Music is the universal language. It cannot be bound by borders or walls. It connects everyone, regardless of their background or life experiences.
For that reason, future musicians and composers can go anywhere to study their craft. Most countries feature institutions that provide the next generation of music makers with the tools and training that they need.
In fact, the range of possibilities could easily overwhelm even the most enterprising potential student. How does one make the right choice when they have to survey the entire world?
That’s where we come in. This list focuses on ten of the best international musical schools, meaning institutions outside of the United States.
Each of the schools on this list boasts an incredible faculty, first-class resources, and an impressive line-up of alumni. Moreover, they each embrace their local cultures, making them truly unique and enriching the art of their students.
Of course, there are even more great international music schools beyond those listed here. However, they are ten of the best, each a great choice.
Royal Academy of Music
Many of the schools on this list have existed for over 100 years, but none can outdo London’s Royal Academy of Music.
One of the oldest music schools in the entire United Kingdom, the Royal Academy of Music was founded in 1822 and received its royal charter in 1830 by King George IV.
As befitting its name, the Royal Academy of Music has counted many among its principals and patrons, including Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales, who, believe it or not, served as the academy’s president from 1985 to 1996!
Today, the Royal Academy of Music seeks to continue its proud tradition by fostering excellence among its student body.
In addition to the incredible permanent faculty, the academy regularly brings in the best in the world as visiting professors. Current partners include conductor Sir Mark Elder, the former music director of Manchester’s The Hallé, one of the most important classical music institutions in the UK.
The Royal Academy is an ideal school for a student pursuing classical music studies – be it performance or composition – in a rigorous and highly selective environment. It’s one of the UK’s most selective music schools, along with the Royal College of Music.
Paris Conservatory
Officially titled the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, the Paris Conservatory dates back to 1795.
In the centuries since its founding, the Paris Conservatory has trained some of the greatest artists of all time. Former students include Romantic composer Georges Bizet, whose final work, Carmen, is among the most famous operas of all time.
The Paris Conservatory’s current faculty is no less remarkable. When not teaching at the conservatory, Alain Altinoglu serves as the music director at Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels and hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt. He has conducted orchestras across the globe, including the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.
Violinist Stéphanie-Marie Degand has won major awards such as the Grand Prix Adami 95 and Revelation “Instrumental Soloist” at the Victoires de la Musique 2005. She has performed with conductors including Emmanuel Krivine and Emmanuelle Bertrand, and she co-founded the Concert d’Astrée with Emmanuelle Haïm.
McGill University Schulich School of Music
Part of Canada’s esteemed McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, the Schulich School of Music has been associated with thirteen Grammy Award winners, including Leonard Coen and Burt Bacharach.
Schulich offers more than fifty programs, with disciplines ranging from orchestral instruments and early music to music entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary studies. Schulich students can earn a minor in musical applications of technology, a unique degree that explores the creation and production of music in a digital era.
Equally unique is Schulich’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT). Created in collaboration with institutions such as the École de technologie supérieure, Concordia University, and other schools in Quebec, CIRMMT combines the creation of music with the latest technologies. Through the CIRMMT, students learn how to apply time-honored musical principles to the latest innovations.
Royal College of Music
In addition to being honored by inclusion on this list, the Royal College of Music (RCM) is ranked by the QS World University Rankings as the best institution for music and performing arts.
Even more impressive is the fact that the school has maintained that position since the QS World University Rankings began including music schools.
A truly cosmopolitan institution, the RCM boasts a highly respected exchange program, designed to enrich its student body. In addition to bringing students from around the world to the school, RCM also partners with schools in South Korea, Australia, and other European nations to send students abroad. For Americans looking to expand their horizons, RCM would be a great choice.
Even those who want to stay on campus will find much to love at RCM. The school hosts over 500 events annually, including visits from ensembles such as the Marmen Quartet and the Sacconi Quartet.
Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
Liverpool is, of course, known as the city that gave the world the Beatles. It follows that the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) would be a premier spot to study contemporary and popular music. In fact, LIPA was co-founded in 1996 by Beatle and Liverpool native, Paul McCartney.
