Information Session Wind, Brass & Percussion

Application Audition Selection

How to Make an Application The RNCM prospectus and website have all the information needed to make an application to the College Except PhD and a small number of professional development courses, all applications are made online through the UCAS Conservatoires Admissions Service (formerly CUKAS)

UCAS Conservatoires Participating Institutions Royal Northern College of Music Birmingham Conservatoire Leeds College of Music Royal College of Music Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Royal Academy of Music Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

UCAS Conservatoires Application Course search on UCAS Conservatoires with links to all the conservatoire websites Register – set up login ID and password Apply – complete the online application form References – forms to be downloaded from ‘Managing Application’ and sent to referees. Completed references should arrive at Admissions by or post before audition, ideally within October. (GRNCM/MusB references to arrive by 1 October.) Pay - If you have not paid either the UCAS for Conservatoires fee or any audition fee, your application will be held by UCAS until payment is complete. This applies to all conservatoires. Track – date and time of the audition, decisions resulting from auditions and your replies

Important Dates UCAS Conservatoires open for 2016 applications in July 2015 Deadline for applications for 2016 entry is 1 October 2015 Auditions take place in a dedicated period during November-December All on-time applications will have a decision before Christmas

Audition All instrumentalists and singers will be invited for a live audition A date and time is allocated to you on the UCAS Conservatoires website – no invitation letter by post This date cannot be negotiated

Audition and Entrance Requirements Entrance and audition requirements are detailed on the RNCM website –a high standard of performance –a good facility with musical language (online test on audition day) –BMus - 2 A level passes normally including music and 3 GCSEs (A*-C) in subjects different from A levels, or equivalent –GRNCM/MusB – Grades AAA in A2 normally including music and an excellent GCSE profile (also see the website of the University of Manchester) –if English is not your first language, IELTS 5.5 in each component for BMus; IELTS 7.0 for GRNCM/MusB Accompanist is provided for audition where appropriate but NOT warm-up

School of Composition First round: submit three scores to as PDF files and, if possible, audio/video links of the pieces, to be assessed by a selection panel Electronic portfolio to arrive by 1 October 1 st round results informed in October-November Second round: Selected candidates will be invited for an interview (date to be notified via UCAS for Conservatoires). Candidates must send a hard copy of the portfolio to Admissions upon receipt of the invitation.

School of Wind, Brass and Percussion For bassoons, classical clarinets, flutes, French horns, oboes, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, the audition will be in two parts  Round 1: 10 minutes max, first piece  Round 2 (selected candidates): 15 minutes, second piece followed by a brief interview. Sight-reading. Quick study given during warm up. For all the other wind and brass instruments, the audition will be in one round only, 20 minutes including a brief interview. 2 contrasting pieces. Sight reading. Quick study given during warm up. Percussion (Orchestral) & Timpani – one round, 30 minutes including an interview. Sight reading. Quick study in Xylophone given during warm up. Jazz (flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and drums/percussion) – one round, 20 minutes including a brief interview  One jazz piece (from the provided list)  One classical piece of own choice  May be required to undertake a sight reading, an aural task involving improvisation or to play a 12 bar blues (in the key of Bb or F major)

Decisions Guaranteed Conditional Offer Guaranteed Unconditional Offer Reserve Conditional Offer Reserve Unconditional Offer Reject

Confirming Your Decision You can follow the progress of your application through TRACK on UCAS Conservatoires You are advised to confirm your decision on UCAS for Conservatoires by the end of January 2016 (Declined by Default in early February 2016)

Contact Visa and pre-sessional English programme: Clair Rigby (International Administrator) Robert Arcangeli Acting Assistant Head of Registry (Admissions) Mark Beards Temporary Admissions Administrator

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here STUDENT FINANCE 2015/16 Adam Croucher Assistant Head of Registry (Student Finance)

Your student finance journey starts here SESSION CONTENT Student Finance Package Repayment Applications & Information Questions & Comments

Your student finance journey starts here Maintenance Support – Wales / NI / SAAS Scholarships & Bursaries STUDENT FINANCE PACKAGE 15/16 Tuition Fee Support Maintenance Support - England Additional Support The Student Finance Package

