A graded music exam is a short test where a student plays for a trained examiner and gets a mark and written comments. The exams come in steps, from beginner to advanced. In Canada and the United States the best-known system is The Royal Conservatory of Music, called RCM. In the United Kingdom and many other countries it is ABRSM.
Exams are optional. No child needs one to learn an instrument. Many families use them anyway, because a date on the calendar gives practice a purpose and a certificate marks real progress. This guide explains how the systems work so you can decide.
What a graded exam is
Each exam system publishes a syllabus for every instrument. The syllabus lists what a student must do at each step: which pieces to choose from, which scales to know, and which listening and reading skills to show.
A student prepares with a teacher, often for several months. On exam day the student plays for one examiner, alone in a room or over a video link. A few weeks later a report arrives with a mark for each part and comments on what went well and what to work on.
Written theory exams sit beside the playing exams. They test how music is written: notes, rhythms, scales, chords, and, at higher steps, harmony and music history.
The two big systems side by side
| RCM | ABRSM | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | Toronto, Canada | London, England |
| Where it is common | Canada and the United States | The United Kingdom and many other countries |
| Steps | Preparatory, then Levels 1 to 10, then the ARCT diploma | Initial Grade, then Grades 1 to 8, then diplomas |
| Marks | Out of 100. Pass is 60 | Out of 150. Pass is 100 |
| Top standing | First Class Honors with Distinction, 90 and up | Distinction, 130 and up |
| Theory | Required for the full certificate from Level 5 | Grade 5 theory is needed before Grades 6 to 8 |
The two systems have a different number of steps, so an RCM level and an ABRSM grade with the same number may not match. A teacher who knows both can place a student who moves from one to the other.
The Royal Conservatory of Music
RCM began in Toronto in 1886. Its certificate program covers more than 20 instruments, plus voice. Piano students can start with two early exams called Preparatory A and Preparatory B. Then come Levels 1 to 10. After Level 10, a student can work toward a diploma called the ARCT.
RCM groups the levels in three stages. Elementary runs from Preparatory to Level 4. Intermediate is Levels 5 to 8. Advanced is Levels 9 and 10. Students can start at any level. They do not have to take every exam in order, and there is no age limit.
From Level 5 up, a student needs written theory exams as well as the playing exam to earn the full certificate for that level. RCM says every Canadian province gives high school credit for certain exams. The rules differ from province to province.
Read more in RCM levels explained, from Preparatory to ARCT, RCM exam marks explained, and RCM theory requirements by level. To look up one level, use the RCM certificate requirements tool.
ABRSM
ABRSM stands for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. It was founded in 1889. Its graded exams run from Grade 1 to Grade 8. An Initial Grade sits before Grade 1, and a short, unmarked Prep Test gives young beginners a gentle first try.
In a Practical Grade the student plays three pieces, plays scales and arpeggios, reads a short piece at sight, and answers listening tests. ABRSM also offers Performance Grades. These are recorded on video and marked on the playing alone.
A student must pass Grade 5 in music theory, or one of two other approved exams, before entering Grades 6, 7, or 8.
Read more in ABRSM grades explained for parents.
Other exam systems
Trinity College London is a second exam board based in England, with graded exams from Initial to Grade 8. Conservatory Canada is a Canadian exam board. The Australian Music Examinations Board, called AMEB, runs exams in Australia.
In the United States, some programs run by teachers’ groups work in a similar way. Two examples are the Certificate of Merit in California and the NYSSMA festivals in New York. Ask a local teacher which system students in your area use.
What happens in the exam room
An exam is short. A beginner is in the room for a brief time, and an advanced student for much longer. The student and the examiner are the only people there. Parents wait outside.
In an RCM practical exam the student plays repertoire pieces and one or two studies, which RCM calls etudes. Then come technical tests, such as scales and chords. Then come ear tests and sight reading. In an ABRSM Practical Grade the order is similar: three pieces, scales and arpeggios, sight-reading, and aural tests.
Examiners see many young children and expect nerves. They write comments as the student plays, which can look alarming to a child. Tell your child ahead of time that the writing is normal.
Reasons families choose exams
A date gives practice a goal. Many children work better toward a fixed day than toward “someday.”
The syllabus keeps training balanced. Scales, ear training, and sight reading are easy to skip in a weekly lesson. An exam asks for all of them.
An outside listener gives a fair report. The examiner does not know the child and has heard many students at that level.
The certificates add up. In Canada, RCM exams can count toward high school credit.
Reasons families skip exams
Exam pieces can take over the year. A student may spend months on the same three pieces and play little else.
Some children freeze under test pressure. For them, a recital or a home concert may build more confidence.
Exams cost money. Each one has a fee, and the books for each level are an added cost. Check the current fees on the exam board’s website.
Many fine players never took an exam. A good teacher can teach the same skills without one.
How to decide
Ask your child’s teacher three questions. Do you enter students for exams? How long does a student prepare for one? What else does a student play in an exam year?
Then ask your child. A child who likes charts, levels, and badges often enjoys exams. A child who plays for comfort may not. It is also fine to try one exam and see. A student can stop after any level, and can skip levels and come back.
If your child is preparing now, a chart helps the weeks stay on track. Print a weekly practice chart, and use the metronome for kids for scales.
In this guide
4 articles that go deeper, in A to Z order.
ABRSM grades explained for parents: from Initial Grade to Grade 8
How ABRSM music exams work: the Prep Test, Initial Grade, Grades 1 to 8, Practical and Performance Grades, the marks, and the Grade 5 theory rule.
RCM exam marks explained: pass, honors, and first class honors with distinction
What RCM exam marks mean: 60 to pass, 70 for Honors, 80 for First Class Honors, and 90 for Distinction. How to read the report and what to say to your child.
RCM levels explained: from Preparatory to ARCT
The Royal Conservatory of Music levels in plain words: Preparatory A and B, Levels 1 to 10, and the ARCT. What each stage asks for and how the exams work.
RCM theory requirements by level: which written exams go with each certificate
Which RCM theory exams a student needs at each level, from Level 5 Theory to the ARCT. A plain chart for parents, checked against RCM in November 2026.
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.