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BMus|Undergraduate

Music

Entry year
Academic Year 2025/26
Entry requirements
BBB
Duration
3 years (Full-time)
UCAS code
W302

The BMus in Music is designed for students who wish to develop a deep understanding of music in the broadest sense whilst honing their specialist skills to professional standards. Staff with international reputations in performance, composition and musicology provide training that enables young musicians to fully exploit their talents. The degree includes studies in musicianship, harmony, music history and a range of associated skills that provide a well-rounded set of transferable skills such as problem-solving, communication and teamwork. This ensures that graduates in music are equally employable in graduate jobs as they are in musical careers.

The BMus degree was established in 1947 and over the last 70 years Queen's Music graduates have achieved a wide range of diverse careers and professional successes throughout the UK and internationally in both musical and non-musical careers.

Music highlights

World Class Facilities

Our Music Building was built at the same time as the main Queen's Lanyon Building. It was originally the Student's Union and Canteen.
We have the beautiful Harty Room concert hall, The Old McMordie Hall teaching room, a large Lecture Room, smaller teaching rooms, a basement full of practice rooms, 2 recording studios and social spaces for students to meet.
Performance Spaces
HARTY ROOM
With a splendid hammer-beam vaulted roof and warm acoustic, the Harty Room (seating 120) is situated within the Music building where the regular lunchtime recitals and evening concerts take place. It is also the main rehearsal space for choirs and orchestras at Queen’s. It houses two full- concert Steinway grand pianos, a double- manual harpsichord, fortepiano, chamber organ and many percussion instruments.
The Harty Room is also equipped with a large projector screen and audio PA system suitable for events such as concerts and seminars.
MCMORDIE HALL
This spacious room with colourful light beaming through its beautiful stained-glass window is one of two main lecturing spaces within the School of Music building. It also houses many of our early keyboard instruments, three small ones on the balcony and the heavier ones on the ground floor.
ELMWOOD HALL
This is a medium-sized concert hall, for a wide variety of musical events. The University Orchestra give two large- scale concerts there each year.
SIR WILLIAM WHITLA HALL
This is the University’s principal venue for orchestral concerts, conferences and exhibitions and it hosts the graduation ceremonies each June and December. The Whitla Hall also houses a Steinway concert grand and a magnificent three- manual organ by Compton, renovated by Hill, Norman and Beard.

The link below is a student-led video tour of the Music building.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/Musictour

Industry Links

The School benefits from strong industry partnerships including BBC NI, Ulster Orchestra, Opera NI, Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, Cathedral Arts Festival, Moving on Music, Diatribe Records, DTS and Dolby.

We currently have a partnership with the Ulster Orchestra that means our performance classes are regularly co-mentored by Ulster Orchestra players.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/PerformanceUOPartnership

Internationally Renowned Experts

Many of our staff are leading international experts in their fields of research. Additionally, the School employs a number Industry Fellows – internationally renowned professionals in their fields of composition, performance, song-writing, sound engineering and music production.
Each member of staff teaching on this course is listed on the next page with a link to their research profiles.

Professional Accreditations

The School is an Avid Learning Partner with certified instructors in both Media Composer video editing software and Pro Tools audio editing software. 
Undergraduates at the school have the opportunity to be certified in editing and notations software used in both the Film and Audio Industries as an additional qualification outside their course. The cost of these courses ranges from £20 to £90 per course. 
The school offers the following additional certifications:
MC101 | Media Composer Editing Essentials
MC110 | Media Composer Effects Essentials
PT101 | Pro Tools Fundamentals I
PT110 | Pro Tools Fundamentals II
PT130 | Pro Tools for Game Audio
PT201 | Pro Tools Production I
PT210M | Pro Tools Production II (Music Production)
SB101 | Sibelius Fundamentals I
SB110 | Sibelius Fundamentals II
https://www.avid.com/education/certification
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/AvidTraining/

Student Experience

Northern Ireland has an exceptional track record for producing outstanding musical talent and has a unique identity within the global music industry. Belfast is the creative hub of the Northern Irish music industry and students on this programme will contribute to the vibrant musical life of both the University and the wider city.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/about/Living-in-Northern-Ireland/Life-in-Belfast/nightlife-and-music/

Global Opportunities

Students may opt to spend a semester or a year studying abroad. The School has links with a number of international institutions including Sibelius Academy (University of the Arts Helsinki), University of Groningen, Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo do Porto (Instituto Politecnico do Porto), Université Français Rabelais Tours, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Technological Educational Institute of Crete
http://go.qub.ac.uk/Erasmus-StudyAbroad

Further Study Opportunities

Further study, including Master's programmes, is also an option; see the School website for further information. Graduates of this degree will be eligible to undertake the postgraduate study such as the MRes and PhD programmes.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-taught/arts-humanities-mres/

Student Experience

Students wishing to take modules in either solo or ensemble performance at Level 1 must first successfully pass an audition. Each student accepted onto a Level 1 performance module is awarded a generous performance bursary that covers the cost of all practical performance tuition. Performance bursaries are also provided to students taking performance modules at Levels 2 and 3.

