UCAS Conservatoires Explained: How to Apply for 2027 Entry

UCAS Conservatoires is UCAS's separate application service for performance-based courses at nine UK conservatoires. For 2027 entry you can make up to six choices for one £34.50 fee, though most courses add an audition fee. Music applications were due by 18:00 on 1 October 2026; most dance, drama and musical theatre courses close at 18:00 on 13 January 2027.

It looks a lot like the normal UCAS form, and you start it from the same UCAS Hub account. The differences are in the details: more choices, auditions, different reply rules and earlier music deadlines. New to UCAS? Start with what UCAS is and how it works.

Which conservatoires use UCAS Conservatoires?

UCAS lists nine conservatoires in the scheme:

• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)
• Leeds Conservatoire
• Royal Academy of Music
• Royal College of Music
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Royal Northern College of Music
• Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
• Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Each has its own strengths, so research them all before you pick. Two things to watch. First, Leeds Conservatoire uses both schemes. Its UCAS Undergraduate page says you apply through UCAS Undergraduate "for most Undergraduate degrees (except Classical and Jazz)", while BA Classical Music and BA Jazz go through UCAS Conservatoires. Second, UCAS says other conservatoires may sit outside the scheme, so you might apply to them directly or through the main UCAS scheme.

How is UCAS Conservatoires different from the main UCAS scheme?

Both run from the UCAS Hub. When you register, you tick that you're interested in conservatoires, and you'll then see the right deadlines and alerts. Here's how the two compare for 2027 entry.

The UCAS adviser toolkit adds that the conservatoire form has no "Employment" section. You nominate one referee, who UCAS says only writes a reference if a conservatoire asks for one. For the main scheme, see how the UCAS application works and our guide to the UCAS reference.

What is the UCAS Conservatoires deadline for 2027 entry?

UCAS opened 2027-entry conservatoire applications on 9 July 2026. Your application should reach UCAS by these times (UK time) to be sure the conservatoires consider it:

Dates can still vary by conservatoire, course and audition centre. The Royal College of Music uses 1 October 2026 for BMus applicants auditioning in London, but 1 November 2026 for some overseas audition centres. UCAS also says many conservatoires accept international students later in the year, but you should contact them first.

For the main UCAS dates, including 15 October for Oxbridge and medicine, see our UCAS deadlines guide for 2027 entry.

How many conservatoires can I apply to?

Up to six courses on one application. UCAS lists them in no preference order, and each conservatoire can see where else you've applied.

UCAS says there's usually no need to apply for more than one course at the same conservatoire. If several courses for your instrument or discipline at one conservatoire interest you, name just one on the form, then contact the conservatoire with your Personal ID to mention the others. Not sure if you're at diploma or degree level? UCAS's advice is to apply for the higher-level course (the BMus, say) and let the conservatoire decide at audition.

Music applicants also choose a study type, which sets how many auditions you'll have:

For other subjects, the form just says "Main specialism". You can only apply once in a cycle, so get your six right before you send.

How much does UCAS Conservatoires cost?

The application fee for 2027 entry is £34.50, the same single fee as the main scheme. On top of that, most courses charge an assessment or audition fee. UCAS usually collects these with the application fee, though sometimes you pay the conservatoire directly. Your form shows each fee once it's complete, and the UCAS search tool lists them under "Assessment info".

Fees vary a lot. For 2027 entry, the Royal College of Music charges £115 for single principal study and £165 for joint principal study. The Royal Welsh College charges a £35 audition fee for acting and musical theatre, and Leeds Conservatoire says it doesn't charge audition fees at all.

Help is available. UCAS says all conservatoires will consider waiving assessment fees if you meet all three of these conditions:

1. You normally live in the UK, not just for education.
2. You're applying for an undergraduate degree.
3. Your household income is £25,000 or less a year.

Some go further: the RCM's waiver for 2027 entry covers BMus applicants with a household income of £35,000 or less, among other routes. You apply to each conservatoire, not to UCAS. The £34.50 application fee can also be waived if you had UK government-funded free school meals at any point in secondary school, or if you're an eligible care leaver; our UCAS application fee guide explains both.

One rule to remember: UCAS cancels your application if payment isn't received within 14 days of the date you apply.

What happens at a conservatoire audition?

An assessment is how the conservatoire judges you, through an audition, an interview, a portfolio or a recording. UCAS describes what to expect:

• Music performers usually play two or more contrasting pieces at a live audition, and can sometimes send a recording instead.
• Musicians may also be asked for scales, sight-reading, an aural test or an interview.
• Composers are often asked for a portfolio or an interview.
• Dance and drama applicants may prepare monologues or a performance piece, join a dance class, sing, sight-read text or improvise.
• Production applicants may get set tasks to discuss at interview.

The conservatoire tells you what to prepare after you apply. In your application, an invitation shows up as "Audition pending (AP)", with the date, time and payment details.

Do conservatoires care about grades and UCAS points?

Yes, but the audition comes first. UCAS's conservatoire entry requirements page says courses usually ask for a mix of qualifications, subjects or grades, plus an assessment, and that "Some conservatoires use UCAS Tariff points in their entry requirements too."

The Royal College of Music shows how this works. Its BMus page for 2027 entry asks for two A-levels at grade E or above (or set alternatives), and says "All offers for performers and composers are made on the basis of their performance at audition". A grade E is worth 16 Tariff points, so the academic bar is modest. The audition decides the place.

Points still help when a course states a Tariff total, or when you also apply to universities through the main scheme. Graded music exams at Grades 6 to 8 carry Tariff points, and you can add them up with the music grades UCAS points calculator. Drama students can check the LAMDA UCAS points table. For typical university offers, see UCAS points for music and UCAS points for drama.

Add up your music grade UCAS points

How do conservatoire offers and replies work?

Conservatoire decisions use their own codes. UCAS's decisions page explains them:

A reserve decision isn't a reserved place, but it isn't a rejection either. You must accept it to stay in the pool.

You can accept one offer as your first choice and, depending on the offer types, a second. Accept a guaranteed offer (GU or GC) as your first choice and you must decline everything else. Accept a reserve offer first and you can hold any type of offer as your second. This works a bit like firm and insurance choices, with different rules.

Your reply date depends on when your last decision arrives:

Miss your reply date and your offers are declined automatically.

Can you use UCAS Undergraduate and UCAS Conservatoires together?

Yes, using two separate applications in the same year. The one firm rule is that you can't hold more than one confirmed place. If you end up with a GU1 at a conservatoire and a UF at a university, UCAS will ask you to accept one and withdraw from the other.

Two more rules. You can withdraw your conservatoire application at any time, but UCAS only refunds it within 14 days of sending, and after that you can't reapply that year. And you can't apply for deferred entry, though a conservatoire can offer a deferred place if you ask. Our deferred entry guide covers the main scheme's rules.

Is a conservatoire better than a university?

Neither is better; they're built for different goals. Conservatoire study is practical first: UCAS says students often work a 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday routine, with performances in the evenings and at weekends. Teaching comes from working professionals, with a strong focus on one-to-one tuition, and the year splits into academic weeks and performance weeks.

At a university, UCAS says the focus is more on academic study, and your course could be combined with other subjects. If you want a performing career and you're ready to practise for hours in your own time, a conservatoire fits. If you want a broader degree, a university course might suit you better, and you can apply to both.

What should you do next?

Shortlist courses using the conservatoire filter in UCAS's search tool, and check each one's deadline, audition fee and audition format. Ask a teacher who knows your playing or performing to be your referee. If money is tight, apply for audition fee waivers early. And if you're adding university choices too, use the music grades guide to see where your grades fit.