Bursaries at the RAD

Thanks to the generous donors to our ‘Steps to Success’ campaign, our new RAD bursary fund can offer you the chance to take free exams if you need help.

This has been set up to create even more opportunities for dancers, who struggle financially, to enter our exams. We are doing this to reduce inequality, and to expand our exams into new, under-represented groups. All exams are eligible, including the Solo Seal, and bursaries are available worldwide.

Successful candidates will have 6 months to use the bursary from the date of being informed of their award.

We that hope you, or a teacher you know, will be able to take this opportunity to provide financial assistance to deserving candidates.

The process is open year-round and you can submit an application for your nominees anytime. The awarding dates, however, will be in January and June.

The January award is for free exam entries for nominees entering the spring and summer sessions. The June award covers your exams in the winter session.

We would like to thank everyone who applied for the last rounds of bursaries and congratulate all the candidates who received an award.

Applications for the January award are now open until 23 December 2024.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Mo Jama in our Examinations Department.

The Royal Academy of Dance aims to increase access, reward aspirations, and support the excellent standard of education within our Registered Teaching Membership.

In 2021-2022, together with the assistance of our inaugural partners DanceSurance, Harlequin Floors and Bloch we created an ongoing Teachers’ Scholarship Fund supporting RAD Registered Teachers who wish to develop their skills and knowledge by engaging with Continuing Professional Development.

In 2024, there were 12 scholarships awarded to registered RAD teachers from around Australia to offset the cost of attending CPD courses and the costs associated with attending.

We are pleased to announce that the Teachers’ Scholarship Fund will continue into 2025, offering a Summer CPD Round, plus 3 further rounds, to offset the cost of attending CPD activities throughout the year. The Summer CPD Round offers opportunities for scholarships to assist with the cost of registration for in-person and online courses, as well as an additional scholarship towards travel expenses to attend in-person in Sydney, up to the value of $500.

Scholarships are available for:

• All RAD Australia CPD activities
• Teacher Observation of Student Intensive classes
• RAD Global Webinars
• RAD Australia Conferences

Anything else will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

There is also limited support available for teachers who wish to undertake external professional development opportunities. External courses will need to meet standard CPD requirements for time valued CPD.

Round 1 2025

• Applications open on 29 November 2024
• Applications close on 7 January 2025
• Notifications made on 10 January 2025
• Valid for courses from 23 January – 31 March 2025

Round 2 2025

• Applications open on 12 February 2025
• Applications close on 18 March 2025
• Notifications made on 21 March 2025
• Valid for courses from 1 April – 31 May 2025

Round 3 2025

• Applications open on 11 April 2025
• Applications close on 20 May 2025
• Notifications made on 23 May 2025
• Valid for courses from 1 June – 31 October 2025

The Royal Academy of Dance is committed to celebrating and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people in regional and remote areas, people living with disabilities, and people who identify as male or gender diverse.

1. You must be a current Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance Australia, residing in Australia.

2. Applications can only be made toward Teachers’ Scholarship Fund-designated activities taking place in person within Australia or online activities provided by RAD.

3. Scholarship awards cover the CPD activity fee.

4. Teachers may apply as often as they wish but only one designated activity per application round will be granted.

5. A maximum of one scholarship will be awarded per applicant in an 18-month period.

6. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

7. All applications must be completed in English or translated at your own cost.

8. A Teachers’ Scholarship Fund Review Panel drawn from the Department of Development will consider applications.

9. Provided an application has been completed in full, an assessment and decision of the application will normally be made on the dates stated above.

10. We welcome feedback regarding the Teachers’ Scholarship Fund, the process or the outcome of your application. Please submit your feedback in writing only to cpd@rad.org.au.

11. Successful applicants are required to give written feedback on their funded activity within 30 days of completing the activity. This short paragraph may be shared with fund supporters and can be made anonymously if preferred. Please nominate your preference in your application. Feedback should be submitted to cpd@rad.org.au.

12. Where applicants are successful, RAD Australia will provide a booking code or make the booking for the nominated activity on behalf of the applicant.

13. Where successful applicants have already booked and paid for their nominated activity, a full refund will be provided.

Scholarships will be assessed and awarded using the information provided on the application form as well as a personal statement.

You should write a personal statement addressing the selection criteria here and attach it to your application below:

• A strong commitment to professional development.
• A proactive and committed approach to dance teaching.
• An interest in contributing to and engaging with the wider dance teaching profession.
• Barriers that you believe impact your ability to participate in the activity without assistance, such as financial, geographical, logistical, or personal circumstances that are relevant to you.

