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Advanced Professional Diploma (Performance) (Taught)

Course details
  • APDRQFL
  • 2 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14/09/2026
  • Postgraduate
Course location
Main Site
Course scheme
UCAS Conservatoires
Awarded by:
Royal Academy of Music

Course summary

The Advanced Professional Diploma in Performance (APD) is a two-year course for students seeking a final-stage bridge to professional work. The course supports development of a range of industry-related skills (as appropriate to the individual profile) with course supervision provided in addition to one-to-one lessons. Successful applicants will have highly developed performance or compositional skills and a detailed understanding of their individual professional development needs. This will need to be articulated in the form of a deliverable set of outcomes/goals for the work during the course.
APD students will be supported in developing a high degree of independence in their work through the course, in order to be able to meet professional expectations. The course is at level 8 of the FHEQ, which demands a high level of autonomy and initiative.
This course is right for you if you are almost ready to enter the profession and have a strategy for refining or developing specific skills to make the transition. It is designed to enable students to make the most of the artistic and educational opportunities afforded by the Academy and its location in the heart of London.

Course details

Principal study options

During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:

Main specialism

Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.

Instrument/specialisms

For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.

Primary instrument/specialism
  • Accordion
  • Bassoon
  • Bassoon (Historical Performance)
  • Cello
  • Cello (Historical Performance)
  • Clarinet
  • Clarinet (Historical Performance)
  • Double Bass
  • Double Bass (Historical Performance)
  • Ensemble Piano
  • Flute
  • Flute (Historical Performance)
  • Fortepiano (Historical)
  • Guitar (Classical)
  • Harp
  • Harpsichord
  • Horn (French)
  • Horn (Natural)
  • Lute
  • Oboe
  • Oboe (Historical Performance)
  • Organ
  • Percussion (Orchestral) & Timpani
  • Piano
  • Recorder
  • Sackbut
  • Saxophone
  • Trombone (Bass)
  • Trombone (Tenor)
  • Trumpet
  • Tuba
  • Viola
  • Viola (Historical Performance)
  • Viola da Gamba
  • Violin
  • Violin (Historical Performance)

Assessment method

Please see https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/about-our-courses

How to apply

If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.

Apply by
2 October

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
W303
Institution code:
R53
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

At the Academy we pride ourselves on our diverse international community. Over 800 students study here every year, with around sixty different nationalities from all over the world. https://www.ram.ac.uk/student-life/international; https://www.ram.ac.uk/accommodation.
For details about how to prepare a video audition and the prescreening recordings for auditioning at our international centres, please see the Audition Requirements section for your Department on https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/departments

Entry requirements

A Master’s qualification or equivalent (in a relevant subject), but the Academy welcomes applications from students who may not meet the normal academic requirements

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6Minimum score of 5.5 in every section of the test
PTE Academic59Minimum score of 59 in every section of the test
We accept IELTS Academic, IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, PTE Academic, PTE Academic Online, and Cambridge C1 Advanced.

English Language requirements are published on our website: https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/how-to-apply/entry-requirement/english-language-requirements

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Tuition fees are published on www.ram.ac.uk/fees

Sponsorship information

There is no separate scholarship application process, and entrance scholarship awards are confirmed in candidates' offer details. You can find more details about financial support on https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/fees-scholarships-and-bursaries.

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Marylebone Road
Westminster
NW1 5HT

Visit our website Visit our course page

Course contact details

Enquiries

Email:admissions@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7373

Accordion Administrator

Email:accordion@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7380

Brass Administrator

Email:brass@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7320

Guitar Administrator

Email:guitar@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7380

Harp Administrator

Email:harp@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7380

Historical Performance

Email:historical@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7310

Organ Administrator

Email:organ@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7390

Strings Administrator

Email:strings@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7395

Timpani and Percussion Administrator

Email:percussion@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7320

Woodwind Administrator

Email:woodwind@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7320

Piano Administrator

Email:keyboard@ram.ac.uk

Phone:020 7873 7405

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