Study at Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Why study at Guildhall School of Music & Drama

It is known for intensive, performance-led training and a creative alliance with its neighbour, the Barbican Centre, whose concert halls sit beside the School's own Milton Court venues. League results underline that reputation: first place for music in the Guardian's 2022 table and for arts, drama and music in the Complete University Guide 2023, plus third in the world for music in the QS 2025 rankings and third for performing arts in 2026.

Location and student life

Teaching takes place on one compact campus in the Barbican: the Silk Street building with its theatre, music hall and recital rooms, and Milton Court across the road, home to a concert hall, lyric theatre, studio theatre and rehearsal rooms. The student hall of residence, Sundial Court, is a few minutes' walk away on Chiswell Street. The address is Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT, and Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, St Paul's and Bank stations are all nearby, so the rest of London is easy to reach. Living in the City puts students next to the Barbican Centre's concerts, theatre and cinema, with constant chances to perform, attend events and meet working artists.

Courses and subjects

Music covers classical, jazz, composition, electronic and produced music, opera, chamber music and historical performance, with degrees from BMus through MMus, the Guildhall Artist Masters (MPerf/MComp), Artist Diploma and Advanced Certificate, plus an MA in Music Therapy. Drama centres on BA Acting, while production arts offers BA Production Arts and BA Performance Design. Postgraduate options also include MA Collaborative Performance Making and MA Opera Making & Writing, a PGCert in Performance Teaching and research degrees (MPhil, DMus, PhD). Younger players can progress through Junior Guildhall and Guildhall Young Artists centres, and short courses run across music, drama and theatre crafts.

Entry requirements for international students

Guildhall takes direct applications rather than going through UCAS or CUKAS, and entry to most courses turns on an audition or interview, with some overseas audition venues offered. Non-native English speakers need IELTS Academic (or equivalent): typically 5.5 in every skill for BMus and most postgraduate music courses, 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0 for BA Acting, BA Production Arts, BA Performance Design and the PGCert, and 7.0 for the MA programmes and research degrees. Exact thresholds vary by course, so check the programme page and the English-language entry criteria before applying.

Accommodation

The School's hall of residence is Sundial Court on Chiswell Street, around the corner from the Silk Street building, with 173 single rooms in flats of three to six sharing kitchens and bathrooms. Weekly rent in 2026-27 is £252. With only 173 rooms, places cannot go to everyone: priority goes to students with medical or disability needs and to care-experienced or estranged students, then to first-year undergraduates by distance from home. Most students live in private rented flats across London after their first year.

Scholarships and funding

Enrolled students can apply each academic year for a Guildhall School Scholarship, which can contribute towards tuition fees or maintenance costs; new students apply through the School's eGo system after accepting an offer. With the British Council, the School has offered three GREAT Scholarships for postgraduates from India and Mexico on the MA Collaborative Performance Making. Research students can apply for partial fee bursaries, typically worth around 20% of fees. Full details sit on the School's scholarships and funding pages, and schemes and values change each year, so check the current listings.