Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

About

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) is a renowned music conservatoire, recognized for its innovative teaching and research. Established in 1973, it's located in Manchester, UK, and known for its global student body of over 900 students from over 60 countries. The RNCM offers a wide range of programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as research degree programs. 

Objectives

The Royal Northern College of Music's primary objective is to provide students with a high-level musical education that prepares them for professional careers. 

Main Academic Divisions (Faculties)

• School of Composition
• School of Keyboard Studies
• School of Strings
• School of Vocal Studies and Opera
• School of Wind, Brass & Percussion
• Popular Music

Reasons to Study at Royal Northern College of Music

1. Professional Career

   With a growing trend towards portfolio careers, we want to ensure that you gain an all-round experience while you’re with us. This is why we offer a range of professional and Performance Opportunities to help you develop the skills needed to establish and maintain a successful future in a competitive sector.

2. Accommodation

   Our students occupy a large number of our 612 rooms, which means you can be part of the community and make friends as soon as you arrive. You’ll also have the benefit of being able to practice in your room between 9 am and 9 pm, and pianists can request a loan piano if required.

3. Support, and Well-being

   Student well-being is a priority, and we’re dedicated to ensuring that the RNCM is a safe and comfortable environment for everyone within our community.

4. Life in Manchester

   Over 100,000 students call Manchester their home, and it’s not hard to see why. Our vibrant city has it all: a rich and varied music scene, a proud history of science and industry, nightlife, culture and politics, and a host of famous sports venues.

Fees

Admission

Undergraduate Admission Requirement

Entrance requirements (4 years):

• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December in the year of entry.
• All applicants must have passes at GCE A level (A2) in a minimum of two subjects at grade E or above, normally including music, and passes in three different subjects at GCSE level (grades A*-C/9-4) or acceptable equivalent.
• UK and Overseas applicants with alternative qualifications should contact our Admissions Team.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must have IELTS 5.5 or equivalent in each component (or CEFR B2).
• All applicants must pass an RNCM audition in the year before entry, demonstrating a high standard of performance (or composition ability for composers) and potential, of at least ABRSM Grade 8 standard.
• UK applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check to participate in some professional placement modules within this course. Applicants from countries other than the UK, or UK residents who have spent six months or more in any non-UK country within five years of the course start date must additionally provide a police certificate of good conduct from the relevant country.

Entrance requirements (Direct Entry into Year 2):

Applicants for the three-year pathway should apply for the standard four-year BMus (Hons) on UCAS Conservatoires.

• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December in the year of entry.
• All applicants must have passes at GCE A level (or equivalent) in at least three different subjects, normally including music, at grades AAB.
• UK and Overseas candidates with alternative qualifications should contact our Admissions Team.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must have IELTS 7.0 or equivalent in each and every component (or CEFR C1).
• All applicants must pass a HE Level 4 diploma in music performance (such as DipABRSM or ATCL). This must be achieved by 30 April prior to September entry. Diplomas will be assessed as to suitability for credit transfer and must contain elements that reflect Year 1 of the programme. Performance-only diplomas with no musicology or musicianship elements, such as detailed programme notes and viva, will not be eligible for credit transfer.
• UK applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check to participate in some professional placement modules within this course. Applicants from countries other than the UK, or UK residents who have spent six months or more in any non-UK country within five years of the course start date must additionally provide a police certificate of good conduct from the relevant country.

Postgraduate Admission Requirments

MASTER OF MUSIC: 

• All applicants must pass an RNCM audition and hold a good degree or equivalent (normally in Music: FHEQ Level 6). Candidates must be able to satisfy the College that they have already achieved an advanced standard in their main discipline area and have the potential to develop further towards a professional level of attainment.
• Candidates whose first language is not English must meet the English language requirements for this course. These are IELTS 6.0, with no less than 5.5 in each component (or equivalent as defined by UKVI). Some options within the course may require IELTS 6.5 or 7.0.
• All applicants are required to submit an academic transcript of undergraduate studies achieved to date and an example of prior written work demonstrating academic referencing in electronic format (e.g. Word document, PDF). The work will be assessed by academic staff members using the following Marking Guidelines for Written Work. Examples of prior written work must:
  • Be in history or analysis of music (if you have not written an essay on music in your undergraduate degree, an example of writing, with referencing, on another topic, will be acceptable.)
  • Written in English
  • Total no more than 1000 words (a section drawn from a larger essay is acceptable)
  • Be original, by the applicant (a plagiarism test will be conducted.)
• UK applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check to participate in some professional placement modules within this cour

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ADVANCED STUDIES:

•  Applicants from countries other than the UK, or UK residents who have spent six months or more in any non-UK country within five years of the course start date must additionally provide a police certificate of good conduct from the relevant country.All PGDip applicants must hold an MMus or equivalent.
• Candidates whose first language is not English must meet the English language requirements for this course. These are IELTS 6.0, with no less than 5.5 in each component (or equivalent as defined by UKVI).
• UK applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check to participate in some professional placement modules within this course. Applicants from countries other than the UK, or UK residents who have spent six months or more in any non-UK country within five years of the course start date must additionally provide a police certificate of good conduct from the relevant country.

