Study music in Ireland and you face a real choice of paths — performance, composition, production, trad, musicology or teaching. This guide compares every kind of music degree and how each one selects (points, audition or portfolio), the routes in, UK and European options, and where a music degree actually leads.
There is no single music degree. The field spans classical performance and composition, popular and commercial music, jazz, traditional Irish and world music, music technology and production, musicology (the academic study of music), and music education (the route to qualifying as a post-primary music teacher). Two practical things to know up front: many performance-based courses select on a combination of CAO points and an audition or portfolio — so the "points" alone do not tell the whole story — and music is largely an unregulated profession. Apart from music teaching (which requires Teaching Council registration), there is no licensing body; your degree opens doors through your skill, portfolio and network rather than a single mandatory qualification.
A representative selection showing the breadth of music degrees and how entry works. Where you see "Audition", the place is decided by an audition or portfolio (sometimes combined with points), not points alone.
| INSTITUTION | CAO CODE | PROGRAMME | FOCUS | YEARS | 2025 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCD | TR002 | Music | Academic+Perf | 4 | 476 |
| TCD | TR009 | Music Education (concurrent teaching) | Teaching | 4 | Audition |
| TCD | TR629 / TR635 | Music with Philosophy / Drama (joint) | Joint Hons | 4 | 613 |
| UCC | CK104 | Arts with Music | Academic | 3–4 | Check CAO |
| Galway | GY130 | Arts (Music) | Academic | 3 | 401 |
| Maynooth | MH103 | Music | Academic+Perf | 3–4 | Check CAO |
| UL | LM114 | Music, Media & Performance Technology | Tech | 4 | 350 |
| UL | LM131 | Irish Music & Dance | Trad | 4 | Audition |
| DCU | DC014 | Jazz & Contemporary Music Performance | Performance | 4 | 402 |
| BIMM / TU Dublin | TU961 | Commercial Modern Music (BIMM Dublin) | Performance | 4 | Audition |
| MTU | MT936 | Music (Cork School of Music) | Performance | 4 | Audition |
| TUS | US808 | Music Technology & Production | Tech | 4 | 297 |
| IADT | DL838 | Creative Music Production | Tech | 4 | Portfolio |
Points are 2025 CAO Round 1 cut-offs where they apply; "Audition"/"Portfolio" means selection is wholly or partly by audition or portfolio. Verify everything at cao.ie/points and on each course page, as audition weightings and dates vary. Most programmes are Level 8 and covered by the Free Fees Scheme for eligible EU students.
Some of Ireland's strongest music training sits outside the traditional university music departments — in the conservatoires and technological universities, and in specialist production colleges. For performance and commercial music especially, these are often the first choice.
Music is largely unregulated: outside teaching, there is no licensing body and no single qualification you must hold to work. What gets you hired — as a performer, producer, composer or session player — is your ability, your portfolio or showreel, and the people who know your work. That means the "best" course is the one whose teaching, facilities, genre focus and connections match the kind of musician you want to be. A conservatoire performance degree, a music-production degree at a TU, and an academic BMus all lead somewhere — just to different places. Choose for fit, not for points. One naming tip: well-known specialist colleges are sometimes listed in the CAO under their awarding university — for example, BIMM Music Institute Dublin's degree appears as TU961 Commercial Modern Music (awarded by TU Dublin). If you are searching for a college by name and cannot find it, check which university validates its degree.
| Institution | CAO Code | Programme | Focus | Years | 2025 R1 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTU CIT Cork School of Music | MT936 | Music | Performance/Academic | 4 | Audition | Cork |
| MT931–935 | Popular Music (by instrument/voice) | Performance | 4 | Audition | Cork | |
| MT938 | Musical Theatre | Performance | 4 | Audition | Cork | |
| BIMM Dublin awarded by TU Dublin | TU961 | Commercial Modern Music (guitar/bass/drums/vocals/songwriting) | Performance | 4 | Audition | Dublin |
| TU Dublin Conservatoire | TU963 | Music (classical, audition) | Performance | 4 | Audition | Dublin |
| TUS | US808 | Music Technology & Production | Tech | 4 | 297 | Limerick |
| US809 | Music & Sound Engineering | Tech | 4 | Check CAO | Limerick | |
| IADT | DL838 | Creative Music Production | Tech | 4 | Portfolio | Dún Laoghaire |
| SETU | SE206 | Music | Performance/Academic | 4 | Audition | Waterford |
| DkIT | DK865 | Audio & Music Production | Tech | 4 | 236 | Dundalk |
| DK892 | Music & Performance Technologies | Tech | 4 | 244 | Dundalk | |
| DBS | DB510 | Audio Production & Music Project Mgmt | Tech/Business | 3 | 273 | Dublin (fees) |
A representative sample. Points are 2025 CAO Round 1 where they apply; "Audition"/"Portfolio" means selection is wholly or partly by audition/portfolio. DBS is a private college (tuition fees apply). Also note the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) and the Conservatoire at TU Dublin deliver degrees in partnership with universities — check each for entry routes. Verify at cao.ie/points.
