RCM remote exams: how they work at home

An RCM remote exam is a practical exam taken over Zoom, from home or from the teacher’s studio. A member of RCM’s College of Examiners hears the student live. Registration is open all year, so there is no session to wait for. The student needs the instrument, a device with a camera and a microphone, and a steady internet connection.

Remote and in person, side by side

	Remote exam	In-person exam
Where	Home or the teacher’s studio	An exam center
When	Registration is open on an ongoing basis	Set sessions during the year
How	A live Zoom call with the examiner	In a room with the examiner
Sight reading	Sent no later than 22 hours ahead	Given in the room

RCM calls the remote exam an alternative to the in-person exam. The syllabus is the same.

What you need

A device. A smartphone or tablet, or a computer with a webcam and a microphone. RCM recommends a smartphone or tablet. RCM says not to use a Chromebook.

Zoom. Install the current Zoom app at least 24 hours before the exam. RCM says not to use Zoom in a web browser.

Internet. RCM asks for a connection of 1.5 Mbps or faster. Ask the rest of the family to stay off the connection during the exam.

The right piano.

Level	Piano
Preparatory to Level 8	A tuned acoustic piano is recommended. A digital keyboard with weighted keys is allowed. It needs 88 keys, or 76 at the least.
Level 9 and up	A tuned acoustic piano is required.

An accompanist, for other instruments. For strings, voice, brass, and woodwinds, the student supplies the accompaniment.

• Preparatory to Level 4: a pianist in the room, or a recording played on a second device with its own speaker
• Level 5 and up: a pianist in the room

RCM’s rules say an exam that breaks the accompaniment policy can lose up to 10 marks. RCM does not offer remote organ exams.

Set up the room

• Put the device on a steady stand or shelf. Do not hold it.
• For piano, use a side view. The examiner must see the keys, the hands, and the pedals.
• For voice, frame the singer from the top of the head to the hands. Keep the music stand out of the way.
• For guitar, face the camera.
• For strings, brass, and woodwinds, leave space between the instrument and the microphone.
• Add a lamp if the picture is dim.
• In Zoom’s audio settings, turn on “Original sound for musicians.”

Then hold a practice call. RCM suggests a run-through with the teacher, or with a friend, in a different place. Play one piece and one scale, and ask how it sounds.

The countdown

When	What to do
Two days before	Read RCM’s setup guide. Test Zoom on the exam device.
At least 24 hours before	Send the Program Form through the student’s MyRCM account. It lists the pieces in order.
No later than 22 hours before	The Prepared Sight Reading appears in MyRCM. Print it.
5 minutes before	The Start Exam button turns on in MyRCM.

The sight reading works in a new way. In a remote exam the student gets the passage ahead of time and may practice it. RCM’s checklist says to print it as soon as it comes, so the student can start. If the exam is less than 20 hours away and the passage is not there, call RCM or use its live chat.

Do not join the call early. The examiner may still be with another student.

During the exam

The examiner greets the student and follows the order on the Program Form. Keep every score within reach: the sight reading, the etudes, and any piece that is not memorized.

A second examiner may sit in for training. The assigned examiner gives the marks.

If the sound or the picture breaks up during a piece, the student keeps playing. RCM says its examiners are trained to tell a technical problem from the playing, and that marks are not taken off for technical problems.

Families may not record the call. RCM records every remote exam, and it says a recording made without permission can cancel the exam.

When the examiner says the exam is over, click Leave Meeting. The next student cannot join until you do.

If something goes wrong

If you cannot connect, or the examiner does not appear within 30 minutes of the start time, fill in RCM’s exam issue form. RCM says it answers within one business day.

Results

RCM says results usually come four to six weeks after the exam. They are posted in the MyRCM account.

Who may be in the room

The RCM pages listed below do not say who may stay in the room. A young child needs an adult to set up the device and join the call. Ask the teacher or RCM what the adult may do after that.

A short checklist

• The piano is tuned
• The device is charged and plugged in
• Zoom is up to date
• The Program Form is sent
• The sight reading is printed
• All the scores are on the piano
• The family knows to stay off the internet

For the playing itself, read how to prepare for an RCM practical exam. For an exam at a center, read RCM exam day: what to expect. For what each level asks for, start at RCM levels explained.

Sources

Checked in November 2026.

• The Royal Conservatory. Remote practical exams.
• The Royal Conservatory. Remote practical exam overview.
• The Royal Conservatory. Before your remote practical exam.
• The Royal Conservatory. Remote examination Zoom guide.
• The Royal Conservatory. Remote practical exams FAQ.
• The Royal Conservatory. Remote exam checklist.