Music Certifications
Trinity College London
Performance-first graded exams, from Initial to Grade 8 and on to diplomas - Classical & Jazz, Rock & Pop, and Theory.
About
What is Trinity?
Trinity College London is a UK exam board regulated by Ofqual whose graded music exams are taken in over 60 countries. Its philosophy is that musicianship is best shown through performance: pieces carry most of the marks, candidates choose their own repertoire and supporting tests, and there is no theory prerequisite for any practical grade.
Trinity offers two graded pathways - Classical & Jazz and Rock & Pop - plus Theory of Music, performance-only Music Certificate exams, and ATCL/LTCL/FTCL diplomas. Grades 6–8 sit at RQF Level 3 and carry UCAS points.
- Regulated by
- Ofqual (England), Qualifications Wales, CCEA
- Levels
- Initial → Grade 8 → ATCL → LTCL → FTCL
- Results
- Pass 60, Merit 75, Distinction 87 (out of 100)
- Formats
- Face-to-face at centres across India, or digital recorded exams
- UCAS points
- Grades 6–8, practical and theory
Syllabuses
Trinity certifications
Each syllabus has its own page with the grade ladder, exam structure, marks, and a step-by-step path.
Classical & Jazz
Graded exams from Initial to Grade 8 for piano, singing, strings, guitar, woodwind, brass, and percussion.
Rock & Pop
Play real hits on bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, or vocals - three songs plus session skills, Initial to Grade 8.
Theory of Music
Written grades 1–8 covering notation, rhythm, harmony, form, and history - on paper or online.
Music Certificate Exams
Performance-only recitals at Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced level - for soloists and groups.
Diplomas
ATCL, LTCL, and FTCL performance diplomas - from first-year undergraduate to postgraduate recital standard.
Results
How results are graded
Every graded exam is marked out of 100 and reported in these bands.
Recognition
UCAS points at Grades 6–8
Grades 6 to 8 sit at Level 3 on the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework and count towards UK university applications.
| Grade | Pass | Merit | Distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Grade 8 | 24 | 27 | 30 |
| Grade | Pass | Merit | Distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Grade 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Grade 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Learn with Artium
Artium courses that prepare you for Trinity
Live, 1-on-1 classes that follow the syllabus - your teacher picks the grade and Artium’s exam team handles enrolment.
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