World Class Facilities

The School is one of the largest and best equipped institutions in the UK working in the field of music and sound. Students have access to state-of-the-art audio resources including two dedicated computer suites, ten sound studios an equipment loan store and the world’s first Sonic Laboratory – a unique performance space capable of three-dimensional sound projection, all housed in the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC).

Since its founding in 2001, the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) has become a globally recognised institute for music-based practice and research, broadly conceived. SARC brings together researchers in composition, performance, musicology, computing for musical applications, acoustics and perception, sound recording, interaction design, broadcast, critical improvisation studies, sound art, aesthetics and media theory. It is a purpose designed building with a state-of-the-art Sonic Laboratory and multichannel studios was opened by Karlheinz Stockhausen in 2004 during the Sonorities Festival, which is hosted biennially by SARC. SARC also includes associate members based in computer engineering, anthropology, psychology and architecture who are involved in research collaborations and co-supervision of PhD students, to form a research environment with over 60 academics and postgraduate students.
SARC regularly hosts visiting artists and scholars and has ongoing research collaborations with international institutions including Stanford University, University of São Paulo, IRCAM, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, McGill University, Bach-Archiv Leipzig, Stony Brook University, Orpheus Institute and University of Oxford. SARC also has formal professional partnerships with high profile local artists and ensembles including the Ulster Orchestra, Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble and Duke Special, of which the latter two are currently employed as Industry Professionals. The link below is a student-led video tour of the SARC building.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/SARCtour

The Sonic Laboratory at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) could best be thought of as a 'cinema for the ear' - a specialist acoustic space designed to provide a unique and immersive listening experience - the auditory equivalent of an IMAX cinema. Forty-eight loudspeakers, strategically located, project and move sounds throughout the 360 degrees of the space, including above and underneath the audience.  The Sonic Lab was designed with an acoustically transparent, modular grid floor suspended 4m above the basement level.  No other auditorium for sonic art performance and experimentation currently exists with this revolutionary feature. The provision of this facility gives Northern Ireland a unique and pioneering role in a rapidly developing field.

The Sonic Lab is a flexible space used for teaching, public concerts, screenings, installations and for developing and implementing cutting edge research linked to the emerging creative industries.  As an engineering research facility, the Sonic Laboratory provides unique opportunities to develop and test new ideas relating to virtual reality / augmented reality, immersive media, Dolby Atmos, loudspeaker design, music perception, musical interactions, new instrument design and sound engineering.

Specifications
AUDIO
• 48 loudspeakers across 4 levels: Basement (10), ground (12), mid-height (18) and over-head (8) consisting of Meyer and Genelec loudspeakers.
• Studer Vista 5 mixing console located at the rear of the lab - 72 mic/line inputs, 56 line outputs.
• DANTE audio connection to the Broadcast Studio in SARC.
• Adjacent Control Room equipped with AMS-NEVE DMC mixing console with PMC loudspeaker monitoring and Pro Tools HDX multitrack playback and recording system.

ACOUSTICS
48 acoustic absorbers which can be raised and lowered to alter the reverberation time of the space between 0.4 – 2.3 seconds.  This allows the space to be configured to suit different performances,
recording situations, and testing environments.

VISUAL
Large 7 meter-wide retractable acoustically-permeable screen with high definition video projection.

LIGHTING
LED powered lighting system - Avolites Titan Mobile console controlling 6 x moving head lights, and 28 x LED Par fixtures.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/Sonic-Lab

Student Experience

Download our new Music Programmes Brochure here!
http://go.qub.ac.uk/MusicBrochure

Internationally Renowned Experts

Each term we run a series of research seminars and lunchtime concerts with guest speakers/performers joining us from around the world.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/EventsListings

Student Experience

The Music Department at Queen's is a very welcoming and friendly department. Even though we work across two buildings, both are good venues for a sociable and relaxed student experience.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/MusicatQueens

Student Testimonials

Course Structure

BMus Bachelor of Music

To view a presentation on this course please go to http://go.qub.ac.uk/BMustalk. The BMus is the broadest and most flexible of our music degrees. It offers freedom for students to choose the areas they would like to specialise in, such as: Solo Performance, Composition, Musicology, Recording Practices and Ensemble Performance, along with Arts Management, Song Writing and Traditional Irish Music.

Level 1

Students are introduced to a number of core areas of musical study in five core modules at Level 1, introducing the key concepts in Music. They will also develop critical and writing skills necessary in order to make the transition to studying at university level. There is one further optional module, which can be chosen from a wide range.