Despite its relatively short life, LIPA has immediately made a name for itself, offering twenty degree programs and various certificate and master’s-level courses.
Numerous successful contemporary music acts have graduated from LIPA. These include groups like The Wombats, who have over 3,000,000 listeners a month on Spotify, as well as acclaimed singer-songwriters like Holly Humberstone.
A selective institution, LIPA is one of the world’s best schools for contemporary music.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama regularly ranks among the top music institutions in Europe, just the latest in a history of achievements that go back to the school’s founding in 1880.
With programs focusing on classical and jazz, Guildhall draws students from all over the globe.
It’s no wonder, then, that Guildhall’s alumni list reads like a who’s who of musical greats. Sir George Martin, the producer and composer who helped shape the Beatles’ sound, graduated from Guildhall in 1950. Famed playwright and composer Sir Noël Coward attended Guildhall, as did Harry Gregson-Williams, who has created scores for directors such as Ridley Scott and Joel Schumacher.
As impressive as those names might be, Guildhall continues to highlight new talent through innovations such as its summer series.
For its 2025 season, the school will feature a concert based around its Gold Medal prize, with performances from soprano Manon Ogwen Parry and Jonathan Stockhammer conducting the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra.
Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy has the distinction of being Finland’s sole music college. Instead of resting on its laurels, Sibelius measures itself against the entirety of Europe, standing out as one of the largest schools on the continent.
Sibelius opened its doors in 1882 as the Helsinki Music Institute, but was renamed in 1939 in memory of alumnus & composer Jean Sibelius.
As the sole music school in the country, Sibelius is the destination of choice for Finnish musicians. Thus, its former students include rock cellist Max Lilja and Esa-Pekka Salonen, current conductor of the San Francisco Symphony.
Sibelius seeks to position itself as an international force thanks to programs such as the International Maj Lind Piano Competition and the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition. The school’s orchestra has performed in halls across the globe, including Beijing, Tokyo, and Los Angeles’s Walt Disney Hall.
The Glenn Gould School
Started in 1987 as the Royal Conservatory of Music Professional School and renamed in 1997, the Glenn Gould School sounds like one of the younger institutions on this list. However, Gould is part of Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music, which dates back to 1886.
The Glenn Gould School takes its name from the Toronto-born classical pianist, whose skill and artistry also set a standard for young musicians. One of Gould’s major draws is its financial generosity; over 70% of its students receive a full-tuition scholarship.
However, the gem in Gould’s crown remains Koerner Hall, a 1,135-seat venue that earned the nickname “The Temple of Tone.” Luminaries such as Yo-Yo Ma and the Emerson String Quartet have come to Koerner Hall, letting Gould students witness the masters at work.
Royal Northern College of Music
Most of the schools on this list pay some degree of attention to contemporary music.
However, in the United Kingdom, only the Royal Northern College of Music offers a four-year degree in Popular Music. RNCM’s Pop Music degree emphasizes innovation and entrepreneurship, ensuring that their graduates can navigate the ever-changing nature of the field.
That commitment to the latest in musical trends shouldn’t distract from the fact that the RNCM has a history that goes back to 1893. And yet, the school continues to find new ways to approach music.
One such approach is the Interplay initiative, which partners with teachers and students from conservatories across the world for collaborative projects. RNCM has its own label with Northern Quarter Records, which allows students to work with professional musicians and even participate in recordings at partner studios.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
The Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance came into being in 2005, when Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre combined to form an institution with over 1200 students.
Trinity Laban features an Integrated Foundation Year for all students, in which they develop their skills through focused practice, drawing from the western artistic tradition. During this year, students train one-on-one in intensive collaboration with faculty members.
Students can benefit from the school’s many partnerships with artistic institutions from around the world. These partnerships include the Beijing Dance Academy, in China, and the KM Music Conservatory, in India.
Notable faculty include cellist , and violinist & conductor Vasko Vasilev, who has performed with artists as varied as Placido Domingo and The Rolling Stones, and pianist Gabriele Baldocci, who performed a series of concerts with legendary pianist Martha Argerich.
