Auditions and portfolio reviews
A guide to acing your application with us
This page tells you everything you need to know about showing BIMM Music Institute your creative work, skills and passion. We aim to make your experience enjoyable and relaxed, whilst offering you the opportunity to find out more about BIMM and your chosen course.
If you’ve applied for a course that requires an audition or portfolio review, our Admissions Team will send you guidance on how to prepare within your booking confirmation email. We offer three options at BIMM Music Institute:
- In-person at one of our BIMM locations
- Online
- Remote submission
You can find out more about each option through the drop downs below. The main goal for us is to make sure you feel relaxed, confident and you leave with all of your questions about BIMM and your course area answered.
We offer regular in-person auditions and portfolio reviews throughout the year at all of our BIMM locations. They last about an hour and take place 1-1 with a BIMM assessor. You’ll also be offered a campus tour of our facilities and will have the opportunity to meet current students and chat to lecturers about studying at BIMM.
Once you have booked your audition or portfolio review, you will be sent an email confirmation with the time and date, our address and full guidelines outlining what you need to prepare ahead of the day. You can book your session in before you apply and can do so by contacting the BIMM admissions team.
If you are not able to join us on site, you have the option to do your audition or portfolio review online over Zoom. Zoom is very user-friendly virtual platform and is a great way to meet a BIMM lecturer from the comfort of your own home! These sessions last an hour and are 1-1 with a BIMM assessor. It’s important you have access to a laptop, or PC to join a Zoom audition.
Once you have booked your session, you will be sent an email confirmation with your time, Zoom guidance and full guidelines outlining what you need to prepare ahead of the day. If your application requires a recording, demo submission or supporting material, you will need to send it to our Admissions Team before your session. This is to ensure that your assessor receives it in advance.
Your assessor will email you a joining link to a Zoom meeting within 24 hours of your booked time – it’s important to keep checking your inbox for this email. If you have any problems joining or issues on the day, you can keep in touch with us via the live-chat function on the website.
Although we highly recommend the benefits of meeting with one of our BIMM assessors in person, we also offer remote auditions and portfolio submissions. This applies to further education, and undergraduate performance and music production courses and means you do not have to have a live online or in-person session.
The remote submission process is simple, and you will be satisfying the same requirements as you would for an in-person session. You just send your work to us within a set deadline and a BIMM assessor will mark it, give their recommendation and our Admissions Team will provide feedback via email.
If you would like to choose this method of skills review, please contact the BIMM Admissions Team who can send you detailed guidelines on what you need to prepare and how to submit it.
Single Honours (remote audition)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production (PDF)
Joint Honours (remote audition)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Songwriting & Music Production (PDF)
Submission Forms (remote audition)
BA (Hons) Songwriting – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Songwriting & Music Production – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance & Songwriting – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance & Music Production – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production – Submission Form (PDF)
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production – Submission Form (PDF)
Cert HE (remote audition)
Remote CertHE – Popular Music Performance (Keys) (PDF)
Remote CertHE Music (all Music Production pathways) (PDF)
Remote CertHE Music (Songwriting) (PDF)
Remote CertHE – Popular Music Performance (Guitar) (PDF)
Remote CertHE – Popular Music Performance (Bass) (PDF)
Whether you’ve already applied to one of our colleges, or you’re just looking at your options, you can still book your audition or portfolio review. Undergraduate applicants can even audition before you formally apply to BIMM via UCAS. In fact, auditioning early is advised as it’s your chance to find out more about our courses and can help you make your final decision.
To book your audition or portfolio review, please see the following steps below for your course level:
- Please Complete your Undergraduate Audition Booking Form (for Undergraduate applicants who are yet to submit a UCAS application)
- Please complete your direct application (for Postgraduate applicants)
- Please complete your direct application (for Higher Education applicants that require a visa & reside outside the UK)
Once submitted, we’ll get back to you to discuss what date and time best works for you.
Alternatively, you can ring 01273 840 346, email [email protected] or chat to us on our live chat function to arrange your booking straight away.
Even the most experienced musicians can get audition anxiety and it’s a totally normal side effect of being a performer! However, just know that our assessors are not there to trip you up, we want the best from you.
We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for potential and want you to feel comfortable and confident so you can show us your skill, passion and experience. Below you can find some tips on overcoming audition anxiety so you can approach your audition with confidence:
- Check you’ve had an email confirming your booking, along with our audition guidelines. If you cannot find it, please don’t worry! Just reach out to our admissions team and we can resend.
- Read the audition guidelines you were sent thoroughly. Prepare and rehearse everything we have outlined in the document. When you feel prepared, it can help you feel much calmer.
- Make sure your instrument is in tune if you are playing one.
- Treat your audition like a relaxed performance. You might not have an audience but give it the same energy and passion you would if there were a crowd in front of you.
- Breathe and relax. We want you to succeed and we will do everything we can to make sure you feel relaxed and confident and able to give it your best shot! Our BIMM assessors were once sitting where you are, therefore are completely understanding and empathetic toward the audition set up.
Our course audition guides will help you prepare for your in-person audition at your chosen BIMM Music Institute. It is important that you read each section to give yourself the best chance of obtaining an offer for your chosen course.
Please note that we require you to have already made a booking for an audition or portfolio review before submitting any supporting material as requested within the guidelines below.
Single Honours (in-person)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music Marketing, Media and Communication (PDF)
Joint Honours (In-person)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Music Business (PDF)
Cert HE (In person auditions and portfolio reviews)
F2F Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Bass) (PDF)
F2F Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Drums) (PDF)
F2F Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Guitar) (PDF)
F2F Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Keys) (PDF)
F2F Cert HE Music & Sound Production (PDF)
Our course audition guides will help you prepare for your online (Zoom) audition. It is important that you read each section to give yourself the best chance of obtaining an offer for your chosen course.
Please note that we require you to have already made a booking for an audition or interview before submitting any supporting material as requested within the guidelines below.
Single Honours (virtual)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass (PDF)
BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Music Marketing, Media and Communication (PDF)
Joint Honours (Virtual)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Music Production (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Songwriting (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Event Management (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Vocals & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Guitar & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Keyboards & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Bass & Music Business (PDF)
BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance – Drums & Music Business (PDF)
Cert HE (online auditions and portfolio reviews)
Online BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance (Bass) (PDF)
Online Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Drums) (PDF)
Online Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Guitar) (PDF)
Online Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Keys) (PDF)
Online Cert HE Songwriting (PDF)
Cert HE Popular Music Performance (Vocals) (PDF)
Ready to start your music career?
Whether you’ve already applied to one of our colleges, or you’re just looking at your options, you can still book your audition or portfolio review. You can even do this before you apply to BIMM. In fact, doing it early is advised as it’s your chance to find out more about our courses.
Our Enquiries Team is always available to answer your questions. Just call 01273 840 346 or email [email protected].
Good luck! We know you’ll give it your all, so come and show us what you’ve got.