Level 2

The second year includes two core modules in analysis and critical writing skills, plus four optional modules. At this stage there is considerable flexibility and freedom for students to choose the areas they would like to specialise in, building on the knowledge and skills gained at stage 1 and exploring areas of interest.

Level 3

At Level 3, students are required to take one core module in a choice of music history subject, plus select five more from a wide range of optional modules rooted in staff research expertise. Students can also elect to take a work based learning module.

Contact Teaching Hours

Personal Study

24 (hours maximum)
22–24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including guided study, composition, instrumental tuition, performance rehearsal, online activities, etc.

Medium Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Large Group Teaching

6 (hours maximum)
hours of lectures

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

2 (hours maximum)
hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week

Learning and Teaching

Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this courses are:

  • E-Learning technologies

    Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; on-line assessment; opportunities to use software applications associated with design in practicals and project-based work etc.

  • Lectures

    Introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).

  • Personal Tutor

    Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Stages 1 and 2 who meets with them regularly during the year to support their academic development.

  • Practicals

    Provide opportunities for the development of technical skills and the application of theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts.

  • Self-directed study

    This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, performance practice, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback and assignment research and preparation is carried out.

  • Supervised projects

    In final year, all students take a ‘Professional Practice’ module which provides the opportunity to develop a body of artistic work in a professional context. Each individual or group will be assigned a member of staff to act as a mentor. Mentors and students will meet fortnightly to review work in progress and to discuss practical concerns.

  • Work placements

    Students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in Year 3. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity.

Assessment

Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:

  • The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Many Music modules are assessed solely through practical project work, continuous assessment or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Module Outline Document which is provided to all students at the beginning of each teaching semester.

Feedback

As students’ progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

  • Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
  • Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
  • Placement employer comments or references
  • Online or emailed comment.
  • General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
  • Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
  • Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
  • Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
  • Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

Facilities

The Music Department at Queen’s is one of the best equipped in the UK. Our music degrees are housed in two striking buildings: the elegant, historical Music building and the world-leading Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC). SARC contains the unique Sonic Lab, a concert hall with variable acoustics and facilities for immersion in 360º sound. The Music building houses the Harty Room, a concert hall that is regularly used for public performances. The department also houses state of the art recording studios (for both ‘pop’ and ‘classical’ music), plus studios for surround sound and post production. There are also a large number of practice rooms, including three acoustically isolated rooms, and three suites of iMac computers.

Ensembles include the Queen's University Symphony Orchestra, Queen's Big Band, Queen's Chamber Choir, QUBEnsemble, Queen's University Brass Band and Queen's Viol Consort.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/PerformanceGroups/

Situated in the Main Site Tower basement are a suite of four band rooms - three performance and one control room for recording. All the rooms are linked together to allow studio quality audio recordings. Check out the link for a full list of equipment provided in these rooms.
The school also has facilities for organists and pianists, including an extensive range of early keyboard instruments, orchestral instruments and percussion instruments.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/facilities/PracticeRoomsandinstruments/

Concert venues include the Harty Room, The Sonic Lab, McMordie Hall, Whitla Hall and Elmwood Hall.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/facilities/concertvenues/

The SARC building contains seven purpose-built studio spaces designed and acoustically treated by ARUP acoustics
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/facilities/studios/

The School is one of the largest and best-equipped institutions in the UK working in the field of music and sound. Students have access to state-of-the-art audio resources including:

The Sonic Lab: a unique performance space with variable acoustics, an acoustically transparent grid floor and 48 studio quality loudspeakers to facilitate three dimensional sound projection. The Sonic Lab is capable of projecting multichannel audio in a range of spatial formats including ambisonics and Dolby Atmos.

Additionally, there are a range of study spaces, rehearsal spaces and teaching rooms distributed across our two buildings.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/facilities/soniclab/SonicLabSpecs/

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Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

  • Year 1

    Core Modules

    Music in History (20 credits)
    Fundamental Harmony (20 credits)

    Optional Modules

    Solo Performance 1 (20 credits)
  • Year 2

    Core Modules

    Fame (20 credits)
    Classical Analysis (20 credits)

    Optional Modules

    Sonic Arts (20 credits)
    Solo Performance 2 (20 credits)
    Music Psychology (20 credits)
    Songwriting (20 credits)
    Composition II (20 credits)
    Improvisation (20 credits)
  • Year 3

    Core Modules

    Optional Modules

    Auditory Perception (20 credits)
    Orchestration (20 credits)
    Composition 3b (20 credits)
    Work-based Learning (20 credits)
    Special Project (20 credits)
    Directed Study (20 credits)
    Dissertation (40 credits)
    Sonic Arts 2 (20 credits)
    Composition 3a (20 credits)
    Bach and Mozart (20 credits)

Entrance requirements

A level requirements

BBB including A-level Music.