How To Apply For Admission

Applications for most RNCM programmes open in July and should be submitted using UCAS Conservatoires and Acceptd.

2026 Entry

UCAS Conservatoires applications opened on 10 July and closed on 2 October 2025. We are still accepting late applications for most courses (excluding GRNCM/MusB), and we would encourage you to submit as soon as possible.

• To begin the application process, you will first need to submit a UCAS Conservatoires application, followed by an Acceptd submission. It’s important to note that your application will not be complete until we have received both submissions.
• Audition processes vary between schools of study and courses, and you may be required to submit an audition recording prior to live auditions. All applicants are encouraged to audition in person, but overseas applicants are invited to audition online if they are unable to travel.

• To help us assess your application completely, you’ll be asked to provide a personal statement (so that we can get to know you a little), your education history, any qualifications you’ve achieved and your referee’s contact details. You’ll need to pay an application fee to UCAS Conservatoires, as well as an assessment fee for your audition.
• For 2026 entry, the UCAS application fee is £28.95 and the assessment fees are £80 for Single Principal Study and £120 for Joint Principal Study.
• When you’ve completed and submitted your application, you’ll receive a welcome email from UCAS Conservatoires containing your personal ID number. It’s important to keep this safe and check your details carefully. You’ll receive an email notification whenever there’s an update, but you can track your application’s progress at any time via your UCAS Hub

How to use Accepted

Once you have submitted your UCAS Conservatoires application, you will need to submit your Acceptd application, which may include supporting documents and/or audition recordings. Acceptd requirements vary depending on instrument and course, so please check the relevant audition requirements for your application choice.

Admission Contacts

Phone : 0161 907 5200

Gallery

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  Rehearsal Session

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  Music Theatre

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  Graduating Students

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  Music Moments

Facilities

Library: The RNCM Library supports the work of the College in teaching, learning, performance and research through the timely provision to students and staff of appropriate resources in printed, audio, video and online formats. The Library aims to provide a supportive, welcoming environment for study and research. Library Staff are all music specialists who are dedicated to meeting the needs of their users. In recognition of its strengths, the Library has received the Excellence Award for Music Libraries on four occasions from the International Association of Music Libraries (UK & Ireland).

Research Center: Our research centers give the chance for essential collaboration with artists, conservatoires and universities across the world. The Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music (PRISM) has a team from the RNCM and the Universities of Oxford and Liverpool; the Experimental Exploratory Music Research Centre is connected to Decontamination, a concert series of exploratory music performed by students and visiting professionals; the Hub for Artistic Research in Performance (HARP) fosters research links with external organizations. Musicians’ Health is a rapidly developing research field, and the College is part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded Musical Impact project. The RNCM has many other music-research specialists, in music psychology, music education and musicology, many supported by UK and EU grants.
 

Accreditations

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 

Vice Chancellor

Academic Staff

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  Gary Carpenter

  Professor of Composition Gary Carpenter (born 1951, Hackney, London) was educated at Sir George Monoux Grammar School, Walthamstow and studied composition initially with Dennis Carney and subsequently with Humphrey Searle, Th... read more

  ea Musgrave and (principally) John Lambert at the Royal College of Music (1969-72)
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  Emily Howard

  Professor in Composition and Head of Artistic Research Professor Emily Howard holds a Personal Chair in Composition and is Head of Artistic Research at the RNCM. She is a composer, a curator and the founding director of PRiSM, the RNCM Centre for Practice... read more

  & Research in Science & Music.

  Her music is widely recorded and performed, including at the BBC Proms, Aldeburgh Festival, Wien Modern and Manchester International Festival. Her works include three orchestral geometries, Torus, sphere, and Antisphere; the sci-fi chamber opera To See The Invisible; The Anvil for massed choirs and orchestra to mark the Peterloo Massacre; and string quartets Afference, shield, and Rhomb in Silhouette. Emily’s music is published by Edition Peters, part of Wise Music Group

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  Catherine Yates

  Deputy Head of School of Strings Catherine Yates is Deputy Head of the School of Strings at the RNCM. She began her musical studies with Marion Hillier, before going on to study at Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM. Here,... read more

  her teachers included Malcolm Layfield and Lydia Mordkovich. Further training included courses at Yale University and the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies in Aldeburgh. In 1989 she became a member of the Sorrel Quartet which was formed at the RNCM under the tutelage of Dr Christopher Rowland and worked regularly with members of the Vermeer, Borodin, Alban Berg and Allegri Quartets.

Notable Alumni

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  Felicity Buckland Musician
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  Helen Sherman Musician
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  Adam Smith Musician
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  Alex Banfield Musician