About the UK Music Grade System

The website is built around the UK graded music system, which divides up skills/ability into 8 grades. These take a student from beginner level, to the level of university entrance. Students starting a music degree in the UK are expected to be at grade 8 minimum in their instrument and at least grade 5 in music theory. Beyond grade 8, music exams can be taken at diploma level - there are 3 levels post grade 8, roughly equivalent to undergraduate 1st year, Bachelors and Masters degrees.

The exams are set by a number of different exam boards and are available to everyone regardless of age/location (the exams can be taken worldwide). My site focuses on the syllabuses set out by the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), and by Trinity College of Music London. The syllabuses are compared in more detail here: ABRSM v. Trinity

To find out where you fit into all this, you can take a quiz on the site here: https://www.mymusictheory.com/for-students/quizzes/388-what-music-theory-grade-are-you

This will give you a rough idea of where to start, but please do get in touch if you need some more guidance!

Victoria Williams