Music production education demand grew substantially in the UCAS conservatoire data between 2012 and 2024. Undergraduate applications reached 615 in 2024, while postgraduate applications reached 1,030. The figures below cover the music-technology and production-adjacent study group, with regional, ethnic-group, and impairment patterns reported for 2024.
Contents
- How to read these figures
- Undergraduate application and acceptance trends
- Postgraduate application and acceptance trends
- Undergraduate and postgraduate demand compared
- Regional patterns in 2024
- Ethnic-group patterns in 2024
- Disability and mental-health patterns in 2024
How to read these figures
The source is the UCAS Conservatoires End of cycle 2024 CSV files. “Applications” and “accepted applicants” are separate counts, and the data does not establish that every application became a unique applicant or that an acceptance represents enrollment. Regional, ethnic-group, and impairment figures are for 2024 and combine all study levels in the group.
The historical series runs from 2012 to 2024. It describes recorded applications and accepted applicants in the relevant UCAS group; it is not a forecast and should not be treated as a complete census of every music production course or provider.
Undergraduate application and acceptance trends
Undergraduate demand rose from 310 applications and 30 accepted applicants in 2012 to 615 applications and 100 accepted applicants in 2024. The path was not perfectly linear, but the long-term level in 2024 was twice the 2012 application count.
The early years began at 310 applications and 30 accepted applicants in 2012. Applications increased to 345 and acceptances to 45 in 2013, then to 390 applications and 55 acceptances in 2014. In 2015, applications were 350 and accepted applicants were 60. The 2016 total was 380 applications and 60 accepted applicants.
Applications then measured 320 in 2017, with 50 accepted applicants. In 2018, the figures were 380 applications and 70 accepted applicants. The 2019 series reached 460 applications and 80 accepted applicants. Applications stayed at 460 in 2020, while accepted applicants fell to 65.
The strongest undergraduate application period in the supplied series was 2023, with 665 applications and 110 accepted applicants. In 2024, applications were 615 and accepted applicants were 100. That was lower than 2023 for both measures, but still above every year from 2012 through 2022 for applications except 2022’s 615, and above every year from 2012 through 2022 for accepted applicants except none: the next-highest earlier acceptance count was 100 in 2021.
Here is the full undergraduate series:
| Year | Applications | Accepted applicants |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 310 | 30 |
| 2013 | 345 | 45 |
| 2014 | 390 | 55 |
| 2015 | 350 | 60 |
| 2016 | 380 | 60 |
| 2017 | 320 | 50 |
| 2018 | 380 | 70 |
| 2019 | 460 | 80 |
| 2020 | 460 | 65 |
| 2021 | 605 | 100 |
| 2022 | 615 | 90 |
| 2023 | 665 | 110 |
| 2024 | 615 | 100 |
The year-to-year record shows two notable changes in the later period. Applications rose from 460 in 2020 to 605 in 2021, while accepted applicants rose from 65 to 100. Applications then reached 665 in 2023 before returning to 615 in 2024; accepted applicants moved from 90 in 2022 to 110 in 2023 and 100 in 2024. These are recorded counts, not explanations of why the changes occurred.
Postgraduate application and acceptance trends
Postgraduate applications were higher than undergraduate applications in every year from 2012 through 2024 in this UCAS group. The postgraduate series started with 280 applications and 70 accepted applicants in 2012, then reached 1,030 applications and 180 accepted applicants in 2024.
Applications increased to 430 in 2013, with 80 accepted applicants, and remained at 430 in 2014 while acceptances reached 100. In 2015, applications were 485 and accepted applicants were 85. The 2016 figures were 525 applications and 120 accepted applicants. Applications rose to 535 in 2017, with 120 accepted applicants, then to 605 in 2018, again with 120 accepted applicants.
The postgraduate series reached 720 applications and 150 accepted applicants in 2019. In 2020, applications were 670 and accepted applicants were 140. Applications then rose to 785 in 2021, with 150 accepted applicants, and to 860 in 2022, with 155 accepted applicants. Applications were 810 in 2023 and accepted applicants remained at 155.
The 2024 postgraduate total was 1,030 applications and 180 accepted applicants, the highest application and acceptance counts in the series. The 2024 application count was also higher than the 2023 total of 810 and the 2022 total of 860.
