As some of you know it is my ambition to become a piano teacher I am taking my Gd.8 hopefully next year and already have 6 years experience teaching clarinet. I will be continuing my piano education post Grade 8 and hope to enter the 2014-15 cohort for the CertPPTC.

- Is there any funding available? Or do you have to self fund?
- Should you already have piano pupils? And if so should they be at a variety of levels - e.g. not all beginners?

Self-fund, but you can get a Career Development Loan from a bank although I am not sure if that would cover the CertPPTC as that may not be an approved course. EPTA let you pay in 3 instalments plus a deposit.

You only need to have one pupil to teach over the duration of the course.

If you're working towards Grade 8 but haven't actually taken the exam, then you may still be able to join the course - providing you have one pupil. There were one or two people in my year doing the course who took the G8 exam in the spring or summer session towards the end of the course - can't remember the details now! It's at least worth asking.

Thank you all for your advice

You are able to apply to EPTA for a bursary if you are doing their course.