Where is Abbey road institute johannesburg located?
The school is located at Mastermax Studios in Midrand. Mastermax has been home to many high profile recordings over the years, with artists such as One Republic, Zahara, Westlife, Khuli Chana, Jaziel Brothers, Busi Mhlongo, Joyous Celebration, Jennifer Hudson, Wouter Kellerman, Lebo M, and Johnny Clegg, having recorded there, as well as scores and score elements for The Lion King, The Legend of Tarzan, Blended, Intonga, Material, The Roar and Liefling.
Can I visit the school?
We host tours and workshops at the school all through the year for you to see the studios and get a feel for the studios and location. Contact us to join our mailing list and keep up to date with the latest news.
What does an average week look like at Abbey Road Institute?
Our Advanced Programme in Music Production and Sound Engineering is an intensive, full-time programme. You will have a daily timetable of lectures with our core team as well as weekly lectures with industry experts.
The Institute is open 7 days a week, and we encourage you to use the studios and equipment as much as possible to make the most of your time at Abbey Road Institute Johannesburg. This means you can be working and recording during the evenings and weekends in addition to your timetabled lectures and workshops.
What is the relationship with Abbey Road Studios and can I access the studios?
Abbey Road Institute is the educational initiative born out of the expertise and skills developed at Abbey Road Studios in London over the past 85 years. The curriculum we teach in Johannesburg and at all of our schools has been developed with the team at Abbey Road, our experienced academics and our industry network. The course is designed to put you in the best position to enter the music industry with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make an impact.
Students from Johannesburg and all of our Institutes worldwide are invited to graduate at Abbey Road Studios for our Global Graduation Ceremony which takes place once a year.
Who studies on the Advanced Programme? Is the course right for me?
Our programme is an industry-standard, professional training course, which will give you the knowledge, skills and access to professional networks that will help you progress in audio production and music industry. We encourage applications from students from all different backgrounds and musical interest. You will need to demonstrate the required level of skills as detailed in the entry requirements, but we’re not looking for students interested in any specific ‘type’ of music or genre. The course is intensive and we encourage you to apply if you are passionate about the subject, driven to work hard and want to immerse yourself in a dynamic, professional studio environment.
How do I apply for the Advanced Programme?
The application process for our programme is straightforward. You can apply online via our application portal here – APPLY NOW.
You will need to demonstrate that you meet the entry requirements and upload copies of your qualifications and your music portfolio. If you do not have copies of your qualifications or are waiting for your results, you may still submit your application form to be considered.
We interview all applicants that meet the entry requirements. If you are in South Africa we would like to interview you in person. If you are applying from another country and not able to travel to South Africa we can interview you on Skype or a similar platform.
We will notify you of the outcome of your application within a few days of your interview. If you have any questions or need any support with the online application process please <contact our Admissions team> who will be very happy to help.
The minimum age requirement to take our course is 18.
When do I apply for the Advanced Programme?
We encourage you to start your application as soon as possible as this will give you time to fully prepare your application and to be interviewed. Our newly introduced part time course (3years duration) is scheduled to start on the 7th of October 2024 (the course commences when its fully filled with minimum 9 students) and the next accelerated full time course (1 year) starting on 10 March 2025. Our class sizes are small with a maximum of 15 spaces available in each class. The course is in demand in advance of the application deadline and start date, so we recommend you complete and submit your application as soon as you are able to.
We hold interviews on a rolling basis up until the course is full or until the month before the course is due to start. We may consider earlier or later applications depending on availability.
WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE IN MY APPLICATION FOR THE ADVANCED PROGRAMME?
Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate that you meet the entry requirements necessary to study on the course. So that we can assess your suitability for the course and offer you an interview, you will need to include the following documents:
- A Music Portfolio (4 productions in which you demonstrate different roles, such as performer, producer, engineer, writer etc). Please label the portfolio or submit further documentation to explain your role in each production. If you don’t have 4 yet please submit what you can. We do not expect to receive high-quality productions but are simply looking for evidence that you have been attempting to create and produce music for a period of time.
- Academic qualifications
- Music qualifications – if you don’t have a formal music qualification please state your level of music knowledge and experience in your cover letter.
- A cover letter. This is where you can explain your motivation to study, career goals and provide further explanation about your background (recordings, composing, performances etc). You should also explain your musical abilities, eg. which instrument (s) you play, what music theory experience you have and give an indication of your level.
- Your Curriculum Vitae – allowances will be made for applicants with relating “real-world” experience.
- Copy of photographic ID, this is usually a scan of your passport or ID card from your home country. For passports please provide a scan of the front cover and photo page.
- Proof of Payment of your application fee
WHAT ARE THE FEES AND PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE?
FULL TIME ACCELERATED ADVANCED PROGRAMME FEES (1 Year)
Total Course Fee: R263 500.00
(Tuition fee of R260 000.00 and R3500.00 application fee)
PAYMENT PLANS
We offer two different payment plans, depending on whether you prefer to pay in full upfront or spread the cost of the fees throughout your studies. You will benefit from a reduced fee if you pay the cost in full before the start of the course.
Payment Plan A (Initial Deposit + Balance in 12 Monthly instalments):
Application fee R3500.00*
Course Deposit R139 000.00
Monthly tuition fee instalments of R11000.00 (x11) = R121 000.00
Total Course fee R263 500.00
Payment Plan B (Full fee paid up-front):
Application fee R3500.00*
Tuition fee R240 000.00
Total Course fee R243 500.00
*If your application is unsuccessful we will refund your application fee in full. If your application is accepted but and you are invited for an interview but after your interview, your application is rejected we will refund your application fee minus the R1500.00 administration fee. To pay your application fee please use our bank details which can be found here.
PART TIME ADVANCED PROGRAMME FEES (3 Year)
Total Course Fee: R288 500.00
(Tuition fee of R285 000.00 and R3500.00 application fee)
PAYMENT PLANS
We offer two different payment plans, depending on whether you prefer to pay in full upfront or spread the cost of the fees throughout your studies. You will benefit from a reduced fee if you pay the cost in full before the start of the course.
Payment Plan A (Yearly Registration Deposits + Balance in 36 Monthly instalments):
Application fee R3500.00*
Yearly Course Deposit R25 400.00 x 3 (Payable on registration and then on month 12 and month 24)
Monthly tuition fee instalments of R5800.00 (x36) = R208800.00
Total Course fee R288 500.00
Payment Plan B (yearly tuition fee paid up-front):
Application fee R3500.00*
Yearly Tuition fee of R85000 per year for 3 years (payable yearly in advance)
Total Course fee R258 500.00
*If your application is unsuccessful we will refund your application fee in full. If your application is accepted but and you are invited for an interview but after your interview, your application is rejected we will refund your application fee minus the R1500.00 administration fee. To pay your application fee please use our bank details which can be found here.
Global Graduation at Abbey Road Studios
On successful completion of the course, all graduates are invited to graduate at Abbey Road Studios in London.
WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP PAY FOR YOUR STUDIES?
Our Advanced Programme is not eligible for the South African National Student Financial Aid Scheme (tuition fees or maintenance loans available from the government).
