Year-In Programmes

2011/2012

If you wish to benefit from undergraduate training at the Royal Academy of Music but do not require a full
programme of study which leads to a qualification, the Academy offers a range of Year-In opportunities as
follows:

1 Gap Year
– for students of any nationality wishing to spend a year at the Academy prior to taking up a full-time
undergraduate programme of study at another institution, at which they have already secured a
place or for which they are in the process of applying;

2 Year Abroad
– for non-UK students on an undergraduate (Bachelor) music degree programme, who wish to
benefit from a conservatoire education at the Academy by interrupting their studies at their ‘home’
institution, or when there is no existing exchange agreement in place. It is possible to attend for part
of one academic year (one or two terms, or a semester-equivalent period)

3 Organ Foundation
– primarily for gap-year students preparing for Oxbridge organ scholarships or those wishing to
develop their organ/choral direction skills prior to formal Higher Education training;

The common principles are as follows:

• 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 Study)
• To offer appropriate academic subjects in consultation with the Tutor
• To assess practical and/or academic progress by examination
• To provide a transcript of studies (but no degree or other award)

Please note that Year-In students:

• will normally be allocated a maximum of 60 minutes per week for one-to-one tuition (except on
payment of an additional fee)
• are not normally entitled to Academy funding (scholarship or bursary) towards their studies

Eligibility
Students for the Gap Year programme will:–

• normally be 18 years of age

• have normally secured a deferred study place at another institution
• be subject to the usual audition procedures required of all students applying for Year One
undergraduate entry
Students for the Year Abroad programme will:–

• normally study at the Academy in line with the third year syllabus of the four-year undergraduate
programme
• have been given permission by their home institution to study at the Academy
• be subject to the usual audition procedures required of all students applying for undergraduate
entry
• demonstrate at audition a performance standard in keeping with the year of study which they are
entering (normally BMus year three)
• have a personalised Learning Agreement set up between the Academy and their home institution

Students for the Organ Foundation programme will:–

• satisfy the Academy’s entry audition requirements

• normally have gained a place at another institution for the following year

Studying
All Year-In students are considered as fully enrolled members of the Academy’s student body, and will have
equal access to the Academy’s study facilities and resources (Library, computers, practice rooms etc)
Precise details of individual study timetables will be decided upon enrolment, in discussion with the Head of
Study and the Academic Tutor.
Year-Abroad students are encouraged to commence their studies at the beginning of the Academy’s academic
year (September); this is because students who commence in the Spring or Summer terms are unlikely to be
able to join academic classes as these are almost all run on a full-year basis. Please be aware that part-year
attendance may mean you miss standard assessment dates and this will affect whether we can provide a
transcript for your home institution.
All students on Year-In programmes will be subject to the Academy’s Regulations.

Fees
In 2010/11 the fees are as follows (these are subject to increase in subsequent years):

Gap Year and Organ Foundation: UK/EU fee £8,840

International fee £17,570

Year Abroad: UK/EU & international fee £8,840

(pro-rata for part-year attendance)

The Academy’s Finance Department will send an invoice when payment is required after you have
accepted the offer of a study place.
US students coming on the Year Abroad programme from an institution in the USA may be eligible for US
federal loans towards their study abroad costs, the loans will be administered by their home institution who
may ask the Academy to sign a Consortium Agreement. The initial tuition fee deposit cannot be paid from
loan funds.

Further information
For further information about the Year-In programmes, or other Academy programmes, please contact the
Registry (registry@ram.ac.uk).
For details specific to your principal study, please contact the Department concerned.
Contact details, application and study information are available if you visit the Academy’s website
www.ram.ac.uk/study

Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT

Tel 020 7873 7373 Web: www.ram.ac.uk