardship Fund which is distributed each year to students on the Three Year and One Year courses at the School. Students not in receipt of government funding and students with disabilities are prioritised.
External Awards
Mhairi Armstrong Bursary
This bursary is in memory of Mhairi Armstong, former Voice Tutor and Trustee of the School, in recognition of her dedication to the work of the School. This bursary is given to a Three Year Course student at the end of their first year of training.
Laurence Olivier Bursary
The Society of London Theatre offers these annual bursaries to help second year students on the Three Year Course facing financial difficulty in their final year of training. The School is invited to nominate two candidates to audition for this bursary.
Constellations Creatives Drama Student Bursary
The School is invited to nominate a student of East Asian origin for this bursary awarded by Yellow Earth Theatre Company to encourage and promote greater participation and representation of East Asian actors on stage and screen.
Sir John Gielgud Bursary
The School is invited to nominate one second year student on the Three Year Course who is facing financial hardship for this bursary.
Equity Student Bursary
Equity makes two awards of £500 each year to help support actors at the start of their professional career. The school, alongside other Federation of Drama School members, nominates two students for the award. Nominated students must be existing Equity Student Members and in their final year of training.
Spotlight Prize
The School nominates one third-year graduating student to audition for the Spotlight Prize.
Sophie's Silver Lining Fund
The School is proud to be a nominated institution for Sophie’s Silver Lining Fund. OSD nominates a student who needs financial support. The fund seeks to support the nominated student throughout their training. Grants will be no more than £1,000.