Some of the most employable music graduates come from the lower-points technology and production courses — because the work (producing, engineering, sound for media and games) is in genuine demand and rewards portfolio and skill over CAO points. Equally, an audition-entry conservatoire place that asks for no specific points total can be the hardest of all to win, because it is decided on your playing. Points are close to meaningless as a ranking of music courses; match the course to the musician you want to become.
Music has more side doors than most fields — because ability matters more than points. Whether you missed the points, are largely self-taught, or are coming to it later, there are real routes in.
QQI Level 5 awards in Music, Music Production, Sound Engineering or Performance let you apply through the Higher Education Links Scheme for a degree via the CAO — no Leaving Cert points needed beyond a completed Leaving Cert. They also build a portfolio and references that strengthen audition-based applications.
Music and sound PLC courses run in ETB colleges (e.g. Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Bray Institute, Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa in Cork) and many feed directly into degree programmes. Confirm the specific QQI award is accepted for HELS by your target course.
For many conservatoire and performance degrees, the audition (or production portfolio) is the main selection tool. A strong audition can secure a place even with modest points, provided you meet the minimum entry requirements. This rewards years of instrumental or vocal practice and grade exams (RIAM, ABRSM) more than Leaving Cert results.
Audition pieces and portfolios take months. Check each course's specific requirements in 5th year, not the week before.
RIAM/ABRSM Grade 8 or equivalent is often expected for classical performance entry — check, as some courses specify a minimum grade.
If you are 23+ by 1 January of entry year, you apply as a mature student through the CAO — points are set aside in favour of experience, motivation, and (for performance courses) an audition. Years of gigging, teaching, or producing are genuine assets in a mature music application.
Apply via the CAO by 1 February and tick the mature category. Performance courses will still expect an audition; check each department's mature-entry page for any portfolio or interview stage.
If you want to teach music in a post-primary school, you need Teaching Council registration. There are two routes: a concurrent degree like TCD's B.Mus.Ed. (music + teaching together over four years), or any approved music degree followed by the two-year Professional Master of Education (PME).
Qualify to teach in four years — TCD is currently the only university offering this in music.
Do any approved music degree, then a two-year PME. Check the Teaching Council's Music subject requirements before choosing your degree modules.
More than almost any other field, music admits people on what they can do. A strong audition, a polished production portfolio, or a body of released work can open doors that points never would. If you are serious about music, start building that evidence now — it matters at entry, and it matters even more afterwards.
The UK has some of the world's most famous conservatoires and a huge range of music and music-production degrees, and Europe offers strong (often low-cost) options. Because music is largely unregulated, recognition is rarely the issue — reputation, facilities and cost are what to weigh.
For most music careers — performance, composition, production — a degree from a reputable UK or EU institution is fully employable in Ireland; there is no licensing body to satisfy. The one exception is teaching: if you intend to teach music in an Irish post-primary school, your degree and teacher-education qualification must meet Teaching Council requirements, so check those before choosing a course abroad. For everything else, judge a course on its reputation, genre fit, facilities and cost rather than on formal recognition.
Under the Common Travel Area, Irish students who meet the residency criteria can study in England paying the same tuition fees as English (home) students — not the higher international rate — and can access the UK Tuition Fee Loan. Scotland routes Irish students through SAAS for fee assessment. This makes UK music and conservatoire degrees far more affordable for Irish students than for other international applicants. Always confirm your fee status with the specific institution, as conservatoires sometimes have separate fee rules.
UK universities apply through UCAS; the big conservatoires often have their own application and audition systems. Auditions are central — budget for travel to them.
The Royal Academy, Royal College, Trinity Laban, RNCM, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and BIMM/ICMP (popular/commercial) are globally recognised names.
Conservatoires in the Netherlands, Germany and the Nordics offer respected, often English-taught or low-fee music degrees for EU citizens — strong for jazz, classical and composition.
For a specific specialism — a particular jazz tradition, a named conservatoire teacher, a production scene — abroad can be transformative, and the CTA makes England surprisingly affordable. For a broad, flexible base, Irish degrees are excellent and keep you in your own gigging and contacts network. If teaching in Ireland is the goal, the simplest path is an Irish Teaching-Council-accredited route. Weigh reputation, the specific teachers, facilities, cost and your own network — not formal recognition, which is rarely the obstacle in music.
Music is not a single career with one entry exam — it is a spread of specialisations and a wide fan of destinations. Here is the map of what you can focus on and where it can take you.
Classical, jazz, popular, trad or musical theatre. Conservatoire-style, audition-entry, one-to-one instrumental/vocal tuition at its heart.
Writing music for concert, screen, games or media. Strong at the academic universities and conservatoires.
