Skip navigation

Undergraduate Gap Year

  • No award
  • 1 Years
  • Full-Time
  • 14 September 2027
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
UCAS Conservatoires
Awarded by:
Royal Academy of Music
More about Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Course options

2025-20262026-20272027-2028
Apply

Course summary

This course is for you if you are about to complete your secondary school (High School) studies and either wish to spend a year at the Academy before taking up a full-time undergraduate course at another institution, or if you would like to receive Academy training but do not require a full programme of study that leads to a degree. Gap year students are considered as fully-enrolled members of the Academy’s student body, and have equal access to the Academy’s resources (library, computers, practice rooms etc).

The course principles are:
• To enable students to benefit from one year of conservatoire education
• To provide a tailor-made course of study according to the strengths and needs of each individual student
• To offer the same performance opportunities provided for degree students (with the approval of the Academic Tutor and Head of Programme)
• To offer appropriate academic subjects in consultation with the Academic Tutor and Head of Programme
• To assess practical and/or academic progress by examination
• To provide a transcript of studies showing completed modules (but no degree or other award)

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
  • Bassoon
  • Bassoon (Historical Performance)
  • Cello
  • Cello (Historical Performance)
  • Clarinet
  • Composition
  • Double Bass
  • Double Bass (Historical Performance)
  • Flute
  • Flute (Historical Performance)
  • Guitar (Classical)
  • Harp
  • Harpsichord
  • Horn (French)
  • Oboe
  • Oboe (Historical Performance)
  • Organ
  • Percussion (Orchestral) & Timpani
  • Piano
  • Recorder
  • Saxophone
  • Trombone (Bass)
  • Trombone (Tenor)
  • Trumpet
  • Tuba
  • Viola
  • Viola (Historical Performance)
  • Violin
  • Violin (Historical Performance)
  • Voice (Baritone)
  • Voice (Bass)
  • Voice (Bass-Baritone)
  • Voice (Contralto)
  • Voice (Counter-Tenor)
  • Voice (Mezzo-Soprano)
  • Voice (Soprano)
  • Voice (Tenor)

Assessment method

Please see the information published on https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/about-our-courses

This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • No award • Full-Time • 1 Years

Start dates

  • 14 September 2027

Apply by
1 October 2026

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
102F
Institution code:
R53
Campus name:
Main Site
Points of Entry:
Year 1

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?

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:
102F
Institution code:
R53
Campus name:
Main Site

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Additional entry requirements

Audition
Evidence of professional performing potential in your principal study

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)5.5Minimum scores of 5.5 for each section of the test.
PTE Academic59Minimum scores of 59 for each section of the test.
TOEFL (iBT)72Minimum scores for Reading: 18, Listening: 17, Speaking: 20, Writing: 17.

We accept IELTS Academic, IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition. PTE Academic, PTE Academic Online and Cambridge C1 Advanced.https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/entry-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

LocationOn-time Fee
Video Recording: Upload £100
New York £100
London £100
China (Qingdao) £100
Australia (Brisbane) £100
Australia (Melbourne) £100
China (Hong Kong) £100
Australia (Sydney) £100

Joint principal specialism assessment

LocationOn-time Fee
Video Recording: UploadNot Applicable
New YorkNot Applicable
LondonNot Applicable
China (Qingdao)Not Applicable
Australia (Brisbane)Not Applicable
Australia (Melbourne)Not Applicable
China (Hong Kong)Not Applicable
Australia (Sydney)Not Applicable

Additional Information

Please see the information on https://www.ram.ac.uk/apply. London in-person auditions for your Principal Study are not pre-screened. 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 Please note - this course is not eligible for a UK Student Visa. New York centre application deadline: 13 January 2027

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

The tuition fee rates are published on our website's Fees and Funding page.

Sponsorship information

Scholarships and bursaries : Gap Year

This course is not eligible for UK Student Finance or Academy scholarships, however we have information about possible external funding sources on our Fees and Funding page and students joining this course can apply for an Academy Financial Assistance Bursary.

https://www.ram.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-funding

Course contact details

Composition Administrator

composition@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7471

Enquiries

admissions@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7373

Strings Administrator

strings@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7395

Harp Administrator

harp@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7380

Woodwind Administrator

woodwind@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7320

Guitar Administrator

guitar@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7380

Accordion Administrator

accordion@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7380

Historical Performance

historical@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7310

Vocal Administrator

voice@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7444

Brass Administrator

brass@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7320

Timpani and Percussion Administrator

percussion@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7320

Piano Administrator

keyboard@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7405

Organ Administrator

organ@ram.ac.uk

020 7873 7390

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Marylebone Road
Westminster
NW1 5HT

Visit our website Visit our course page

Related courses

At Royal Academy of Music, University of London

Like this page