Please ensure you read all the information below and prepare accordingly. Not doing so may cause problems with your registration.
Registration and fee payment takes place online and must be completed before induction week. You will receive an email with the subject 'Student Self Service Account Activation', which will contain a link to the registration and payment portal along with your username and password.
This email will be sent to the email address you provided on your UCAS Conservatoires application. Please ensure you check it regularly.
As part of the online process you will:
When you confirm registration, having agreed to the RCM's terms and conditions, you agree to abide by the RCM student code & procedures. This document covers a range of codes, procedures, regulations and policies, including the regulations of your programme. It is your responsibility to make sure you understand this, and in particular, the various consequences in case of misconduct (academic and personal) or non-payment of debts.
RCM terms & conditions of registration
RCM Student Code & Procedures 2024-25
You must either have payed your fees in full or payed the first instalment of an agreed payment plan by the beginning of term. Most people will arrange to pay their fees as part of the online registration process, which must be completed by 1 September. The payment (or first instalment) will be taken automatically on the first day of term.
If you have experienced difficulties paying your fees online or would like more information about the fee payment process, please refer to our Paying fees page.
When you get here, the first thing you need to do is attend New Student Check-In. You will receive an email indicating your timeslot for checking in before the start of term. Undergraduate and some postgraduate students will check in on Monday 15 September with some postgraduate students checking in on Tuesday 16 September. Please arrive at the RCM ready to check in at your assigned time. We are grateful if you resist the temptation to register before your assigned time since this creates queues for others.
You will be welcomed by members of the RCM Students' Union and will be directed to the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, where you will be able to check in. Once you have checked in, you can take part in other activities organised for induction week. Postgraduate students checking in on Tuesday are warmly welcomed to the events scheduled for Monday evening.
If you cannot join us in person, please see section 4 below.
All new students must present identification documents at New Student Check-In. This includes UK students and students who have previously studied at the RCM and are beginning a new course. Without proof of identity we cannot complete the New Student Check-In process, and you will not be permitted to begin your studies. The RCM is required to confirm your identity and that you have the right to study in the UK, along with your eligibility for UK and US student loans (if applicable).
ID documents presented at New Student Check-in must be originals (photocopies or photos on phones will not be accepted). If you think you may have difficulty presenting the required documents, contact registration@rcm.ac.uk before New Student Check-In for advice.
If you intend to work during your course you will also need your documents to demonstrate to employers that you have the right to work in the UK – another important reason to bring these with you to London.
If you are a non-UK student, as well as bringing your original documents to new Student Check-in, you must also provide digital copies of these in advance, and your e-visa share code if applicable. The RCM is required to keep these copies on file as evidence of your right to study in the UK. Please e-mail your digital documentation in advance (ideally by 1 September provided your visa has already been granted) to international@rcm.ac.uk to ensure the new student check-in process is quick and easy on the day.
To generate a share code for digital immigration status go to the UK Government website. Please select the reason for needing a share code as “other”.
Where proof of UK date of entry is required (see below), this can be a border stamp in your passport or, if you entered using the e-gates at the airport, your boarding pass or travel ticket. You do not need to e-mail this in advance, Tickets and boarding passes can be shown on your phone to RCM staff at New Student Check-in; hard copies are not required.
Important for visa holders: DO NOT travel to the UK before the start date of your visa. It will not yet be activated and the RCM will not be able to register you. If you arrive too early you will have to leave the UK and re-enter during the validity period of your visa to activate it.
UK students
Students who are only UK nationals are not required to e-mail copies of their documents in advance of new student check-in. However, if you are a dual national please e-mail a copy of your UK passport (or other ID documents) to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September.
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
If you do not have a passport you should provide two of the following:
Photocard driving licenses alone are not sufficient as they do not provide proof of nationality.
Irish nationals
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September:
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
Photocard driving licenses are not sufficient as they do not provide proof of nationality.
