Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

History: Began as the Glasgow Athenaeum in 1847, later morphing into the Scottish National Academy of Music. Acquired the 'royal' handle in 1944. The College of Dramatic Art was founded in 1950. The Academy changed its name from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in September 2011.

Address: Central Glasgow.

Ambience: Moved to purpose-built premises in 1988. Near the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Scottish Opera and the Theatre Royal. Claims to be one of the busiest music and theatre venues in Scotland, with over 400 performances a year attracting 70,000 visitors. A junior academy for music and a drama programme for young people runs at the weekend and attracts children from all over Scotland.

Who's the boss? World-famous trumpet player John Wallace CBE.

Prospectus: 0141 332 4101, visit the website here and follow @RCStweets.

CUKAS code: R58 for music. For drama and dance, students should apply direct.

What you need to know

Easy to get into? Not really - you need three Highers or two A-levels and there is a rigorous audition.

Vital statistics: It's small but with 836 students it is one of the larger conservatoires. The only conservatoire in the UK offering degrees in music, drama and dance, and is one of four royal schools of music. It awards its own degrees.

Added value: Strong and regular links with professional companies including the BBC, Scottish Opera, RSNO and major theatres. Professionals and alumni give classes and visit to give career advice. Five performance venues within the building. Sleek £5m extension in glass and polished granite houses the Alexander Gibson Opera School, which runs postgraduate opera courses.

Teaching: The institution has effective arrangements for managing academic standards and the student learning experience. These arrangements are likely to continue to be effective in the future.

Research: 85 per cent of the Academy’s research is classified at a world-leading or internationally excellent level, according to the Research Assessment Exercise.

Any accommodation? The university has an arrangement with Liberty House - a student halls of residence owned by a private landlord. Rents range from £103 to £160 per week.

Cheap to live there? Fairly - private rents begin at £75 per week.

Transport links: Easy by plane, train or car - and the main bus station is nearby.

Fees: £1,820 per year for Scottish and EU students on undergraduate courses but £9,000 for those from the UK. Overseas rates are £13,779 per year.

Bursaries: Scholarships are offered on the basis of performance at audition.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Theatres and concert venues on site rather than typical student boozers. A summer ball. Hot pub and club scene in Glasgow. Good restaurants and a new multiplex cinema across the road.

Sporting facilities: Plenty of sporting options in Glasgow but you'll need to access them separately from the university.

Glittering alumni: Actors Robert Carlyle, David Tennant, James McAvoy, John Hannah, Hannah Gordon, Tom Conti and Phyllis Logan; singers Peter Auty and Anthony Michaels-Moore; pianists Yevgeny Morozov and David McGrory.