Fees and payment

KMS Bursaries

Please note, the way KMS offer bursaries will be changing in September 2025 -more details to follow.

Current bursaries will continue as follows:

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 responsibility to let KMS know of any changes in financial 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 reserve 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. To make a donation, use Just Giving​,​ or sign up to support them via the Kingston Lottery.

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! 

To apply for FKMS Hardship Funding comlete their application form.

Keep in touch with FKMS news and fundraising.

FKMS fundraise at KMS concerts and events and we hope to do more fundraising to support more and more students. If you would like to volunteer to help fundraise, we'd love to hear from you. You can also 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/profile.php?id=61572215987429

X (Twitter) – @FKMSKingston

Instagram - @FKMSKingston

Schemes run in partnership with KMS:

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. Look out for nomination information in February each year and let your KMS teacher know if you are interested in applying.

To be nominated, students must:

• Be in Year 3 at the earliest and Year 5 at the latest (at the point of nomination)
• Attend a junior school in London where there are no school fees
• Have been learning a musical instrument for a minimum of one year
• Show potential and commitment to learning
• Be in a family where the ongoing cost of tuition would be prohibitive
   

See the LMF website for more details.

ABRSM Exam Discounts

Grade exams are a great way for your child to get recognition for their musical learning and receive objective feedback.  They are recognised qualifications and the higher grades can count towards UCAS points.

We are lucky to be part of a scheme that enables us to offer a number of discounted exams (50% or 80% depending on eligability) to students who meet one of these certain conditions:

• Eligible for a KMS Bursary
• Eligible for Free School Meals
• Looked After Child
• Pupil Premium
• Temporary hardship, such as family bereavement or loss of employment in the household
• Holder of a London Music Fund Scholarship

If you believe you may be eligible for a discount, please ask your KMS tutor to apply for a discount on your behalf - you will receive an email for you to confirm you are happy for the application to be made. Please note, KMS have a certain amount of allocation for discounts each year and discounts are given on a first come first served basis once eligibility has been confirmed.

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.

Young Sounds UK

Young Sounds UK (formerly Awards for Young Musicians) believes that all talented young people deserve the chance to progress in their music making. They award £100,000 in grants to exceptional young instrumentalists in need of support. If you love making music and money and other things hold you back, a Young Sounds UK Award could help. Maybe you play an instrument, produce, compose or write songs? You could get between £100 and £2,000 for your music. And you'll join a community of talented young musicians from across the UK and get free musical opportunities and advice too.

Find out more and apply for Young Sounds funding

Future Talent

Future Talent supports musicians from any genre of music be it classical, folk or rock and on any instrument from violin to voice and drums to beat boxing.

Christine Brown Trust

If you are under 19 years of age, a UK resident and can demonstrate evidence of exceptional musical talent, you can apply for funding from the Christine Brown Trust.

Help Musicians UK

Help Musicians UK is a UK charity for professional musicians of all genres. Here is a section on supporting young musicians.

London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO)

LPO Junior Artists is a free year-long programme for eight young musicians from backgrounds currently under-represented in professional UK orchestras, offering an immersive, behind-the scenes experience with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Martin Read Foundation

The Martin Read Foundation supports young musicians through workshop, performance and mentoring opportunities.

Peter Handley Percussion Award

The Peter Handley Percussion Award is a charity that helps young percussionists. Students have had funding towards instrument purchases, one off specialist lessons, summer schools and workshops.

The Universal Music UK Sound Foundation

Assistance with the purchase of musical instruments and/or equipment for schools, teachers and students in full time education. Apply for assistance on the Universal Music UK website.

British Horn Society

The British Horn Society are now welcoming applications to the Sue and Freddy Walding Bursary. These are available to help promising young UK horn players under the age of 18 in need of financial support.

Valentine Alcock Scholarship

The Valentine Alcock Scholarship is a small charity that helps 14 to 18 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds by paying for them to attend residential instrumental music courses, ranging from short local authority ensemble workshops to international summer schools. Email enquiries@valentinealcockscholarship.org.uk