ABRSM vs Trinity Grades
Two boards, the same Grade 8 and the same UCAS points, but very different exam days. Here is how to pick the right one.
ABRSM and Trinity College London both offer graded music exams up to Grade 8, and the higher grades from either board carry the same UCAS points. The real differences lie in what the exam asks of you: ABRSM tests scales, sight-reading and aural skills alongside pieces and requires Grade 5 theory before Grade 6, while Trinity lets candidates choose their supporting tests and has no theory requirement.
What each board's exam asks you to do
ABRSM's Practical Grades run from Initial Grade (on selected instruments) to Grade 8. Candidates play three pieces, then scales and arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests. The exam is marked out of 150, with 100 needed to pass, 120 for a merit and 130 for a distinction. ABRSM's exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland sit within the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).
ABRSM also offers an on-demand digital option: Performance Grades. With Performance Grades, candidates book, record and submit a video of their exam at their convenience, with no fixed exam sessions. There are no scales or sight-reading; instead candidates perform four pieces, each worth 30 marks, with a further 30 marks for the performance as a whole, making 150 in total. The digital approach does offer a significant level of flexibility, particularly for players who find a live exam room stressful.
ABRSM's syllabus also includes music theory exams from Grade 1 to Grade 8. To enter Practical or Performance Grades 6, 7 or 8, candidates must already have passed ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory or an accepted alternative, such as Grade 5 Practical Musicianship or a solo jazz grade.
Trinity's graded exams, meanwhile, run from Initial (in many subjects) to Grade 8 and put the emphasis on performance. Candidates present three pieces from the repertoire lists in the relevant Classical or Jazz syllabus (four for Singing Grades 6 to 8), worth 66 of the 100 marks. Technical work such as scales and arpeggios, exercises or orchestral extracts follows, and candidates then choose two supporting tests from sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge, depending on the grade. Trinity has no theory requirement for its higher practical grades, and it also offers digital exams assessed from a video recording.
RSL/Rockschool: a route for contemporary players
For those interested in contemporary music, RSL Awards (Rockschool) offers graded exams from an introductory Debut level to Grade 8, in subjects such as electric, acoustic and bass guitar, drums, vocals, keys and ukulele. RSL's exams are available face to face, by live stream or as recorded digital exams, offering flexibility for candidates who may find traditional assessments challenging.
How to choose between them
ABRSM may suit learners who want a traditional, rounded exam that tests reading and listening skills as well as pieces, and who are happy to take theory alongside. Trinity may suit those who prefer a more performance-led approach, with some choice over which skills are tested. For rock and pop players, RSL offers a syllabus built around contemporary styles.
For university applicants, the boards are on an equal footing: Grades 6, 7 and 8 in practical music and music theory from ABRSM, Trinity and RSL all carry UCAS Tariff points, rising with the grade and result. Before booking, confirm the subject list, syllabus, prerequisite rules, exam formats and current fees on each board's official website, as syllabuses and fees change regularly.