EU Settlement Scheme
EU/EEA and Swiss students, and relevant family members, who were resident in the UK before the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020 and who have protected rights documented through the EU Settlement Scheme.
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September (if you have not already done so):
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
Student Visa holder - applied outside the UK
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September (if you have not already done so):
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
*The Home Office is phasing out use of entry clearance vignettes. You will not be issued with one if you are an EEA national or have a visa granted after 15 July 2025.
Student Visa holder - applied inside the UK
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September (if you have not already done so):
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
Student Visa holders with applications in progress
If you have made a visa application in the UK and it is still being considered by the Home Office, the RCM can still complete the New Student Check-in process if you provide these documents:
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September (if you have not already done so):
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
Please e-mail your share code to international@rcm.ac.uk as soon as your new visa is granted.
Students who have just completed another course at the RCM and still have valid permission on their current RCM visa can use this for New Student Check-in if required. They must submit a visa application within six weeks of the start of term.
***All students registering while their visa application is still being processed should note that they do so at their own risk. In the event of a visa refusal, students would remain liable for course fees for the first term if they have already commenced study.
The RCM cannot enrol you if your current visa is a Graduate Visa, High Performance Individual Visa. You must obtain your new visa before checking in.
It is not permitted to apply for a Student visa inside the UK if you hold permission as a Visitor. You must exit the UK to apply for your visa and re-enter once it is granted.
The RCM cannot enrol you if you have made a Student visa application overseas and have travelled to the UK before receiving a decision on your application. You must exit the UK and re-enter during the validity period of your Student visa.
Students with Standard Visitor permission
Non-UK students on short programmes (including exchanges, Boston and Princeton University Experience Programme and NAFA BMus/BEd/Masters London Placements) can study with Standard Visitor permission.
If you were not required to apply for entry clearance in advance, ensure you obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling.
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September:
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
Other types of immigration permission
Examples of other acceptable types of immigration permission include: Indefinite Leave to Remain, BN(O) visas, Dependent Visas, Global Talent Visas, Ancestry Visas and visas in the Ukraine schemes.
Note that holders of Graduate Visa and High Performance Individual visas are not permitted to register on any of the RCM’s courses.
To e-mail to international@rcm.ac.uk by 1 September:
Required documents at New Student Check-in:
We expect students to check in on 15 or 16 September at their allotted time. However, we recognise that a small number of students may experience challenges which delay their arrival. Any student who will not be present for check-in must contact the Registry to let us know of your situation and to tell us when you anticipate being able to commence studies.
If you have not completed check-in you will not receive your RCM ID card which means you will not be able to access RCM facilities including the practice room booking system, Asimut.
Most students should have provided evidence that they have met all the conditions of their offer well before the first day of term. If you have not already done so and your offer is still condition, you should send a copy of your academic qualifications, degree certificate, IELTS or other English language test results or other required documentation to the Registry as soon as the results are available. If you have not provided this information on or by the first day of term, you will not be able to check in and begin your studies. If your results , transcripts or certificates have been delayed for any reason, please contact the Admissions Officer.
The RCM has a student ID card system which is linked to the RCM Library, the practice room booking system, Asimut, and printing and copying facilities. Your ID card will be created as part of the registration process and, provided you have uploaded an appropriate digital photo by 5 September when you registered online, you will be able to collect your ID card at check-in. Your ID card will be valid for the duration of your programme. If you lose your ID card, you can get a replacement from the Registry at a cost of £10.
When you have completed online registration you should have access to your RCM email address. It is RCM policy that communication via RCM email is the way in which College information is conveyed. It is, therefore, vitally important that you check your RCM email each day. This can be either via your mobile device, via the terminals around College or via the internet using RCM webmail. You will also find essential information on the RCM's virtual learning environment, learn.rcm.
