Course summary
Our undergraduate courses allow you to specialise and develop your own musical interests whilst acquiring a solid, broad-based education in aesthetics, analysis, composition, ethnomusicology, music history and performance. The BMus is the ideal choice if you would like to concentrate on music. Of all our courses it offers the most in-depth study, allowing you to spend all your time specialising and studying music. It also enables you to take the specialist 30-credit options of Composition and / or Public Recital in year three (options which are not available on our BA or BSc courses). Home to the arts, Cardiff is a great location for the study of music in the UK. The city has a professional opera company, Welsh National Opera, and a professional symphony orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The School of Music enjoys a fruitful relationship with both organisations that allows, for instance, students to attend dress rehearsals and buy cut-price tickets for concerts. We offer a number of instrumental and vocal entrance scholarships. You do not need to apply for these scholarships as you will be automatically considered when applying through UCAS. Visit the School of Music’s website for more information. You are expected to have gained or shown evidence of working towards Grade 8 in one or more instruments or voice at the time of your application. You may be considered if you are not taking A-level Music but have Grade 8 Practical and Grade 7/8 Theory and are studying appropriate subjects at A-level. Distinctive features The distinctive features of the course include:
- instrumental tuition which is fully funded by the School of Music on your principal study instrument
- Business of Music modules which offer a short work placement
- composition workshops, performance masterclasses, the University concert series, the John Bird lectures presented by visiting academics and the careers talks which provide many opportunities for contact with active music professionals
- major composition and public recital options in year three
How to apply
14Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W302
- Institution code:
- C15
- Campus name:
- Main Site - Cardiff
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - AAB - BBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDD - DDM
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 34 - 31 points
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
Extended Project - A
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level
You must have or be working towards grade 8 Music Practical in an instrument or voice. Upon receipt of your UCAS application, we will invite you to attend one of our applicant days, typically held from November to February. These days give you an opportunity to attend talks, take part in workshops, and explore our facilities alongside the wider campus. As part of your visit you will be invited to a meeting with members of our School team. This will be an opportunity for us to engage with you in a relaxed and informal conversation which is designed to help us get to know you better, to understand your musical interests, and for you to ask any questions you may have for us. During this meeting you will be invited either to perform a short piece of unaccompanied music on your principal instrument or voice or—for those whose interests lie more in composition or musicology—to bring along a composition for discussion, or suggest a musical work or topic about which to have an informal chat. This is followed by a short discussion about your musical interests. This element of the applicant day will be assessed and taken into consideration when we are making a decision on your application as a whole. While the final decision on whether you receive an offer to study with us will be based on both your UCAS application and your individual meeting with us, we aim to make the whole experience as welcoming, enjoyable, and supportive as we possibly can. We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects. We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
Additional entry requirements
Admission tests
Audition
Interview
Institutions Own Test (IOT)
Test 2.
English language requirements
All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.
To find out more, please go to:
https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements/undergraduate
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
| EU | £24700 | Year 1 |
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| International | £24700 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students from the UK and Islands:
Fees stated are for the 2026/27 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete to the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.
Students from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland:
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees for 2026/27 will be in line with the fees charged for international students. You can check whether you are eligible for UK (Home) fee status on the UKCISA website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student-advice/fees/full-list-of-categories-for-he-in-wales/
Students from the rest of the world (international):
Fees stated are for 2026/27 entry and are fixed for the duration of the programme, excluding Medicine and Dentistry programmes. Please note that during the pre-clinical element of Medicine and Dentistry programmes the fee rate will be fixed, after which the clinical fee rate will be charged. Further details are available on the university website at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/funding-and-fees
Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.
Sponsorship information
Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.
Provider information
Cardiff University
PO Box 921
Cardiff
CF10 3XQ