Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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Doctor of Performing Arts - FT (Taught)
- DPerf
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 21/09/2026
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
- Course scheme
- UCAS Conservatoires
- Awarded by:
- University of St Andrews
Course summary
Validated by the University of St Andrews, the purpose of the Doctor of Performing Arts programme is to enable professional artistic development at the highest level and provide a structure within which you can make a significant and original contribution to your chosen artistic field. It is a doctoral programme comparable in scope, level and ambition to the PhD, but squarely focused on making a significant and original contribution to the artistic field within which the work resides.
The vision of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is to be Scotland’s globally-recognised and inspirational leader in learning for the performing arts, attracting and nurturing the next Scottish and international creative talent.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers opportunities for suitably qualified students to work towards the achievement of a Doctor of Performing Arts in appropriate areas of enquiry. Applications will only be successful if it is clear that the proposed work can best be undertaken within a conservatoire context, in which performance and/or creation is held central, and that the Conservatoire has the appropriate artistic expertise to offer appropriate artistic mentorship and guidance.
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
- Dance
- Drama Performance
- Drama Production
- Music
- Screen
Modules
Research degree students do not follow a prescribed course of study, but benefit from close supervision and a range of research training that is designed to support the programme of research being undertaken, and provide wider opportunities for professional development as a researcher. In addition, an external supervisor is normally appointed to provide further support for, and an additional perspective on, your research.
Assessment method
More information about what the course entails can be found on our departmental web page.
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
14 January
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:
- 470F
- Institution code:
- R58
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Currently around 20% of our students come from outside the UK. Between them, they represent over 55 different nationalities and add a rich diversity to the Conservatoire. To find out more please visit: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/
Entry requirements
Admission to doctoral level programmes is normally on the basis of a first degree at 2(i) level or higher (or the overseas equivalent) in the relevant subject or a relevant postgraduate qualification. However, where a prospective student lacks a suitable first degree, alternative mechanisms for assessing qualifications and preparedness, reflecting professional or other work experience, may be used. Increasingly the UK research councils in several disciplines require that funded students on doctoral programmes have first completed an approved masters programme that prepares the student for doctoral work. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is committed to the principles of the Accreditation of Prior Learning, including experiential learning, and will bring those to bear on the admissions process for its doctoral students.
Applicants for whom English is a second language must demonstrate an IELTS score of 7.0.
We accept a wide range of qualification, including international qualifications. If you wish to check the suitability of your qualification/experience, please contact us at doctoraladmissions@rcs.ac.uk
Additional entry requirements
- Audition
- Applicants who are invited for interview and audition will be sent information on audition requirements. For musicians, these requirements are likely to be a programme of around 30 minutes, preferably related to the proposed programme of study. More information can be found on the departmental web page: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/doctor-of-performing-arts/
- Interview
- Applicants for doctoral study should apply through UCAS Conservatoires. Please then submit your proposal online via Acceptd. The Guide for Applicants and template of the online proposal form can be found here. An audition panel will be chaired by a specialist member of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland staff and will include other members of staff or external advisers as appropriate. An interview panel will normally be chaired by the Head of Research and will include at least one other member of staff or external adviser as appropriate. At the conclusion of the interview and audition process, the panel will formulate a recommendation to the Research Degrees Committee regarding the application. For more information about the interview process, please see our departmental web page: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/doctor-of-performing-arts/
- Other
- Please then submit your proposal online via Acceptd. The Guide for Applicants and template of the online proposal form can be found under the Interview process of the 'How to apply' section on our departmental page: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/doctor-of-performing-arts/
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | 7.0 with no component below 5.5 |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 95 | Overall score of 95, with minimum component scores of Reading -18, Listening -17, Speaking -20, Writing -17 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 185 with a minimum of 162 in all components |
More information about our language requirements can be found at the weblink. https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-requirements/
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9965* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9965* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9965* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9965* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9965* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9965* | Year 1 |
| EU | £23191* | Year 1 |
| International | £23191* | Year 1 |
* 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
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: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/
Please note all tuition fees per year are subject to an annual review.
Sponsorship information
There are currently no RCS scholarships available for our research programmes. More information can be found about funding on our degree pages: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/doctor-of-performing-arts/
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