Where A-level Music is not offered then A-level grades BBB plus Grade VIII Theory of Music (ABRSM, Trinity-Guildhall or LCM (not Popular Music Theory)) would be acceptable. AS-level Music is not acceptable in lieu of A-level Music.

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H3H3H3H3H4H4/H3H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H3 in Music.

Where Higher Level Music is not offered then grades H3H3H3H3H4H4/H3H3H3H3H3 plus grade VIII Theory of Music (ABRSM,Trinity-Guildhall or LCM (not Popular Music Theory)) would be acceptable.

Access Course

Certificate in Foundation Studies in Music with an average of 65%.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

32 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level, including Music

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma

QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3) with overall grades DDD (Extended Diploma must be relevant)

RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 Guided Learning Hours (GLH)) is not accepted for entry to the BMus due to insufficient compatibility however applicants offering this qualification may wish to consider our BA programmes in Music Performance (W310), Music and Sound Design (W371) or Music and Audio Production (W374).

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met

Further information

If an applicant has successfully completed a Grade VIII Practical Music examination this may be taken into account in August when deciding borderline cases. Applicants should indicate in the 'education' section of the UCAS application if they have, or intend to complete, a Grade VIII Practical examination, specifying the instrument and the awarding body.

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

For last year's intake, applicants for the BMus offering A-level/BTEC Level 3 qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry applicants for this degree must have had, a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.

Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

Applicants offering other qualifications, such as relevant Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, will also be considered.

For applicants offering an HNC in Music, the current requirements are successful completion of this HNC with 8 Merits. For those offering a Higher National Diploma, some flexibility may be allowed in terms of GCSE profile but, to be eligible for an offer, the grades obtained in the first year of the HND must allow the overall offer to be achievable. A relevant HND in Music is required and offers for Stage 1 entry are currently conditional on successful completion of this HND with 9 Merits and 7 Passes overall. Applicants with sufficiently high grades in the first year of a relevant HND in Music may be considered for entry to Stage 2 and, where offers are made, these are currently conditional on successful completion of this HND with 12 Merits and 4 Passes overall, with Merits in specified units.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of the BMus degree, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Candidates who have been made an offer will be invited to visit the School of Arts, English and Languages, and will be given an opportunity to demonstrate their performance skills.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes

INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.

These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.

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Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction

The programme prepares students for a wide range of possible career paths and graduates in Music at Queen’s have found success throughout the UK and internationally in both musical and non-musical careers including orchestral playing, opera singing, solo artist careers, performance, composition, teaching, media employment and arts administration. Others regularly move into a wide range of graduate employments such as accountancy, banking, publishing and marketing.

Employment after the Course

Graduates in Music at Queen’s have found success throughout the UK and internationally, in both musical and non-musical careers. Our graduates have worked as professional musicians in a wide range of specialisms, including orchestral playing, opera singing, solo artist careers, and composition. Many of our graduates have enjoyed successful careers in teaching and arts administration. Many graduates have used the distinctions of a BMus from Queen’s to enter into non-music graduate careers.

Alumni Success

Ciaran Scullion, Head of Music, Arts Council Ni
Marie-Claire Doris, Classical Music Producer, BBC
Eugene Montieth, Conductor
David Stockard, Performer and Composer
Paul McBride, School Headmaster
Kevin Donnelly, Project Manager for Trocaire projects in Africa
Ciaran O'Donnell, Head of Music Service, Birmingham
Deirdre McKay, Composer

Professional Opportunities

The Level 3 Work Placement course is an excellent opportunity for students to gain real-world employment experience. Some of the organisations our students have completed placements with include: The Mac, Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast Music Society, Fleming Fulton Special Needs School, JAM (Junior Academy of Music), and a large number of local secondary and primary schools.

Prizes and Awards

Ranked 8th in the UK for Student Satisfaction - Complete University Guide 2019

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £4,750
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £4,750
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250
EU Other 3 £20,800
International £20,800

1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

The tuition fees quoted above are for the 2024/25 academic year and are a guide only. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

The School is an Avid Learning Partner and optional courses providing Avid certification in the use of ProTools are available as part of the programme. The cost of these courses ranges from £20 to £90 per course.

Students wishing to take modules in either solo or ensemble performance at Stage 1 must first successfully pass an audition. Each student accepted onto a Stage 1 performance module is awarded a generous performance bursary that covers the cost of all practical performance tuition. Performance bursaries are also provided to students taking performance modules at Stages 2 and 3.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How do I fund my study?

There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.

Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

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Apply

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

  1. Applying through UCAS
    Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
  2. Applying direct
    The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
  3. Applying through agents and partners
    The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus