The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) runs graded music exams across Australia. A student climbs a ladder of grades, one exam at a time, on an instrument or the voice. The AMEB’s own regulations say it became a national body in 1918. This page explains the grades, the kinds of exam, the results, and the theory rule.
The steps
| Step | The AMEB’s level |
|---|---|
| Preliminary | Level 1 |
| Grades 1 to 4 | Level 1 |
| Grades 5 to 8 | Level 2 |
| Certificate of Performance | Level 2 |
| Associate diploma, or AMusA | Level 3 |
| Licentiate diploma, or LMusA | Level 3 |
AMusA stands for Associate in Music, Australia. LMusA stands for Licentiate in Music, Australia. Above both sits the Fellowship, or FMusA, which the AMEB calls its highest award.
Not every instrument has every step. The syllabus for each instrument lists the grades on offer.
Kinds of practical exam
| Kind | What the examiner hears |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive | Technical work, then studies and pieces, then aural tests, sight-reading, and general knowledge |
| Repertoire | Pieces and studies only |
| For Leisure | Technical work, then pieces, then general knowledge with aural tests or sight-reading |
For Leisure syllabuses exist for piano, saxophone, and singing. The AMEB describes Piano for Leisure as a mix of classical and contemporary favorites.
Young pianists can start before Preliminary. P Plate Piano is a set of three books. A child can take a short assessment at the end of each book. It lasts six minutes, and it gives no grade.
The AMEB also examines written subjects: Theory of Music, Musicianship, and Music Craft. Its site lists contemporary exams too, which have their own syllabuses.
What happens in a comprehensive exam
Section 1: technical work. The student plays the scales, arpeggios, and exercises set for the grade.
Section 2: studies and pieces. The student plays works chosen from the lists in the syllabus.
Section 3: aural tests, sight-reading, and general knowledge.
- Aural tests check the ear. At Preliminary, the child claps the beat while the examiner plays. By Grade 8, the student names chords and cadences by ear.
- Sight-reading means playing a short piece the student has never seen. It starts at Grade 1.
- General knowledge means questions about the pieces the student has just played.
How long an exam lasts
These are the total times for piano exams, from the AMEB’s 2025 regulations. The times for Preliminary to Grade 8 are for comprehensive exams.
| Exam | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Preliminary | 12 |
| Grade 1 | 14 |
| Grade 2 | 15 |
| Grade 3 | 20 |
| Grade 4 | 20 |
| Grade 5 | 25 |
| Grade 6 | 30 |
| Grade 7 | 40 |
| Grade 8 | 50 |
| Certificate of Performance | 45 |
Times for other instruments differ a little.
The results
For Preliminary to the Certificate of Performance, the result is a letter with a name.
| Letter | Name |
|---|---|
| A+ | High Distinction |
| A | Honours |
| B+ and B | Credit |
| C+ and C | Satisfactory |
| D | Not Satisfactory |
A diploma has three results: Award with Distinction, Award, and No Award.
The theory rule
From Grade 6 up, a practical exam comes with a written requirement. The student needs a pass in a written subject to complete the grade.
| Practical exam | Written pass needed |
|---|---|
| Grade 6 | Grade 2 |
| Grade 7 | Grade 3 |
| Grade 8 | Grade 4 |
| Certificate of Performance | Grade 4 |
| AMusA | Grade 5 |
| LMusA | Grade 6 |
The pass can be in Theory of Music, Musicianship, or Music Craft. The regulations also accept some theory passes from ABRSM, Trinity, and Rockschool in their place, and a degree or diploma in music.
Plan for the written work early. A student who starts theory around Grade 3 or 4 has time to earn the pass before Grade 6.
Other exam boards have a rule of the same kind. Read ABRSM grades explained and RCM theory requirements by level.
Before the diplomas
The regulations do not require an earlier practical exam before the Certificate of Performance or the Associate diploma. They do make recommendations. They recommend a pass in Grade 8 before the Certificate of Performance. They recommend the Certificate of Performance, or a credit in Grade 8, before the AMusA. They recommend the AMusA before the LMusA.
Fees and dates
The AMEB works through state offices. Fees and exam dates are set there. Check the office that serves your state or territory.
The AMEB and other exam boards
The AMEB examines in Australia. Families in other countries meet other boards.
- In Canada and the United States: RCM levels explained
- In Britain and many other countries: ABRSM grades explained and Trinity music grades explained
- For a comparison: music exams for kids
The grade numbers of two boards do not line up one for one. A teacher who knows both can place a student who moves.
How to help at home
- Practice all three sections. Pieces are one part of a comprehensive exam. Scales and ear work count toward the result too.
- Ask about the pieces. What key is it in? Who wrote it? What do the Italian words mean? These are general knowledge questions.
- Read something new each day. A few bars of unseen music a day builds sight-reading.
- Hold a practice exam. Run the three sections in order, with a parent as the examiner.
For ear work, read ear training games for kids.
Helpful things to print
The exam countdown chart plans the weeks before an exam. A weekly practice chart helps a child cover pieces, scales, and reading in the same week. Blank staff paper is useful for theory work.
Sources
Checked in November 2026.
- Australian Music Examinations Board. Theory of Music syllabus 2025, with the AMEB regulations.
- Australian Music Examinations Board. Music regulations 2021.
- Australian Music Examinations Board. Violin exams.
- Australian Music Examinations Board. Flute exams.
- Australian Music Examinations Board. Strings exams.
More from this guide
This article is part of Music exams for kids: how RCM, ABRSM, and other graded exams work.
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ABRSM Grade 5 theory: what parents need to know
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ABRSM grades explained for parents: from Initial Grade to Grade 8
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ABRSM piano syllabus 2027 and 2028: what changed
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ABRSM Practical vs Performance Grades: how to choose
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ARCT diploma explained: what it is and who takes it
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.