Bachelor of Performance

The Bachelor of Performance at The Australian Institute of Music is a three-year degree for people who want to spend their working life on a stage, in a studio, or in front of a camera. You audition to get in, and from there the degree is built around performance itself, regular one-on-one lessons on your instrument or voice, ensemble work, rehearsal and performance practice, musicianship and theory, and the history and context of the repertoire you play. The exact mix depends on your stream, but the pattern is the same: you are performing from first year, not waiting until you have finished.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are normally three years full time, and this one follows that shape. Teaching runs across semesters or trimesters, with each unit of study carrying a set number of credit points. You need to pass the required units and accumulate the credit points for the award. Expect a core of performance and musicianship units in first year, increasing specialisation after that, and a final-year project or recital that pulls everything together. Assessment leans on practical work, recitals, ensemble performances, recordings, portfolio submissions, alongside written and aural tasks.

What you actually do

You study your instrument or voice with a teacher who works in the industry. You rehearse and perform in ensembles. You learn to read, hear and analyse music, to prepare repertoire to a deadline, and to handle the pressure of a performance. You also pick up the professional skills that keep a performer working: audition technique, stagecraft, working with directors and musical directors, and the basics of managing your own practice and career. Work-integrated learning is part of the deal in this field, performances, industry projects and placements put you in front of real audiences and real employers before you graduate.

Who it suits, and what to check

This degree suits school leavers with strong practical ability and a serious practice habit, and also mature students who have been gigging, teaching or performing and want formal training. You need to be ready for an audition and for sustained daily practice. International applicants need to meet the institute's English requirement, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the usual undergraduate standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institute's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so check both. On a student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream is the usual pathway for staying on and working in Australia. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 068271D, confirm current fees, audition requirements, intake dates and unit details on the official page before you apply.

• Performing musician or vocalist, solo, band, orchestra, or session work
• Recording and studio musician
• Musical theatre or stage performer
• Session and touring musician for live events and festivals
• Music teacher or private instrumental tutor
• Creative collaborator in film, television, advertising and game soundtracks
• Arts administrator or production assistant in performing arts organisations
• Community arts and music therapy support roles

Hiring happens across Australia's live music venues, festivals, recording studios, theatre companies, arts centres, schools and community arts organisations, with many graduates also building freelance portfolios across several of these at once.