Course contact details
Main Contact
Email:admissions@rcs.ac.uk
Phone:0141 332 4101
Fax: 0141 332 8901
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G2 3DB
Music Performance
- Bachelor of Music (with Honours)
- 4 Years
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
Our BMus (Hons) Performance programme balances strong practical experience with professional development, preparing aspiring performers for a career as a working musician.
BMus (Hons) Performance is a four-year, full-time programme aimed at honing performers’ potential. It is strongly practical and vocational in purpose, with most of your study time devoted to individual and ensemble performance activities. However, this is also substantially complemented by a core curriculum in professional skills development, research skills, and the development of critical and reflective thinking.
The programme’s structure and content are designed to allow you to develop the full range of your creative and technical abilities and to equip you with the professional skills and knowledge that will enable you to pursue your musical interests and aspirations to the highest level. The BMus Programme offers a unique opportunity for you to immerse yourself in a creative and supportive environment dedicated to the study and practice of music in a multidisciplinary setting that includes dance, drama, film and production programmes alongside music.
Our aim for our graduates is to prepare you for both postgraduate study and professional employment as performers, teachers, and in other careers as part of the portfolio career common within the contemporary music profession.
Overseas Applicants
We will be holding auditions at venues across the world, but audition requirements AND application deadline dates will change depending on your principal study and where you are applying to. We will be operating a pre-screening process for some instrumental departments. Full information on our locations, dates and requirements can be found on our website. Please check this prior to applying.
All international applicants and those that are submitting a recording must also include a spoken introduction recording that is separate from your instrumental performance. This must be submitted to your Acceptd application by the relevant application deadline for where you are auditioning.
All recorded submissions should contain a spoken introduction in English. Please tell us:
-
Your name
-
A bit about your musical background and training you’ve had till now
-
Your musical ambitions
-
Your reasons for applying to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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This video should be no longer than 3 minutes long and separate to your performance video
Our overseas auditions will consist of one panel member and will also be recorded for review by the relevant department.
• Please note for live overseas auditions, we cannot guarantee that a member of our teaching staff for your specific discipline will be on the panel.
• All applicants will need to provide their own instruments (except piano).
• All applicants will need to provide their own accompanist for overseas auditions.
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:
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 (classical)
- Bassoon
- Cello
- Clarinet
- Cornet
- Double Bass
- Euphonium
- Flute
- Guitar (Classical)
- Harp
- Harpsichord
- Horn (French)
- Horn (Tenor)
- Oboe
- Organ
- Percussion (Orchestral) & Timpani
- Piano
- Saxophone (Alto)
- Trombone (Bass)
- Trombone (Tenor)
- Trumpet
- Tuba
- Viola
- Violin
- Voice (Alto)
- Voice (Baritone)
- Voice (Bass)
- Voice (Bass-Baritone)
- Voice (Contralto)
- Voice (Counter-Tenor)
- Voice (Mezzo-Soprano)
- Voice (Soprano)
- Voice (Tenor)
Modules
Course Modules
Year 1
-
Principal Study 1: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 1: 10 credits
-
Contextual Studies 1: 10 credits
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Musicianship 1: 10 credits
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Creative Citizenship: 10 credits
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Introduction to Professional Skills for Musicians: 10 credits
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Music Leadership: 10 credits
Year 2
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Principal Study 2: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 2: 20 credits
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Contextual Studies 2: 10 credits
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Musicianship 2: 10 credits
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Interdisciplinary and Extended Practice (IXP): 10 credits
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The Teaching Musician: 10 credits
Year 3
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Principal Study 3: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 3: 20 credits
-
Contextual Studies Electives: 10 credits
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Musicianship Electives: 10 credits
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Interdisciplinary and Extended Practice (IXP): 10 credits
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The Freelance Musician: 10 credits
Year 4
-
Principal Study 4: 60 Credits
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Supporting Studies 4: 15 credits
-
Research Paper: 15 credits
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Professional Development Options: 20 credits
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IXP and Electives: 10 credits
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-hons-performance/#programme-structure
Assessment method
More information about what the course entails can be found on our website.
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
1 October 2026
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:
- 300F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
A levelA*-E
Passes in two subjects at GCE Advanced level
UCAS TariffNot accepted
Scottish HigherA-D
Passes in three subjects at Higher level
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme45-24
minimum score of 24 with 3 subjects at Higher Level
More entry requirement information can be found under the relevant section heading (entry requirements) on our webpage.
Entry requirements for students joining after Year 1: Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. Please email admissions@rcs.ac.uk for more information.
We do not offer deferred entry. https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-hons-joint-principal-study/
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- Applicants are selected first and foremost on the basis of merit and potential. However, due attention is also paid to the range of Principal Studies accepted in order to ensure the optimum experience for each student and to sustain the critical mass required for curricular activities, such as the symphony orchestra and choral activities. Audition requirements will vary depending on your principal study. Please check our website for details. Please note that the Conservatoire is obliged to offer one audition date per application. If you are unable to submit your application/audition recording by the deadline date above, you must email us immediately stating the reason. If your audition recording is delayed, there is a risk that places will already have been taken and your application may not be considered in the first round of scholarship allocation.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | 6.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 80 | Overall score of 80, with minimum scores of: Reading – 18, Listening – 17, Speaking – 20, Writing – 17 |
| PTE Academic | 59 | Overall score of 59 with a minimum of 59 in all components (reading, listening, speaking, writing) |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 169 with a minimum of 162 in all components |
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Recording | Not available at this location |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not available at this location |
| Singapore | Not available at this location |
| Qingdao | Not available at this location |
| Seoul | Not available at this location |
| New York | Not available at this location |
| Los Angeles | Not available at this location |
| Chicago | Not available at this location |
| Toronto | Not available at this location |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Recording | Not Applicable |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not Applicable |
| Singapore | Not Applicable |
| Qingdao | Not Applicable |
| Seoul | Not Applicable |
| New York | Not Applicable |
| Los Angeles | Not Applicable |
| Chicago | Not Applicable |
| Toronto | Not Applicable |
Additional Information
All applicants need to complete an Acceptd account profile and application regardless of which location you choose, this is part of the audition process (https://app.getacceptd.com/rcs) and needs to be completed once your UCAS application has been submitted. All live in-person auditions will be scheduled through the Acceptd platform. If you don't have an acceptd application, we won't be able to audition you. You can view the audition requirements and what to prepare for this course on the relevant programme page on our website. If you have any questions, please contact: hello@rcs.ac.uk
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Republic of Ireland | £9790* | |
| Scotland | £1820* | |
| EU & International | £29786* |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
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
Please note, all new students are required to pay associated programme cost related fees at the start of their studies.
For more information on fees, funding and Scholarship, please see our website.
Sponsorship information
Music Scholarships
Within the School of Music, the majority of scholarship awards are made following an audition and offer of a place at the RCS. Scholarships are made based on ability and potential with some for financial need. Many School of Music scholarships are made for the duration of the programme. There is no separate scholarship application for the School of Music as everyone is automatically considered.
Related courses
At Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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