Royal College of Music - In Depth

Founded: 1883, by Prince of Wales (later Edward VII).

Site: South Kensington, close to Albert Hall and Imperial College.

How to get there: South Kensington and Gloucester Road underground stations; various buses.

Academic features: BMus with strong performance orientation. BSc physics with music, taught jointly with Imperial College. Range of postgraduate courses in performance and composition. Scholarships and prizes available.

Special features: Regular master classes and workshops with top international musicians, performance opportunities in London and across UK, theatre on-site. Vocational advice unit, Woodhouse Centre.

Awarding body: Royal College of Music. London University.

Main awards: BMus, PgDip, MMus, DMus.

Length of course: 4 years (1-2 years postgraduate).

Library & information services: Reference and loan collections; 300,000 volumes, including rare early printed material and manuscripts. Annual expenditure on information provision, £172 per (FTE) student.

Other learning facilities: Computing facilities and internet cafe, recording studios and research resources.

Specialist collections: Portraits and Performance History. Instrument Museum.

Study abroad: College has formal relationships with many musical organisations, including exchanges in Europe, North America and Australia.

Careers: Information. advice and performance opportunities from Woodhouse Centre.

Student advice & services: Welfare manager gives advice on finance; Alexander Technique training. Use of Imperial College counselling and health services and chaplaincy.

Amenities: Britten Theatre, large concert hall and recital halls. Nearby music shop gives 10% discount to RCM students; facilities of Imperial College (incl swimming pool and gym).

Accommodation: 45% of students in college accommodation. 170 self-catering places in hall (with practising facilities), average £75 per week; some half-board accommodation for women available nearby. Other students live in privately owned accommodation: rents £60-£80 pw for self-catering. London rents are expensive; students need to ensure no objections to practising instruments. 5% of first degree students live at home.

Living expenses budget: No College-recommended minimum.

Term-time work: College encourages professional work - considered an important part of professional development as performers (80% believed to work). Some work available on campus (stewarding, orchestral stage work, admin). Woodhouse Centre provides access to paid performing opportunities and teaching work.

Financial help: Total available £49,000 government funds, 80 students helped; £550,000 own funds, 120 helped.

Special help: those in demonstrable need; own funds also available for those of special ability and/or meeting specific terms of bequests - some funds assigned prior to starting course. Apply for help to Welfare Manager.

Tuition fees: Home students £1200 pa for first degrees (other courses up to £6600) - in 2005. International students pay £13,200 pa (other courses up to £17,562).