National Centre for Advanced Training programme’s are funded by the Department for Education’s (DfE) Music and Dance Scheme (MDS).
Students who are eligible and who make sufficient progress will be entitled to receive financial assistance until they graduate or exit from the programme.
You will not have to make any contribution if your total family income before tax is £35,262.46 or less in the tax year (after deducting £2,440 for each dependent child in the family including the CAT student).
If your family income is more you will receive a smaller grant and you may have to make a contribution.
To be eligible young people must be aged between 10-16 on 1st September 2026 (up to age 23 if d/Deaf or disabled). They must be in full time education and been living in the UK for at least 3 years.
The table below details the means-tested funding system set by the DfE for 2026/27.
| Relevant income | Maximum amount of grant | Parent/carer contribution | ||||
| Up | to | £35,262.46 | £4,344 | £0 | ||
| £35,262.47 | to | £39,965.48 | £3,945 | £399 | ||
| £39,965.49 | to | £44,667.43 | £3,547 | £797 | ||
| £44,667.44 | to | £49,429.71 | £3,123 | £1,221 | ||
| £49,429.72 | to | £54,071.33 | £2,736 | £1,608 | ||
| £54,071.34 | to | £58,772.20 | £2,344 | £2,000 | ||
| £58,772.21 | to | £63,984.85 | £1,959 | £2,385 | ||
| £63,984.86 | to | £68,178.25 | £1,560 | £2,784 | ||
| £68,178.26 | to | £72,880.20 | £1,163 | £3,181 | ||
| £72,880.21 | to | £74,595.11 | £765 | £3,579 | ||
| £74,595.12 | to | £77,578.91 | £383 | £3,961 | ||
| £77,578.92 | or | more | £0 | £4,344 | ||
For more information about the scheme visit the Department for Education.