Music College Applications

As there are many different routes into instrumental performance-based courses in higher education, pupils intending to apply to a music conservatoire, either in the UK or abroad, should discuss this with their instrumental teacher and head of department in the early stages of their Sixth Form courses. Applications for all UK conservatoires are made through UCAS Conservatoires, except for the Guildhall School of Music for which pupils apply directly via their website. The application deadline is 1st October.

Entry to all UK music colleges is by audition. All pupils applying for performance courses will be offered an audition. The London colleges tend to audition in early December but others may be from late October. The specific audition requirements differ for each college and are listed on the colleges’ websites. These should be studied very carefully well in advance of the auditions. Pupils applying for non performance courses (such as composition) will usually be required to submit a portfolio or video of evidence and may also be asked for interview.

Pupils will generally hear the results of their auditions during the Christmas holidays and have about a month to decide and respond. The reply dates will be different for each individual pupil and are dependent on when the last offer is made from the colleges. This will be communicated via the UCAS Conservatoires ‘Track’ system.

Many pupils at Wells have international ambitions and are encouraged to look at conservatoires in other countries in Europe, Asia and North America. Application and audition procedures for these conservatoires vary quite widely and so if pupils wish to investigate this route, they should seek advice from their instrumental head of department during their Lower Sixth year.

It is common, but not necessary, for musicians to also apply to university music (or other) courses through UCAS, and academic music staff can advise on suitable courses. These courses are applied for via the UCAS system. It is fine for pupils to apply for both a number of conservatoires and universities via UCAS in the same academic year.

22 Wells pupils applied for September 2021 places at UK Conservatoires, with many achieving offers which included scholarships. Two musicians accepted places at Oxbridge to read Music and another took up an offer to read Music and Philosophy at Royal Holloway.