Cancellations

When booking an exam at a Public Venue or a digital exam (Performance Grades, digital ARSM, and online Music Theory), you can cancel within 14 days of the date of booking (the consumer and cancellation rights’ ‘cooling-off period’). Cancellations during the 14-day cooling-off period must be made by the applicant through our online service and payment will be refunded back to the original payment card. Applicants will receive a credit confirmation by email. For exams booked via paper application, cancellations must be received in writing via email to [email protected]

If a booking is cancelled outside the ‘cooling-off period’ ABRSM we will not offer any refund other than in the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam.

Late Booking at a Public Venue for a digital exam: If the date of the exam booked is within 14 days from the day on which the booking was made, a full refund is applicable only if the cancellation is made by the applicant either using the online service or in writing to [email protected], before the date of the exam.

Refunds for deferred payment for Public Venue and digital exams

For accounts authorised to use the ‘submit and pay later’ option for Public Venue and remotely-assessed exam bookings, the applicant will be able to cancel a booking up until the day the booking period closes. Cancellations during this period must be made by the applicant using the online exam service.

When booking an exam at a Private Visit, either as the Visit Organiser or as a Permitted Applicant, the booking may be cancelled up to 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit and receive a full refund. Cancellations made during this period must be made by the applicant using the online exam service. For payments made at the time of entry, refunds will be issued back to the payment card and applicants will receive a credit confirmation by email. For exams booked via paper application, cancellations must be received in writing via email to [email protected].

If a booking is cancelled less than 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit, ABRSM will not offer any refund of the exam fee for the cancelled exam other than in the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam.

Late Booking at a Private Visit: For an exam booked during the late booking period, after the 28 day deadline, as detailed above, and up to three days before the exam day, the exam fee is only eligible for a refund in the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam.

A candidate who's withdrawn from an exam or doesn’t attend, may be eligible for a partial refund, but only under the circumstances specified in paragraphs f, g, h or i of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. The applicant must notify ABRSM in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam. Notice given only to an examiner, honorary local representative, steward or invigilator isn't sufficient to qualify for a refund.

A candidate who's withdrawn from an exam may be re-entered in the next exam session. In such cases, a new booking and full payment must be made as entry details/payment cannot be transferred from one period to the next.

Special terms for non-attendance due to COVID (updated 28 July 2021)

Refunds for exams from August to 31 December 2021
To support customers affected by ongoing COVID restrictions, for all instrumental and singing exams in all countries, any absent candidate will automatically receive a full refund. This includes Performance Grade exams where the candidate has been unable to record and upload their video.

You do not need to contact us to request a refund. However, it will help us if you log in to your account and cancel the exam.

Please note this policy does not include Grade 1 to 5 online Music Theory exams.

For Practical exams in public venues, we will issue refunds within one month of the end of the exam session (not the exam date).

• For Private Visits we will issue refunds by the end of the month following the month of the visit date.
• For Performance Grades we will issue refunds within one month of the end of the exam session (not the exam date).
• For Diploma exams we will issue refunds within one month of the end of the exam session

Illness or injury

A partial refund of up to 75% is given provided that the conditions above are met and that the written notification is supported by documentary evidence. This should normally be a letter from someone in authority, such as a head teacher, confirming the candidate’s indisposition or injury, or a medical certificate. The documentary evidence must be sent no later than four weeks after the exam date.

Exceptional personal circumstances

A discretionary refund may be given on compassionate grounds in cases such as bereavement, family crisis or personal trauma, provided that the conditions above are met and that the written notification is supported by full details substantiating the application.

Death or serious indisposition of teacher

A discretionary refund may be given to a candidate whose exam preparation is severely curtailed by the teacher’s death or long-term serious illness. In cases of occasional missed lessons due to the teacher’s minor or short-term illness, or cases of a dispute with the teacher leading to lessons being discontinued, no refund can be made.

Application for such a refund must be made in accordance with the conditions above although it may be made by someone other than the applicant. ABRSM may request details of an independent person who may be contacted by us to verify the application.

Circumstances beyond the candidate’s control

Where a candidate misses their exam owing to circumstances beyond their control (e.g. a major travel incident or damage to the candidate’s instrument immediately before the exam), a discretionary refund may be given provided that the conditions above are met and that the written notification is supported by full details substantiating the application.

A candidate in quarantine for any infection must be withdrawn. If exams are cancelled owing to quarantine, alternative appointments/fee refunds may be offered at ABRSM’s discretion.