Submit an application below

RAD Australia is grateful for the support of the inaugural Teachers’ Scholarship Fund partners.

The Australian Advanced 1 Bursary is held annually and the $5000 award, is provided for further classical ballet training in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and associated pre-professional training upon agreement with the Royal Academy of Dance. The Bursary is offered at the discretion of the adjudicator based on the candidate’s ability to fulfil the marking criteria.

The entry fee is $246. Download a copy of the Advanced 1 Bursary Rules and Conditions.

*After consultation we have made some minor changes. Semi-final classes will consist of all open work. Please see the updated Rules and Conditions for further information

Conditions for Application

Candidates must fulfill the following by the closing date of the bursary:

• Be a current financial member of the Royal Academy of Dance.
• Be of non-professional status, meaning they are not engaged by a professional company or production on a regular basis as a paid dancer.
• Have passed the RAD Advanced 1 exam (with Distinction).
• Be 17 years of age or under at 31 December in the Bursary year (i.e. will not turn 18 at any time in the Bursary year).
• Have not yet taken the RAD’s Advanced 2 exam at the time of registration closing.
• Have not been selected as a finalist in the Australian Advanced 1 Bursary in previous years.
• Have submitted a completed entry on TryBooking by the closing date published on the website.
• The required fee, also published on the RAD website each year, has been paid with the entry.
• Students may re-apply for the Bursary as many times as they wish, provided the entry requirements are met and they have not previously been a finalist.
• Students must submit a headshot and a brief statement outlining how receiving the Bursary would benefit their training.
• Candidates must perform a variation from the current Repertoire List provided

Application deadlines

Entries open: 12 February 2025

Entries close: 17 April 2025

Semi-finals:

• QLD – Saturday 17 May 2025
• NSW – Saturday 17 May 2025
• ACT –Sunday 18 May 2025
• SA – Sunday 18 May 2025
• WA – Sunday 18 May 2025
• TAS – Sunday 18 May 2025
• VIC – Sunday 25 May 2025

Finals: Sunday 15 June 2025, Sydney headquarters

Semi-finals

The format of the semi-finals comprises the following:

• Candidates will have a 15-minute rehearsal with the pianist for their variation. One teacher only may accompany the candidate in the rehearsal.
• Candidates participate in a closed warm-up barre. No audience or adjudicator present.
• Classwork – selection of open exercises (centre only) at Advanced 1 level. Exercises will be free work with additional pointe work OR male exercises. The class will include port de bras, centre practice, pirouettes, adage, petit allegro, allegro, batterie, grand allegro, boys allegro – if boys, pointe, reverence.
• Classical Variation taken from the repertoire list provided in this document.

Candidates do not submit a ‘Dancer’s Own’ contrasting piece in the semi-finals.

Semi-finals outcome and award:

• Candidates will be assessed on the Classwork and Classical variation by separate state adjudicators. All decisions are final.
• One student from each State or Territory will progress to the Final, with the RAD covering travel and where necessary accommodation, as per the RAD travel details and guidelines document.
• If there is only one candidate entered from a state, they will receive automatic entry into the finals.
• In addition, and at the discretion of the adjudicator, one additional student from each State or Territory may be invited to attend and compete in the Finals at their own expense.

Finalists announced: 20 May 2025

Finals

The finals will be held live at a location that meets the requirements of an RAD Approved Venue. In 2025 this will be at RAD headquarters in Sydney. The finalist entries will be judged by a panel of two new adjudicators comprising of one RAD adjudicator, and one industry professional. Students will have a 20-minute rehearsal time allocated with a pianist provided by the RAD. One teacher only may accompany the candidate in the rehearsal.

The final will be a live event and will be comprised of the following:

• 1 hour 15 min open class. The class will include port de bras, centre practice, pirouettes, adage, petit allegro, allegro, batterie, grand allegro, boys allegro – if boys, pointe, reverence
• Classical Variation chosen from the approved Repertoire List provided in this document
• Contrasting ‘Dancer’s Own’ piece – may be created by the candidate, their teacher or a peer and be no shorter than 1 minute and no longer than 1 minute 30 seconds.

Finals: Sunday 15 June 2025

Finals outcome and award:

Marking will be weighted as follows:

• 50% Classwork
• 40% Classical variation
• 10% ‘Dancers Own’ variation

The Judging Panel will assess the Classwork, Classical Variation, and Dancers’ Own. All decisions are final.

