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Bachelor of Music (BMus) Classical Music

Amsterdam University of the Arts (Conservatorium van Amsterdam) · Amsterdam, Netherlands

100% taught in EnglishNo CAO points neededSelectiveArts academyAuditionTheory test
Duration4 years
StartsSept 2027
EntrySelective
Deadline (EU)1 Feb 2027 (TBC)
EU fee 2027/28€2,771 / yr

About the course

A four-year, 240 ECTS performance degree built around one-to-one lessons in your principal subject (instruments, voice, composition, conducting, composing for film and others), with orchestra, chamber music, music theory, teaching and professional skills. It is a practical, career-focused conservatoire degree at an arts academy.

Entry requirements for Irish students

  • The institution assesses the Irish Leaving Certificate individually and does not publish a fixed Irish requirement. Contact admissions to confirm.
  • No school subject requirements are published. You need a secondary school diploma recognised as equivalent to Dutch HAVO or VWO, and admission is decided mainly by entrance exam.
  • Entrance exam: video pre-selection, then a 20-30 minute audition in your principal subject, plus a theory exam (ear training, general music theory, sight singing, rhythm and a song with piano). EU candidates take the theory exam in Amsterdam, usually the day before or after the audition.

How to apply

  1. Apply onlineComplete the Conservatorium’s application form with diploma copies (with English translation), ID, a short biography and video links (last cycle deadline: 1 February 2026).
  2. Pre-selectionYour unedited YouTube or Vimeo recordings are assessed; composers submit a portfolio and motivation letter.
  3. Entrance examIf invited, sit the principal subject audition and theory exam in Amsterdam (2026 exams ran from 16 March to 1 April).
  4. Enrol in StudielinkAfter you receive proof of admission, enrol through Studielink before the September start.
Deadline for Irish/EU applicants: Apply through the Conservatorium’s own application form. The last published closing date was 1 February 2026 for 2026 entry. The 2027 date had not been published when checked, so expect a similar early-February deadline and confirm on the closing dates page..

Costs

  • Statutory EU/EEA fee: €2,771 for 2027/28, as published by the Amsterdam University of the Arts (it was €2,694 in 2026/27). This applies if you do not already hold a bachelor’s degree.
  • EU students may be eligible for a Dutch tuition-fee loan (DUO).
Places are limited per principal subject and decided by entrance exam; if more students pass than there are places, a waiting list can be used. Lessons are taught in Dutch or English, and you need a good command of English (or Dutch), not both.

At a glance

CountryNetherlands
CityAmsterdam
LanguageEnglish
Apply viaStudielink
PlacesLimited per principal subject (number not published)
EntrySelective
Classical bachelor programme ↗Classical entrance exam ↗Closing dates ↗← Back to all European courses

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Checked against the official Conservatorium van Amsterdam website: September 2026 (2027 entry). Deadline and exam dates are from the 2026 entry cycle; confirm the 2027 dates on the official site. Always confirm details with the university before applying.