Sibling Discount Policy 2025

NYCOS exists to help young Scottish singers reach their potential.

 

We believe costs should never get in the way of young people developing their gifts, and our organisation spends significant time each year trying to secure grants from philanthropic partners that can in turn be used to fund our financial assistance packages.

 

As a result of a very generous three year pledge from the Leverhulme Foundation, we can now offer a dramatically increased number of fully funded places to our 2025-26 Regional Choirs, with further 50% and 20% bursary packages available. These need to be applied for by 10th October, and will be distributed on the basis of household income; benefit receipt, alongside any special mitigating circumstances families wish to bring to our attention.

 

We have also historically offered Sibling Discounts to qualifying families. We will continue to offer these during 2025-26, but with a revised approach which reflects two priorities: the desire to remain fair to all while also generating sufficient membership fee income to ensure all choirs remains viable. In all cases the discount on offer remains the same (20%), as does the ability to apply for them using a mix of Regional and National Choir memberships.

 

General Policy Overview

  • Full fees will be charged for the most expensive membership fee of a child in any NYCOS choir programme (typically the oldest child, but not always)
  • A 20% discount will then be applied to the fees of the first additional child enrolled in the same academic year, as well as to any further children.
  • This pricing approach resets each year, taking into account children ageing out of/joining a Choir

 

Applying the Discount Across Regional and National Choirs

 

We recognise that Regional Choirs begin in August, while auditions for National Choirs take place in November with offers confirmed by December. To accommodate this timing:

 

  • Families who register a child for a Regional Choir in August and later have a child/children accepted into a National Choir will be eligible for a retrospective Sibling Discount applied against the original Regional Choir Fee

 

Example:

  • Child A (age 15) accepted into the National Choir in December.
  • Child B (age 12) joined the Regional Choir in August.
  • Child A pays full fees; Child B receives a retrospective 20% refund.

 

Families with Children in Both Choir Types

The Sibling Discount can be applied across different types of choirs (Regional and National) with the highest fee-paying membership paid at full price.

 

Example:

Child A (age 15) Joined the Regional Choir in August

Child B (age 12) Joined the Regional Choir in August

Child A (age 15) accepted into a National Choir in December

Child B (age 12) accepted into a National Choir in December

Regional Choir: Child A pays full fees; Child B receives a 20% discount

National Choir: Child A pays full fees; Child B receives a 20% discount

 

Example:

Child A joins Regional Choir in August

Child B joins Regional Choir in August.

Child A accepted into National choir in December.

Child A pays full fees for National and Regional memberships

Child B receives 20% discount on Regional Choir fees.

 

 

How to Apply the Discount

The discount is not applied automatically. Families must notify NYCOS of multiple children participating during the registration or application process.  This will be done by completing the sibling discount form via the NYCOS membership portal. Applications will then be assessed, and you will be notified by email.

 

Where applicable, refunds will be issued once National Choir membership is confirmed.

 

Additional Terms

 

If your household circumstances mean you are in receipt of a partial bursary for your children you cannot top it up with a further Sibling Discount.

 

However, if your family is in receipt of Sibling Discounts but you are still struggling to pay the full fee for your oldest child, we may be able to apply a one-off bursary. Please reach out to the team for a confidential discussion.

 

Please contact financial-assistance@nycos.co.uk if you have any questions about the Sibling Discount Policy or would like help determining your family’s eligibility.

 

NYCOS reserves the right to review or amend this policy annually in line with funding availability and programme demand.