Royal Northern College of Music - In Depth

Founded: 1973 from Northern School of Music and Royal Manchester College of Music.

Site: Modern buildings 1 mile south of city centre.

How to get there: Manchester well-connected by coach and rail (to Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria stations; 2 hrs 40 mins from London), by road (M6/M56, M61, M62, M67), and by air to Manchester International Airport (10 miles south of city centre). Many buses from city centre down Oxford Road.

Academic features: All undergraduate courses have 2 years broad musical education, 2 years specialisation. Joint course run with Manchester University.

Awarding body: Manchester University.

Main awards: BMus, BA, PPRNCM, PGDip, MMus, MPhil.

Length of courses: 4 years for first degree students.

Library & information services: Extensive reference and lending sections of books and performing material. Annual expenditure on information provision, £68 per (FTE) student. Converged library and IT services. Ratio workstations to students of 1:13 (some accessible 24 hours/day); 40 workstations with access to internet and to library's online catalogue. Support from library and IT specialists; induction programme for all new students and IT courses.

Other learning facilities: Vast record collection with playback facilities for records, tapes, CDs and videos. Electronic studio, keyboard laboratory, professionally staffed recording studio.

Specialist collections: Henry Watson Collection of Musical Instruments; Library of Jascha Horenstein; Adolf Brodsky archive; original manuscripts of Alan Rawsthorne, and a unique collection of Scandinavian music.

Study abroad: Formal exchange links with conservatoires in Copenhagen, Malmo, Oslo, Manhattan, Boston and Rochester, USA, open to selected students. Annual orchestral tours, especially to France.

Careers: Advisory service; core module on careers for all undergraduates in year 4.

Student advice & services: Chaplains, counsellors, welfare officer, medical referrals, instrument purchase loan scheme.

Amenities: Opera theatre, concert hall, recital room; Junior Common Room; roof garden; refectory with bar. Full programme of public events takes place throughout the academic year.

Sporting facilities: Arranged through SU and hall of residence.

Accommodation: 80% of first years in college accommodation, 30% of all students. 316 places available: full-board (includes catering package) places at approx. £105 per week; self-catering at approx £80 pw, term time only. Most students live in privately owned accommodation for 3 years: rents £40-£55 pw for self-catering, £50-£65 for B&B. 5% of first degree students live at home.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £5500-£6000 pa (excluding tuition fees) recommended by College.

Term-time work: College allows term-time work for full-time students (external concert engagements make significant contribution to professional development), 75% believed to work. Some work available on campus (bar, front of house) and help finding work in concerts/gigs for suitable students.

Financial help: Government funds and other funds used to alleviate student hardship especially when students do not qualify for public support. College bursaries for suitable applicants. Some entrance awards for students of outstanding promise.

Tuition fees: Home students, up to £1200 for first degrees if publicly funded (eg eligible for a student loan), otherwise £4800-£6000 - in 2005. International students pay £10,950 pa (non-vocal and non-conducting), £12,250 (vocal and conducting).