Your student finance journey starts here Tuition fees for the 15/16 academic year are £9,000. Eligible students won’t have to pay any tuition fees up front. A Tuition Fee Loan (not dependent on household income) is available to cover the fee levels set by the university or college. Welsh students will receive a £5,190 grant towards their tuition fee. The Student Loans Company pay any Tuition Fee Loan to the university/college directly in instalments across the academic year. The loan is repayable, but linked to future earnings over £21,000 a year. TUITION FEE SUPPORT– FULL-TIME STUDENTS

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here MAINTENANCE SUPPORT – ENGLAND

Your student finance journey starts here MAINTENANCE LOAN Parental home Live at home while you study Up to £4,565 £ London Live away from home & study in London Up to £8,009 £ Elsewhere Live away from home & study outside London Up to £5,740 £

MAINTENANCE LOAN – 15/16 RATES Full-Year Student* 65% Non Means Tested 35% Means Tested Maximum Loan Parental home£2,967£1,598£4,565 Elsewhere£3,731£2,009£5,740 London£5,205£2,804£8,009 Overseas£4,433£2,387£6,820 *Lower rates are available to final year students i Additional loan may be available for any extra weeks of study if your course goes beyond 30 weeks in an academic year

Your student finance journey starts here MAINTENANCE GRANT The Maintenance Grant doesn’t have to be repaid. How much grant you can get depends on your household income. Household income: up to £25,000 Full Grant: £3,387 Household income: up to £42,620 Partial Grant: (Min £50)

Student living away from home, outside London 2015/16 COMBINED MAINTENANCE SUPPORT Household Income Maintenance Grant Maintenance Loan Total £25,000 & under£3,387£4,047£7,434 £30,000£2,441£4,520£6,961 £35,000£1,494£4,993£6,487 £40,000£547£5,467£6,014 £42,620£50£5,715£5,765 £42,875£0£5,740 £50,000£0£4,998 £62,143 & over£0£3,731

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here MAINTENANCE SUPPORT – WALES / NI / SAAS

MAINTENANCE SUPPORT Household Income £ Welsh Gov Learning Grant Maintenance LoanTotal £18,370 & under£5,161£2,796£7,957 £20,000£4,715£3,019£7,734 £25,000£3,347£3,703£7,050 £26,500£2,936£3,908£6,844 £30,000£2,099£4,327£6,426 £34,000£1,149£4,805£5,947 £40,000£734£5,009£5,743 £45,000£395£5,180£5,573 £50,020£50£5,351£5,401 £55,000£0£4,527 £57,475£0£4,032 If you’re studying outside London and living away from your parents

MAINTENANCE SUPPORT – ENGLAND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT The maximum non-repayable maintenance grant level in 2015 is £3,475. Partial grant available for students with a household income of up to £41,540. The grant a student receives is solely dependent on household income levels. (100% means tested) Maintenance loan of up to £4,840 (outside of London) available. Maintenance loan is 75% non means tested / 25% means tested £19,203 is the threshold for the maximum maintenance grant.

MAINTENANCE SUPPORT *Based on 14/15 figures

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES

Your student finance journey starts here RNCM Support: Access Bursaries (Household income and being UK/EU student the only criteria) Up to £1,290 per year of course Access to Learning Fund (Application to the Assistant Head of Registry and UK students only) Scholarships: Awarded at audition – All students considered Limited in numbers SCHOLARSHIPS & BURSARIES ! Check RNCM website and ask at audition for information on bursaries & scholarships – what’s available and how to apply.

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Your student finance journey starts here ADDITIONAL SUPPORT You may get extra money or support if you: have children or adults dependent on you have a disability, mental-health condition, long-term health condition or specific learning difficulty

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT

12_13 Your student finance journey starts here Repayments don’t start until the student is earning at least £21,000 a year (£1,750 a month) gross. Full-time students will begin to repay in the April after graduating from or leaving their HE course. If income falls to £21,000 or below repayments will be suspended. Repayments will be 9% of income over £21,000 and will be deducted from salary through the HMRC tax system for most students. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT

Yearly income before tax Income from which 9% will be deducted Approximate monthly repayment £21,000£0 £25,000£4,000£30 £30,000£9,000£67 £35,000£14,000£105 £40,000£19,000£142 £45,000£24,000£180 £50,000£29,000£217 £60,000£39,000£292 STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT – THE FIGURES ! Any outstanding loan balance will be written off 30 years after entering repayment.