The RCM provides a wide range of technology equipment and software to support your studies. This guide will introduce you to the facilities and services that are available and make recommendations for the personal devices and software we recommend students have to make the most of their time at the RCM and the services and support available.
The Performance & Programming department will send orchestral audition excerpts and information about the orchestral auditions by email in mid- to late August. If you have any queries about this, please contact the Performance Assistant.
Some one-to-one study lessons may begin from Wednesday 17 September. You will be informed by email who you will be studying with, and you will be given contact details of your professor so you can arrange your first lesson. You must only begin lessons once you have completed new student check-in.
Please make sure you read this information carefully and take all necessary steps to ensure you are fully prepared BEFORE you arrive at the RCM.
RCM students may be eligible to register with the Imperial College Health Centre for primary NHS care medical services. Further details are available from the IC Health Centre website. It is recommended that you register for ICHC GP services.
Register for Imperial College Health Centre
Read the student welcome letter from Imperial College Health Centre
In preparation for coming to the RCM, it is strongly recommended that you are immunised to protect yourself against illnesses that, although rare, occur more commonly amongst university-age students: meningococcal infections (meningitis), measles and mumps. If you have not been immunised against these infections, you should arrange to be vaccinated by your doctor. The risk of infection is greater in the first few weeks of the first term, so it is important that all new students are vaccinated before arrival. Note that if you have already been immunised against meningitis, you need to check you have had the MenACWY vaccination which has not always been a part of the UK National Immunisation Programme. The MenACWY vaccine is not the same as Meningitis C. Students from certain countries may also need to be tested for latent Tuberculosis.
If you have not had all of these vaccinations, please attend the IHCH to do so as soon as possible, as the risk of infection is greatest in the first few weeks of term. If you are uncertain about your vaccination status, it is safer to have the vaccines again, than potentially be unprotected. Details are available on the ICHC website.
Vitamin D deficiency is very common in the UK. In order to prevent this, especially if you are spending long hours practising, in the library or online, we recommend you take an over-the-counter supplement.
The RCM is part of the Transport for London Student Oyster Photocard scheme, which entitles students on courses of six months of longer to cheaper travel rates in London. You can apply online via the TfL website. You should select 18+ Student. You will need your RCM student ID, which will be included in the email sent to you inviting you to register (early August), and a digital passport-style photograph to upload with your application.
There is an application fee of £10 and you will need to provide your course start and end dates which are 16 September 2024 to 4 July 2025. Full-time MSc and MMus fast-track students' end date is 30 September 2025. Part-time students, students on courses shorter than six months and students who are not registered are ineligible.
Students who are UK nationals, Irish nationals, Commonwealth nationals or EU nationals resident in the UK may register to vote. The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides full advice on eligibility. You can register to vote at both your home and term-time addresses if they are in different local authority areas within the UK. You can vote in local elections in both areas but only once in general elections. You can check if you are already registered to vote by getting in touch with your local authority. Enter your postcode at www.gov.uk/get-on-electoral-register to find your local electoral registration office and contact them directly. If you are not on the electoral roll, register online to vote in England, Scotland or Wales at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Please be aware that if you have signed a tenancy agreement for a room at Prince Consort Village or any other student accommodation, you have entered into a contractual arrangement with them directly, independently from the RCM. The RCM cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred in the event that you do not commence or continue studies at the RCM, including in the event of you failing to progress to the next year of study.
Prior to commencing studies, placement tests are taken by new students on the BMus programme, whether starting in Year 1 or Year 2. These tests are in:
Students beginning Year 1 of the BMus are advised to purchase the texts below before beginning their studies. These are essential texts on some of the modules you will study this year.
Term dates and academic calendar
Enjoy the remainder of the summer vacation, and we look forward to welcoming you to the RCM in September.
Find out about the exciting events and services RCMSU offers during induction week and year-round
If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact the Registry team. We are open throughout the summer from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays.
Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
London SW7 2BS
United Kingdom
Registered charity No. 309268
