Non-UCAS applications

• Music courses through CUKAS
• Direct applications

Music courses through CUKAS

For most of the practical music courses at seven of the specialist conservatoires, you apply through the Conservatoires UK Admissions Service, CUKAS. The conservatoires using CUKAS are −

• Birmingham Conservatoire
• Leeds College of Music
• Royal College of Music
• Royal Northern College of Music
• Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama
• Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
• Trinity College of Music

And, of course, you can apply direct to the two London conservatoires not using CUKAS –

• Guildhall School of Music & Drama
• Royal Academy of Music

CUKAS works rather like UCAS – it sends your application to the conservatoires you have chosen and notifies you about auditions, offers etc.

The key to the CUKAS operation is its website − www.cukas.ac.uk. You register online and can then use it for your course research (Course Search) and application (Apply). You can monitor the progress of your application through Track. There is online assistance if you need it or you can phone the CUKAS customer services line, on 0871 468 0 470.

You can make up to six choices through CUKAS (all your choices are seen by the conservatoires you apply to). You can make another five choices through UCAS as well but you cannot hold a confirmed place through both UCAS and CUKAS (UCAS will write and ask which place you will be taking up).

The key dates for applications are on the website but they are all several months earlier than for other courses – for example applications can be made from early July and the closing date for on-time applications is 1 October.

Direct applications

Some institutions offering first degree courses do not use UCAS or CUKAS. These include the Open University and some specialist colleges, eg Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Architectural Association. Even those that use UCAS for full-time courses do not for part-time courses.

For direct applications, it is important to check early to avoid missing vital deadlines (closing dates, dates for audition, interviews, submission of portfolios etc). You can apply direct to as many of these colleges and courses as you want, in addition to your UCAS and/or CUKAS courses.