ABRSM Exam Qualifications
Summary of qualifications awarded for ABRSM exams
All ABRSM exams (theory, practical and performance) attract qualifications recognised and regulated by Ofqual (England’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). This document provides for a general overview ABRSM exam accreditation.
Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)
Within England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all ABRSM exams sit within the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) – intended to describe qualifications that Ofqual regulates, as well as showing how they relate to each other and providing consistency in how the size, challenge or demand of a qualification is described.
UK Qualifications at the same level
| ABRSM exam (theory, practical, performance) | UK qualifications at the same level |
| Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 | GCSE (Grades D-G and 3-1) |
| Grade 4, Grade 5 | GCSE (Grade A* and 9-4) |
| Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8 | AS Level and A Level, BTEC Nationals |
UCAS points
Students with ABRSM qualifications at Grades 6, 7 and 8 benefit from UCAS (University and Colleges Admission Service) points, which can be used as part of a university or college application in the UK.
| Gd 6 UCAS points | Gd 7 UCAS points |
Gd 8 UCAS points |
|||||||||
| ABRSM Exam | Pass | Merit | Dist | Pass | Merit | Dist | Pass | Merit | Dist | ||
| Practical/Performance | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 24 | 30 | ||
| Theory | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||
Further information
You can find more information about Ofqual and the RQF at www.ofqual.co.uk. For more detailed information on exam accreditation, you can also visit the ABRSM website at www.abrsm.org