The complete postgraduate series is:
| Year | Applications | Accepted applicants |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 280 | 70 |
| 2013 | 430 | 80 |
| 2014 | 430 | 100 |
| 2015 | 485 | 85 |
| 2016 | 525 | 120 |
| 2017 | 535 | 120 |
| 2018 | 605 | 120 |
| 2019 | 720 | 150 |
| 2020 | 670 | 140 |
| 2021 | 785 | 150 |
| 2022 | 860 | 155 |
| 2023 | 810 | 155 |
| 2024 | 1,030 | 180 |
Undergraduate and postgraduate demand compared
The historical data shows a different scale of demand by study level. In 2012, postgraduate applications numbered 280 compared with 310 undergraduate applications, while postgraduate accepted applicants numbered 70 compared with 30 undergraduate accepted applicants. By 2024, postgraduate applications numbered 1,030 compared with 615 undergraduate applications, and postgraduate accepted applicants numbered 180 compared with 100 undergraduate accepted applicants.
| Measure | 2012 undergraduate | 2012 postgraduate | 2024 undergraduate | 2024 postgraduate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 310 | 280 | 615 | 1,030 |
| Accepted applicants | 30 | 70 | 100 | 180 |
Postgraduate applications exceeded undergraduate applications by 150 in 2024. The corresponding difference in accepted applicants was 80. In 2023, postgraduate applications were 810 and undergraduate applications were 665, while postgraduate accepted applicants were 155 and undergraduate accepted applicants were 110. The 2024 postgraduate increase therefore occurred alongside a smaller undergraduate total than in 2023.
Across the 2012–2024 record, the highest undergraduate application count was 665 in 2023, while the highest postgraduate application count was 1,030 in 2024. The highest undergraduate accepted-applicant count was 110 in 2023, and the highest postgraduate accepted-applicant count was 180 in 2024.
Regional patterns in 2024
The 2024 regional figures combine undergraduate and postgraduate study in the group. London recorded 175 applications and 30 accepted applicants, the largest application count among the listed regions. The South East recorded 115 applications and 25 accepted applicants. Scotland recorded 75 applications and 20 accepted applicants, while the East of England recorded 65 applications and 10 accepted applicants.
The North West recorded 60 applications and 25 accepted applicants. The West Midlands recorded 50 applications and 10 accepted applicants, and the South West recorded 45 applications and 15 accepted applicants. Yorkshire and The Humber recorded 40 applications and 10 accepted applicants, while Wales also recorded 40 applications and 15 accepted applicants.
The East Midlands recorded 30 applications and 5 accepted applicants. Northern Ireland recorded 15 applications and 5 accepted applicants. The North East recorded 5 applications and 5 accepted applicants.
| Region | Applications | Accepted applicants |
|---|---|---|
| London | 175 | 30 |
| South East | 115 | 25 |
| Scotland | 75 | 20 |
| East of England | 65 | 10 |
| North West | 60 | 25 |
| West Midlands | 50 | 10 |
| South West | 45 | 15 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 40 | 10 |
| Wales | 40 | 15 |
| East Midlands | 30 | 5 |
| Northern Ireland | 15 | 5 |
| North East | 5 | 5 |
These regional counts indicate the distribution recorded by UCAS for 2024; they do not measure the total number of people interested in music production education in each region.
Ethnic-group patterns in 2024
Across all study levels in the 2024 group, the White group recorded 540 applications and 150 accepted applicants. The Mixed group recorded 70 applications and 10 accepted applicants, while the Asian group recorded 55 applications and 10 accepted applicants.
The Black group recorded 20 applications and 5 accepted applicants. The Unknown or Prefer Not To Say group recorded 20 applications and 5 accepted applicants. The Other group recorded 15 applications and 0 accepted applicants.
The figures are counts for the categories used in the UCAS data. They should be read alongside the category definitions and the combined all-level scope, rather than as a measure of educational attainment or course quality.
Disability and mental-health patterns in 2024
The 2024 impairment figures also combine all study levels. Applicants recorded as having No impairment accounted for 455 applications and 110 accepted applicants. Applicants recorded as having a Mental health condition/challenge/disorder accounted for 85 applications and 25 accepted applicants.
The Learning difference category recorded 50 applications and 10 accepted applicants. Social/behavioural/communication impairment recorded 30 applications and 10 accepted applicants, while Long-term illness/health condition recorded 30 applications and 10 accepted applicants. Visual impairment recorded 10 applications and 0 accepted applicants.
| Recorded category | Applications | Accepted applicants |
|---|---|---|
| No impairment | 455 | 110 |
| Mental health condition/challenge/disorder | 85 | 25 |
| Learning difference | 50 | 10 |
| Social/behavioural/communication impairment | 30 | 10 |
| Long-term illness/health condition | 30 | 10 |
| Visual impairment | 10 | 0 |
These categories describe how applicants were recorded in the 2024 UCAS data. The figures do not explain applicants’ experiences, support needs, or the reasons behind acceptance outcomes. For music production educators and prospective students, they provide a limited snapshot of the characteristics represented among applications and accepted applicants in this specific study group.