The Advanced Professional Diploma in Composition (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 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.
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:
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
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.
Please see https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/about-our-courses
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Royal Academy of Music, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
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 the application, please see the Audition Requirements section for your Department on https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/departments.
We are offering a choice of video or in-person interview to all candidates selected to progress to Round Two after their portfolio has been assessed. When you submit the portfolio in Acceptd you will be asked to indicate your preference for the interview.
The application deadline is 2 October 2025, 18:00 UK time, for both the UCAS Conservatoires application and also your application profile in Acceptd.
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
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | Minimum score of 5.5 in every section of the test |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Minimum score of 59 in every section of the test |
English Language requirements are published on our website: https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/how-to-apply/entry-requirement/english-language-requirements
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.
Tuition fees are published on www.ram.ac.uk/fees
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.
Marylebone Road
Westminster
NW1 5HT
Visit our website Visit our course page
Email:admissions@ram.ac.uk
Phone:020 7873 7373
Email:composition@ram.ac.uk
Phone:020 7873 7471
At Royal Academy of Music, University of London