Apply

More information

Apply now

Contact

For further information please contact your Regional Manager or the Head of Department – Examinations and Regions, Lia Cox at:

T: 0413 382 271
E: lcox@rad.org.au

The Australian Advanced 1 Bursary is supported by exclusive dancewear sponsor:

We are delighted to announce the Louise Mathenius Bursary, generously donated to the Faculty of Education, Australia, by Louise Mathenius—an esteemed RAD Life Member and registered teacher from Tasmania.

Louise had expressed a deep desire to make the Faculty of Education’s exceptional teacher training more accessible for our students in Australia. This bursary provides a 50% reduction in tuition fees for one student from Victoria or Tasmania enrolled in the Certificate in Dance Teaching (Ballet) (CDT). The bursary was created to honour Louise’s unwavering belief in the power of education and her lifelong dedication to mentoring young people.  

About Louise Mathenius

As an esteemed teacher and life member of the RAD, Dr Louise Mathenius’ career in dance and education leaves behind a remarkable legacy. Louise was particularly interested and passionate about special education and guiding Victorian and Tasmanian aspiring teachers to reach their goals. Louise obtained her PhD from Macquarie University in 1999 in which she devised a unique method of second language teaching called DNOF, ‘destabilising negative oral feedback.’  Prior to this, she had also obtained her Master of Arts (Education) from Sydney University. Louise toured for six months with Robert Pommier and Kathleen Gorham for the NSW arts council. 

At heart, Louise was not just a dancer, but a true teacher. She ran her own ballet school and taught dance at several primary schools, coordinating many performances for her students to enjoy. Louise put students through for RAD exams once she had obtained her RAD membership. Louise was awarded life membership with the RAD in recognition of her ongoing commitment and dedicated to the Royal Academy of Dance for over 42 years. Louise held her life membership for many years before her passing in 2023. 

Conditions for Application

• Applicants must have been offered a place on the Certificate in Dance Teaching (Ballet) (CDT) programme
• Applicants should be an Australian citizen 
• Applicants should not normally be in receipt of any other bursary or scholarship monies for the duration of the programme
• Applicants should plan to work as a Registered Teacher of the RAD after graduation
• The bursary is open to students enrolled on Year 1 of the Certificate in Dance Teaching (CDT) programme who reside in Victoria or Tasmania only. 
• The bursary will award a 50% reduction of total fees for Year 1 and Year 2 of the programme. 

Please note: 

• Bursary monies will only be awarded once the successful applicant has been offered and accepted the place for this academic year. It will not be possible to defer this bursary.  The bursary will be awarded on the basis of professional merit and personal characteristics.

Application Process

Interested students must submit an application form electronically to education@rad.org.au by 4 March 2025. Please include “Louise Mathenius Bursary” in the subject line and save your files as FirstnameLastnameApplication.doc.

Bursary applications will be assessed based on professional merit and personal characteristics, including:

• Enthusiasm, energy, and determination
• Commitment to self-development
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• A proactive approach to dance teaching
• High motivation and dedication to success
• An interest in contributing to ballet education and teaching within the community

This is an incredible opportunity to further your teaching journey with support from the RAD community. We encourage all eligible students to apply!

• Application form
• Terms and conditions

We are committed to providing support to students who wish to develop their skills and knowledge by beginning or continuing with existing studies. The limited bursaries and hardship funds that we have available will assist those most in need, to ensure the widest participation of students in our programmes.

The Hardship and Bursary Funding Policy with information on hardship support and available bursaries can be found under Policies and Procedures. Please use the application form appropriate to your chosen bursary:

Hardship support and other bursary funds:

Financial Assistance Application form

Headley Trust application form
Application deadline for Certificate in Dance Teaching (Ballet): 1 September
Application deadline for Professional Dancers’ Graduate Teaching Diploma: 1 December

LRAD Bursary application form
Application deadline: 28 February

HE Bursary application form
Application deadline: 1 February

The fund has been set up to create even more opportunities for dancers who may struggle financially to enter our exams, to reduce inequality, and to expand our exams into new, under-represented groups.

All exams are eligible including the Solo Seal, and bursaries are available worldwide.

Successful candidates will have six months to use the bursary from the date of being informed of their award.

We hope that you, or a teacher you know, will be able to take up this opportunity to provide financial assistance to deserving candidates.