UMUKSF INDIVIDUAL FUNDING

*Applications Open*

In 2025 we will begin the transition from running two funding rounds per year to three rounds per year, giving more opportunities for you to apply to us for support.

The new funding schedule is as follows (please note this is a guideline only, exact dates will be provided on our website):

  • Applications will open in April for funding offers made in September
  • Applications will open in August for funding offers made in January
  • Applications will open in December for funding offers made in April

Please check below for the submission deadline.

If your application is successful you will have approximately 2 months to pay the balance on your item (if applicable) and claim our donation (exact dates will be provided at the time of our offer), so you need to consider if you will have raised the balance in that time frame. If not, we strongly recommend you wait and apply to a future funding round as we are not able to provide extensions to claim the donation.

Please ensure you read this page in full and meet the following criteria to apply for funding before completing an application form. If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply please email umuksoundfoundation@umusic.com

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be a EU/ EEA (European Economic Area) national, British, or overseas applicant ordinarily/habitually resident in the UK.
  • Also, all individuals applying for funding must be in full time education at the time funding offers are made (detailed above) and either be:
    • in school (year 11 and below) and having regular music lessons

or

    • enrolled on a certified music course, studying full time at college/university/conservatoire (year 12 and beyond)

All applications must be supported by a reference from your current music teacher. Further details are in the ‘How to Apply’ section below.

Please note, if you are in further education you will be required to provide a letter from your educational organisation confirming your enrolment and course before a donation can be claimed. If you do not meet the above criteria then you are not eligible to apply to the Foundation for funding.

We do not fund the following:

  • Music lessons, tuition fees or maintenance costs (i.e. travel, accommodation fees).
  • Students that are post GCSE education (aged 17 and over) and who have private music lesson but are not enrolled and studying on a certified full time music course.
  • Individuals who are present in the UK temporarily or only for the purpose of education or attending a course of study i.e. if you are enrolled as an international student with your college/university.

Please Note

  • We do not fund items retrospectively and you are not eligible for funding if you have already purchased your item, or if you buy it after you submit your application but before funding has been offered. This includes entering into a loan agreement and paying a deposit.
  • Any funding offered by the trustees cannot be used as a deposit on an item, it may only be used to cover the whole cost or as a final instalment. Should you be awarded funding you will have approximately 2 months to claim it (claiming deadlines are confirmed when we make a funding offer), so please keep this in mind when deciding which funding round is the best one for you to apply to.
  • We are only able to pay suppliers with a UK bank account.

Returning Applicants

  • If you have applied for funding in the past and were successful please wait for two years from when the funding was offered before applying again. If your application was unsuccessful, you may apply again after one year. If you are unsure of when you are next eligible to apply, please email umuksoundfoundation@umusic.com before completing an application form.
  • Due to the high demand for funding, regrettably we can only offer grants to individuals a maximum of three times.

How to Apply

  • Step 1 – prepare your information
    • Click HERE and read our ‘Individual Application Instructions’ as it provides an overview of all the information you will need to complete the application.
    • We advise collating the information stated in this document before you begin an application as you will not be able to save and return to it once you have started.
  • Step 2 – complete and submit your application
    • On the right of this page there are links to our application forms. There is one for applicants aged 15 & under and another for those aged 16 & over.
    • When you are ready to complete your application click the link for the one relating to your age on the day you are applying and answer all of the questions.
    • You will receive an automated on screen confirmation your application has been submitted.
    • Once submitted, the application is final and cannot be amended and if you want to give additional information you’ll need to submit a completely new form. If we receive more than one application for an individual, we will only process the most recent submission.
  • Step 3 – music teacher reference
    • Each application must be supported by a reference from your current, independent (not related to the applicant) music teacher.
    • We can only accept references which are completed on our reference form. Your referee must download this by clicking the link on the right of this page (under the link to the application forms).
    • If your music teacher submits a reference in a different format/not on our reference form, I’m afraid we will not be able to process it and your application will be considered incomplete and not be passed on to the trustees for consideration.
    • The referee must email the reference to us at the address on the form. We can’t process references submitted by applicants.
    • You will need to provide their contact details as part of your application.
    • It is your responsibility to ensure the referee submits their reference form by the submission deadline. If it is not received by us, your application will be deemed incomplete and not be passed on to the trustees for consideration. Please ask your referee to confirm to you once they’ve sent in their reference.
    • You will be emailed after the submission deadline confirming your application is complete if we receive your reference.

Application Deadline

  • The deadline for you and your referee to submit the application and reference is 1pm on the 25th June 2025.
  • IMPORTANT – you must submit your application by the deadline as the form will automatically close at exactly this time, even if you have started but not submitted your application and any information you have partly completed will be lost. If this happens, we cannot retrieve the information and you will need to wait for our next round of funding to open before you can apply for funding.

Trustees Decision

  • Trustees review applications and funding offers are made three times a year; January, April and September.
  • You will receive details on exactly when you will be contacted with the outcome of your bid in the acknowledgement email that is sent to you following the submission deadline.
  • You will be informed of the Trustees decision by email.

If you have any queries please email umuksoundfoundation@umusic.com before you submit an application.