Recording, mixing, mastering, electronic production and sound design. The most job-rich and most points-accessible branch.
The academic study of music — history, theory, analysis, ethnomusicology. The research and university-teaching track.
Irish traditional and global musics — UL's Irish World Academy is the standout, with Galway and UCC also strong.
The one regulated route: qualify to teach in post-primary schools via a concurrent B.Mus.Ed. or a music degree + PME, with Teaching Council registration.
Performer, session musician, composer, songwriter, producer, recording/live engineer, MD, arranger. Often freelance — portfolio and reputation are everything.
Post-primary music teacher (Teaching Council), private/instrumental tutor, community music, university lecturer/researcher, music therapist (via further study).
Sound for film, TV & games, radio/podcast production, arts administration, festival/event management, A&R, music journalism, publishing and rights, instrument tech.
Be honest with yourself about the economics. Many music careers are freelance and portfolio-built, with income that can be irregular — especially early on. That is not a reason to avoid music, but it is a reason to develop a broad, transferable skill set (production, teaching, tech, business) alongside your art, and to build your network and body of work from first year. The graduates who thrive treat the degree as a launchpad and a set of professional connections, not a guaranteed salary.
Income is project-based and irregular — gig fees, session work, teaching and royalties combined. Many musicians earn through a portfolio of activities rather than one salary.
Salaried audio, production and sound-for-media roles offer steadier income, rising with experience and reputation. Among the more reliable music-related career paths.
A registered teacher follows the published Department of Education incremental pay scale — the most predictable, secure income in music, which is why teaching is such a popular destination.
Performers, composers, songwriters and producers — usually freelance, often combining several income streams.
Post-primary teaching, instrumental tuition, community music — the steadiest and most common salaried destination.
Audio for film/TV/games, broadcast, podcasting, arts administration and the music business — where many production graduates land.
Figures are indicative only. Music income varies enormously by specialism, location, reputation and self-employment status; performance careers in particular are project-based rather than salaried. Teacher pay follows the public Department of Education incremental scale. Verify current figures before making decisions.
The CAO timeline is standard — but music adds audition and portfolio deadlines that often fall before or around the main CAO dates. Missing an audition deadline can rule you out regardless of points.
Decide your specialism and build your evidence. Performance, production, academic or teaching? Keep up instrumental/vocal practice and grade exams; if you make music with technology, start building a production portfolio. Visit open days and ask each course exactly how it selects (points, audition, portfolio, or a mix).
CAO opens (5 Nov). Early-bird fee €35 by 20 January. List your music courses — and start checking each one's audition/portfolio requirements now, because some are due as early as January or February.
Normal CAO application closes — and many audition/portfolio courses are restricted-application with this same 1 February deadline. Music Education (TCD), conservatoire and performance courses often require you to apply by 1 February and register separately for an audition. Also the deadline for HEAR/DARE and mature applicants. Miss this and the audition route usually closes.
Sit your auditions / submit portfolios. These typically run in spring. Prepare your required repertoire or production work thoroughly, and budget for travel. Your performance here can matter more than your eventual points.
Change of Mind opens 5 May, closes 1 July. A free chance to reorder — useful once you know how auditions went. Sit the Leaving Cert in June. Note that for audition courses you usually must have completed the audition to be eligible, regardless of Change of Mind.
Leaving Cert results and CAO offers. For audition courses, offers combine your audition result with your points (or are audition-led). Accept promptly. If you missed out, watch later rounds and Available Places.
Study and build your professional life in parallel. Perform, release work, take production gigs, network, and develop a second string (teaching, tech, business). In music more than most fields, what you do outside the lecture hall — the body of work and contacts you build — shapes your career as much as the degree itself.
Performer, producer, composer, academic or teacher? The right course depends entirely on the answer. A conservatoire performance degree, a TU production degree and an academic BMus are genuinely different educations. Be honest about where your talent and interest actually lie before you rank courses.
Points, audition, portfolio, or a combination? Audition and portfolio deadlines often fall in January–February, well before results. Build your repertoire or showreel in good time, and never assume a music course works on points alone.
Teaching is the one regulated music career. If it is even a possibility, either choose a concurrent route (TCD B.Mus.Ed.) or check that your degree meets the Teaching Council's Music subject requirements so you can do the PME later. Decide this before you choose modules, not after.
Music income is often freelance and uneven. The happiest graduates pair their art with a marketable skill — production, teaching, audio tech, or the music business. Look for a course that lets you develop both, and start building your portfolio and contacts from day one.
There is no single "best" place to study music — only the place that fits the musician you want to become. Points tell you very little here: a 240-point production degree, an audition-only conservatoire place and a 600-point joint-honours BMus are simply different doors to different rooms. Music rewards what you can do and who knows your work, so choose the course whose teaching, facilities, genre and connections match your ambition — and then spend four years building the body of work that will actually launch your career.