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
Composition
- Bachelor of Music (with Honours)
- 4 Years
- Full-Time
- 20 September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
Course summary
The Composition pathway is designed to develop artistically aware, imaginative, and confident creators, who are equipped to succeed as musicians in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.
When you study Composition, you will be working with our diverse and talented performing community in some of the best facilities in Europe. You’ll benefit from our professional partnerships with leading ensembles and orchestras, and there will be opportunities to hear your work performed. The performance of new work is of paramount importance to us, and we have a significant reputation for contemporary music. PLUG, our critically acclaimed annual festival, has become a renowned platform for new work, premiering hundreds of new works.
You’ll follow your own tailored path through the programme, where you have the option to include a second study in performance, work in the superb electroacoustic and recording studios, or devise new work in our purpose-built performance venues.
Composition can be a solitary existence, but at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, we help you to develop the skills to work with other composers as well as artists across disciplines, allowing our students to develop a number of projects with dance, theatre, film, and musical theatre.
By studying Composition at RCS, you will build a distinct, artistic practice, with the skills required to embark on a professional career as a creator, collaborator, educator, promoter and organiser of new music.
Please note, the international deadline for this programme is the 1st December 2026, but we would encourage applicants to apply early where possible.
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
- Composition
Modules
Course Modules
BMus Year 1
-
Principal Study 1: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 1: 10 credits
-
Contextual Studies 1: 10 credits
-
Musicianship 1: 10 credits
-
Creative Citizenship: 10 credits
-
Introduction to Professional Skills for Musicians: 10 credits
-
Music Leadership: 10 credits
BMus Year 2
-
Principal Study 2: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 2: 20 credits
-
Contextual Studies 2: 10 credits
-
Musicianship 2: 10 credits
-
Interdisciplinary and Extended Practice (IXP): 10 credits
-
The Teaching Musician: 10 credits
BMus Year 3
-
Principal Study 3: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 3: 20 credits
-
Contextual Studies Electives: 10 credits
-
Musicianship Electives: 10 credits
-
Interdisciplinary and Extended Practice (IXP): 10 credits
-
The Freelance Musician: 10 credits
BMus Year 4
-
Principal Study 4: 60 Credits
-
Supporting Studies 4: 15 credits
-
Research Paper: 15 credits
-
Professional Development Options: 20 credits
-
IXP and Electives: 10 credits
https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-hons-composition/#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:
- 302F
- 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 information on our entry requirements can be found at the weblink.
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/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Additional entry requirements
- Portfolio
- Once you submit your UCAS Conservatoires application, please then upload your portfolio to Acceptd. Applicants should submit 2-4 pieces of work, each with a recording, which may be purely digital, or performed by live instruments (as appropriate). At least one work in the submission should be accompanied by a full, musical score, to demonstrate an example of the candidate’s music notation skills. Your portfolio must be submitted to Acceptd by the listed application deadline (1 October for UK applicants, 1 December for International applicants).
- Interview
- If successfully recalled, all live in-person interviews are planned to take place in-person at our Glasgow campus in November. Details about the date and time of your interview will be sent via Acceptd. International applicants will be offered a live online interview, which will assess the candidate’s suitability for the programme in terms of knowledge, experience and commitment. In the interview, applicants will be encouraged to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of varied repertoire. Applicants will be asked about how they began composing or how they were introduced to composition, and they will be invited to talk about the compositions they have submitted. Applicants will also be asked about their aspirations as a composer. Successful candidates will show style, imagination, an adventurous approach to composition and above all, potential to develop their interests and skills through the programme.
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 |
|---|---|
| Online | £65 |
| RCS (Glasgow) | £65 |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee |
|---|---|
| Online | Not Applicable |
| RCS (Glasgow) | Not Applicable |
Additional Information
All applicants must complete an Acceptd account profile, regardless of which location you choose, this is part of the audition process. There will be two audition rounds for this course. The first round for all candidates will be a portfolio submission via our Acceptd platform, regardless of which audition location you choose. If successful, the second round will be an interview with the Head of Department, which will take place either in-person or online depending on which audition location you have chosen. For the best audition experience, we would encourage all UK applicants (and where possible international applicants) to attend in person. You can view the audition requirements and what to prepare for this course at the following page on our website: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-hons-composition/
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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