The interest charged will vary during study and depending on earnings after graduation: STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT – INTEREST RATES During study until entering repayment Interest rate: Retail Price Index (RPI) +3% Earnings: Below £21,000 Interest rate: Set at RPI Only Earnings between: £21,000 - £41,000 RPI plus some amount between 0% and 3% Earnings: Above £41,000 Interest rate: Retail Price Index (RPI) +3% ! Students can make extra voluntary repayments at any time without penalty.

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here APPLICATIONS & INFORMATION

12_13 Your student finance journey starts here Students should apply as soon as possible to make sure they have their money at the start of their course. Applying online through GOV.UK / SAAS is the quickest and easiest way. No need to wait for a confirmed offer from a university, but SLC need to know right away if anything changes. (uni, course or personal details) Make sure any required evidence is sent straight away to support applications. In most cases this will be details supplied during the application, with no need for original documents to be sent, including: Valid UK passport number(for student identity) National Insurance numbers(student & parents’ for income details) APPLICATIONS

UCAS CONSERVATOIRES & STUDENT FINANCE The process of applying for student finance can be made even easier by allowing UCAS Conservatoires to share some of your application details with the Student Loans Company. Request a reminder and UCAS Conservatoires will prompt you to log in to your account and agree to share details with SLC when the student finance online application launches. Your student finance application will be pre-populated with information from your UCAS Conservatoires application, such as personal and course details. This makes applying for a student loan faster and saves entering the same info on both forms.

SOCIAL MEDIA – FACEBOOK & TWITTER

12_13 Your student finance journey starts here 12_1 3 Plan a budget – and stick to it! (dull, but practical) Ask questions and get advice from teachers, advisers current/former students, parents/older brothers & sisters. Check out student bank accounts but try to avoid taking credit or store cards. Beware of phishing scams!! If you need financial support and advice once you’re at university, staff there will be able to help. MANAGING YOUR MONEY

Your 13/14 student finance journey starts here ? QUESTIONS & COMMENTS

Student Wellbeing Jane Gray Student Wellbeing Advisor

Support at the RNCM 2 Counsellors 3 Alexander Technique Tutors Specific Medical Advice/Support for Performers Chaplaincy based at Manchester University Financial Hardship Accommodation advice Students Union International Office Learning Support Tutor

Personal Learning Plan A PLP is for students who have a disability or long term condition that will impact on their study. A PLP provides staff with information about the students condition and how it may affect them. It provides the student with support so they are not disadvantaged by providing for example; extra time in exams.

Disabled Students Allowance From DSA allowances are subject to change. Please visit the Student Finance website for updated information. They are available to students living in the United Kingdom. They are paid on top of the standard student finance package and don't have to be paid back. Provide specialist equipment you need for studying, like computer packages and specialist software, also non-medical helpers, such as a support tutor

How to apply for DSA If you normally live in the following countries you can apply online via the following websites: England/Wales/Northern Ireland – Scotland -

Student Accommodation The Halls are owned by Liberty Living The RNCM hold 314 rooms for their students Each new student is guaranteed a room in Sir Charles Groves Hall if required We have two Senior Residents living in the halls that provide welfare support, knowledge of life in the halls and at the RNCM and they also organise events for residents.

Student Accommodation Sir Charles Groves Halls of Residence City centre accommodation - right next door to the college All utility bills included in the cost of the rent Internet (Unlimited 16mbps – provided by Ask4) FREE personal contents insurance (up to £5K) En-suite shower, toilet and washbasin in all bedrooms Comprehensive CCTV coverage Electronic entry systems On-site management team On-site maintenance team Spacious communal living area On-site laundry facility Guest flats available for visiting relatives for a night or short stay All for £ per week ( )

Private Student Accommodation Manchester Student Homes University approved accommodation

CONTACT Robert Arcangeli– Acting Assistant Head of Registry (Admissions) Adam Croucher – Assistant Head of Registry (Student Finance) Jane Gray - Student Wellbeing Advisor