What is ABRSM?

[semicroma]

Hello. I'm an Italian student and I'm applying for English university through UCAS. I have to choose my qualifications from a list, and the sole musical qualification I found is "ABRSM - Grade 8 or equivalent". I took an exam that I think it's the Italian correspondent. This exam consisted in performing a prelude and fugue from Bach's WTC, chosen between three I had to present; some etudes from Czerny's op 740 and similar books, a Beethoven sonata, a Scarlatti sonata, a romantic piece (I played Liszt's Les Jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este) and a modern piece (Rachmaninov - op 23 n 5). This exams allows you to start studying for a three-years Diploma. Do you think this can be considered an equivalent of ABRSM? Thank you and sorry for my poor English.

[adodd81802]

You should probably just ask the university?

Also do some searching, If it's based on UCAS find out how many UCAS points your qualification granted you vs how many the ABRSM Grade 8 provide to get an idea if they're on similar level.

Chances are, from what you described, I have a feeling it might not be the same. Maybe the equivalent, but ABRSM are quite fussy, it's a national English Exam board.

To put things into perspective, there is another large exam board in England called Trinity, equally recognized, but not as big.

A notable difference between the 2 is that ABRSM is compulsory to do your music theory exam by Grade 5, before they let you do grade 6+, with Trinity you do not need to do the Theory exam at all, but even if you do, ABRSM won't allow the Trinity theory qualification for you to proceed with their grade 6+, it has to be their own.

If you're planning on coming over to England, is there anything stopping you from doing the ABRSM grade 8 if you need to?