Join us from Africa
We are Leeds Conservatoire, the largest and only All-Steinway Conservatoire in England. We are leaders in our field, being the first to introduce a jazz degree in Europe and the first pop and production degrees in the UK, offering highly professional courses taught by top industry musicians and artists.
Undergraduate
For our Bachelors courses (including the Foundation route) there are two ways to apply:
For Classical and Jazz visit UCAS and register your details for a Conservatoires application and use institution code L31 to find us.
For all other bachelor courses apply through UCAS but register for an Undergraduate application and then use institution code L30 to find us.
Postgraduate
For Masters courses you can apply directly using our Postgraduate Direct Application Form or you can also use UCAS and register for a Conservatoires application. Use institution code is L31 to find us.
Once you have applied our admissions team will check your qualifications before you are invited to the next stage. This may be an interview, an audition video or portfolio submission. Full audition guides for all of our courses can be found here.
We sometimes hold auditions overseas and you are welcome to join an in-person audition. We advertise those on the activities tab on this page.
All international applicants have the option to submit materials online or to have an online interview.
You can find detailed information on how to apply here.
If you have any questions please email international@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk
Country |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year) |
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years) |
MA degree (1year) |
Egypt |
Certificate of General Secondary Education/شهادة الدراسة الثانوية العامة | Certificate of General Secondary Education/شهادة الدراسة الثانوية العامة with an overall score of 65% | Bachelor degree |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year)
Certificate of General Secondary Education/شهادة الدراسة الثانوية العامة
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years)
Certificate of General Secondary Education/شهادة الدراسة الثانوية العامة with an overall score of 65%
MA degree (1 year)
Bachelor degree
English Language Requirements
You must demonstrate your English language ability to secure a place at Leeds Conservatoire. You can find out more about it here.
Country |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year) |
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years) |
MA degree (1year) |
Ghana |
West African Senior School Certificate Examination | West African Senior School Certificate Examination | Bachelor degree |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year)
West African Senior School Certificate Examination
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years)
West African Senior School Certificate Examination
MA degree (1 year)
Bachelor degree
English Language Requirements
You must demonstrate your English language ability to secure a place at Leeds Conservatoire. You can find out more about it here.
Country |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year) |
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years) |
MA degree (1year) |
Kenya |
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) | Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) | Bachelor degree |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year)
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years)
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
MA degree (1 year)
Bachelor degree
English Language Requirements
You must demonstrate your English language ability to secure a place at Leeds Conservatoire. You can find out more about it here.
Country |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year) |
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years) |
MA degree (1year) |
South Africa |
National Senior Certificate with a final score of 55555 | National Senior Certificate with a final score of 55444 | Bachelor degree with an overall score of 60% |
BA (Hons) degree (3 year)
National Senior Certificate with a final score of 55555
BA (Hons) degree with Foundation Year (4 years)
National Senior Certificate with a final score of 55444
MA degree (1 year)
Bachelor degree with an overall score of 60%
English Language Requirements
You must demonstrate your English language ability to secure a place at Leeds Conservatoire. For students from South Africa, we accept Grade 5 in either English Home Language or English First Additional Language of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or the Amended Senior Certificate
For other qualifications accepted for English, please check here.
The table below shows the tuition fees for your course and further information about how and when to pay your fees.
The information on these pages applies to those who qualify as international students. Fee status is determined by the regulations laid down by the UK Government. You can read a good introduction to fee status regulations on the UKCISA website.
If there is any doubt about your tuition fee status when you apply, this is checked by the conservatoire and you may be asked to supply certain documents or answer specific questions in order for us to come to a decision. If you have any concerns about which level of tuition fees you should be paying, please email admissions@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk.
Undergraduate Courses
BA (Hons) Degree - Music (3 year full-time) - £20,900
BA (Hons) Degree - Drama (3 year full-time) - £21,300
BA With Foundation Year (Year 0 only) - £16,200
Postgraduate Courses
MA Dramaturgy (W44F - 1 year full-time) - £14,800
MA Musical Direction (W45F - 1 year full-time) - £14,800
MA Directing (W45F - 1 year full-time) - £14,800
MA Music Programmes - £20,600
- MA Music Classical (806F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Music Composition (804F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Music Film, TV and Games (803F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Music Jazz (805F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Music Production (802F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Popular Music - Performer (807F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Popular Music - Songwriter (808F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Popular Music - Writer Performer (809F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
- MA Popular Music - Writer Producer (810F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
MA Musical Theatre Company (W42F - 1 year full-time) - £20,600
MA Musical Theatre Writing (formerly Musical Theatre Creatives) (W43F - 1 year full-time) - £14,800
*Fees are subject to annual review and may change for 2027/28.
International tuition fees are fixed for the duration of the course, other than when stated, providing you stay on the same course, so you can be sure that you will not be required to pay any increase. If fees are increased in future years, this will only apply to new students. Tuition fees for returning students can be found on Space (login required).
Paying a Tuition Fee Deposit for a CAS
International students are required to pay the fee in full at or before enrolment. If you require a CAS number to obtain a Student Visa you will be required to pay 50% of the fee before a CAS number is issued, and the balance at least one week prior to enrolment. If your Visa application is declined or you do not meet your offer conditions, the amount paid will be refunded, after deduction of an administration fee. Please note that CAS numbers cannot be issued until you have met your offer requirements. You can find more information about Visas here.
Making a Tuition Fee Payment
Payments can be made via the online student portal, which is our preferred method of payment. The student portal gives you access to many important resources including paying tuition fees against your student account. Payments must be made in GBP.

To pay your tuition fees:
- Log in to your Student Portal
- Click on My Finance, where you can select the option to make a payment online
- Clicking this will redirect you to the Flywire Portal where you will see the options available to you and the corresponding amounts due in local/other currencies
- Pay by credit/debit card, bank transfer, or other online payments via Flywire. The available payment methods will depend on the country you are paying from
- Once your payment has been set up in Flywire, to complete the process, please select the ‘Return to Leeds Conservatoire’ button. Do not click the back browser navigation button
- Once payment is approved, you will be able to print a receipt
Flywire enables you to make payments easily and securely in your own currency using a variety of local payment methods including online banking, bank transfers and cards. The available payment methods depend on the country you are paying from.
Advantages of using Flywire:
- Eliminate hidden bank fees - ensure that Leeds Conservatoire receives the correct amount
- Save on exchange rates - in most cases, you can make a payment in your home currency. Flywire will process the currency exchange - offering you wholesale exchange rates, unmatched by traditional banks as part of their Best Rate Guarantee
- Peace of mind - 24-hour multilingual customer support when you need it most. Know where your payment is throughout the process
For queries related to your payment through Flywire please contact support@flywire.com with your payment ID, or visit Help on Flywire for info on the following:
- FAQs
- Video walkthroughs
- Country telephone numbers
- Live chat and help requests
If you want to pay online but do not have Portal access, please contact the Student Funding team via email at studentfunding@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk.
Scholarships for International Students 2026
Leeds Conservatoire will be offering a total of 12 international scholarships for students enrolling in September:
- 8 Undergraduate Scholarships
- 4 Postgraduate scholarships
These prestigious awards take the form of partial tuition fee waiver and are available for outstanding international students applying for undergraduate courses and postgraduate taught programmes.
We are offering eight scholarships of £5,000 to new international students starting on a 3-year undergraduate course at the conservatoire in September 2026.
Foundation Year students can also apply for their 2nd to 4th years of study. The scholarship does not apply to the Foundation Year, as it already benefits from a lower fee.
Principal's Scholarships are awarded to exceptionally deserving students based on audition and personal statement.
Full details can be found in the Eligibility & Terms section below.
Click here to apply for the Undergraduate Principal's Scholarship.
We are pleased to offer four scholarships of £5,000 to new international students starting their postgraduate studies at the conservatoire in September 2026.
The prestigious Principal's Scholarships are awarded to exceptionally deserving students based on audition and personal statement.
Full details can be found in the Eligibility & Terms section below.
Click here to apply for the Postgraduate Principal's Scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to apply for the Leeds Conservatoire Principal's Scholarship, you must:
- Be classed as an international applicant
- Have applied for a full-time bachelor's or Masters degree at Leeds Conservatoire beginning in September 2026
- Received a conditional or unconditional offer of admission for the academic year 2026/27
- Be available to start academic studies at Leeds Conservatoire in September 2026 – no deferral to a subsequent academic year will be permitted
- Be able to satisfy current UK immigration requirements
- This scholarship is only available to new students, and not to continuing or current students.
- Does not include Foundation year of study.
Terms & Conditions
Scholarship recipients agree to:
- Include reference to your scholarship on your CV and in your biography.
- If requested, write a short article for Leeds Conservatoire and/or website, letting our audiences and supporters know about your experiences and progress as a musician or performing artist.
- Attend any relevant events during the academic year which give scholarships funders and students the opportunity to meet each other e.g. the Prize-winners event.
- To support the conservatoire’s fundraising activities which aim to increase the scholarship support available for future students .e.g. attending or playing at special events if requested, featuring in articles or videos as necessary
Additional
- Scholarships are valid for the length of the course subject to passing each year of study without resits or repeat years. If you need to undertake re-sits or repeat the year, you will need to pay the full fee for the applicable year. If you successfully complete the year, your scholarship can be re-instated. Please note that MA courses are typically completed in one year, so the above mainly relates to undergraduate study.
- Successful candidates will be notified of the outcome up to four week after the stated deadline, subject to the conditions conveyed here or by our Student Funding Team.
- All awards will be finalised once all offer conditions have been met.
- All scholarships awarded take the form of a partial tuition fee waiver.
- The closing date will be stipulated on the application form. Please ensure you complete and submit the form by the specified date to be considered for a scholarship.
- Leeds Conservatoire reserves the right to review and change scholarship provision without notice.
Alumni Discount
A discount of 10% is available for International or Home students who proceed from an Undergraduate course at the conservatoire, onto a Postgraduate course at Leeds Conservatoire.
To get in touch with the Student Funding team you can:
Email: studentfunding@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk
Telephone: 0113 222 3508 / 0113 222 3419
Any non-UK national (excluding Republic of Ireland nationals) who wish to study a degree course longer than 1 year in the UK will need a Student Visa.
The UK government website has guidance to help you check your visa options
Check our detailed visa page for lot’s more information on requirements, CAS and more here.
Meet our Africa team
Victoria Barber, Head of International Recruitment
Victoria (she/her) is the Head of International Recruitment and assists students from all around the globe. Please reach out to Victoria.Barber@luminate.ac.uk or WhatsApp; +447595711606
Jiani Yang, Senior International Recruitment Officer
Jiani (she/her) is our Senior International Recruitment Officer based in the UK. You are welcome to email her in both English and Chinese to Jiani.Yang@luminate.ac.uk/ Wechat: +44 7483112606
We have a number of representatives who work with Leeds Conservatoire across Africa who can help you with your application, documents and visa. You will find one near you below, and we've also shared a link to a student guide for choosing an education agent to assist you.
The guide provides you and your family with clear information and guidance on what you should look for when considering using an agent. It includes key questions to ask, signs of quality, and how to avoid poor practices. The guide also links to ‘The national code of ethical practice for UK education agents’ and the British Council’s UK database of certified counsellors.
AIMS Education
Nairobi Office. T: +254702102295. E: kenya@aimseducation.co.uk
SI-UK
Mombasa Office. T: +2540780450642. E: mombasa@studyin-uk.com
Global Education
Johannesburg Office. T: +27112686545. E: infoglobal@global-education.co.za
Cape Town Office. T: +27211401551. E: ashleigh@global-education.co.za
Durban Office. T: +27318305556. E: Maxine@global-education.co.za
We will show any upcoming events or visits in this section so please check back regularly to see where we will be.
The International Team will be hosting a series of online information sessions throughout the semester covering accommodation, Life at Leeds Conservatoire, immigration and preparing for travel to the UK. We will email applicants with details or advertise these sessions here so keep an eye on our events pages.
Pre-Register Your Interest in Future Live Events (Be first to know when bookings open & access on-demand content)
Important: This is not a booking - we'll contact you when bookings open.
- All future online and on-campus events
Please note: There are no further in-person Drama Open Events scheduled for this academic year, however please register your interest to be informed about in-person events in Autumn 2026.
Plus, get instant access to course talks, student panels, virtual tours and more, available 24/7 on our On-Demand Open Day.
Our On-Demand Open Day Portal has:
- Films of our Open Day talks - from the welcome talk to course talks, international student support and more
- Hear from students - hear about life at the conservatoire from a panel of real students, discover clubs, sports and societies, plus watch performances
- Virtual tours - take a virtual walk around our campus buildings, including ensemble rooms, recording studios, dance studios, our performance venues and our specialist library building
- Find information - about accommodation, funding, student support, life in Leeds and more
International Online Open Days
- Register your interest in our Live Online Events for International Applicants and be first to know when new dates are available to book
- Live Online Events are scheduled to be convenient for a range of different time zones, and use technology accessible everywhere without the need for a VPN, so wherever you are you in the world you won't miss out.
- Get instant access to exclusive on-demand content, including workshops and advice for international applicants
Leeds Conservatoire are proud to have partnerships with international institutions. You can begin study with one of our approved partners and then complete your degree on campus at Leeds Conservatoire.
International Student Life
At Leeds Conservatoire, we truly value diversity and love welcoming artists from all parts of the globe into our vibrant community.
Take a moment to explore this section and get to know our wonderful international students and alumni community and what it's like living in Leeds. We also have information on accommodation, how to get here, student support, and guidance on working while studying.
Year in Review
2025 was a year of milestones and successes, including our 60th anniversary. Our Principal, Joe Wilson, reflects on a year of creativity and achievement at Leeds Conservatoire.
Find out how to get in touch with our international team or community.
Contact us