Gifted young dancers should not be held back by financial circumstances. The most talented should be able to access our Associate School as under16s and gain the skills and experience needed to access and excel in vocational training at 16+ (BA Hons Professional Dance & Performance). Yet there is no public funding for <16s at Central and a mismatch between the cost of training post16 and the student loans available. Hardship Bursaries address this inequality to help the most talented succeed.

Central is strongly committed to ensuring that the most talented can train with us regardless of financial circumstances. With a high proportion of students from low-income families the number of students seeking bursary support grows each year. Hardship Bursaries help ensure access and increase equality. They enable children in our Associate School to reach the standards to apply for vocational study and students on our degree programme to pursue their dreams of becoming professional dancers.