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Cancellations

Refunds for exams up to 31 July 2024

Until 31 July 2024, all candidates absent from face-to-face instrumental and singing exams or Grade 6 to 8 Music Theory exams will automatically receive a full refund. This does not apply to digital Performance Grades, digital diplomas (including ARSM) or online Music Theory exams.

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

For exams at Public Venues and diplomas, we normally issue refunds by the end of the month following each exam session. For Private Visits we issue refunds by the end of the month following the month of the visit date. 

For more information about cancelling exams, see below. 

Exam feedback and appeals
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Withdrawals, non-attendance and fee refunds

If a candidate withdraws from or doesn’t attend an exam or doesn’t upload a video or start their online exam, the person who booked the exam (the applicant) is responsible for cancelling the exam through their account or by email.  

In some situations, we may provide a refund to the applicant or the organisation that made the original payment. 

How to cancel exams
Cancelling exams booked online  

The exam applicant can cancel an exam up to three days before the exam date (face-to-face exams), or up to three days before the booking expired for digital and online exams. 

To cancel an exam: 

  • Log in to your account, locate the relevant booking and click ‘Booking Details’.  
  • Click the bin icon to the right of the candidate information. 

If the cancellation qualifies for a refund (in accordance with our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy) see below for information about making a claim. 

Cancelling exams booked with an entry form 

The exam applicant can cancel an exam by emailing [email protected]. If the cancellation qualifies for a refund (in accordance with our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy) see below for information about making a claim. 

Rescheduling and late booking

Refunds
Public Venue and digital exams 

When booking an exam at a Public Venue or a digital or online exam, you can cancel within 14 days of the booking date and receive a full refund. For digital Performance Grades and ARSMs this must also be before the exam video has been submitted.  

Cancellations during the 14-day cooling-off period must be made by the applicant through our online service and we will refund fees back to the original payment card. For exams booked via paper application, cancellations must be emailed to [email protected]

If a booking is cancelled and/or expires (28 days after the date of booking for digital and online exams) outside the 14-day cooling-off period we will not offer any refund other than in the circumstances specified in paragraphs h, i, j or k of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. In this instance the applicant must notify us in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam or the date the booking expires. 

Refunds for deferred payment Public Venue exams

For accounts authorised to use the ‘submit and pay later’ option for Public Venue exam bookings, the applicant can cancel a booking using the online service up until the day the booking period closes.  


Refunds for Private Visit exams  

Private Visit Organisers and Permitted Applicants can cancel bookings up to 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit and receive a full refund. Cancellations must be made by the applicant using the online exam service. We will issue refunds back to the original payment card. For exams booked using a paper entry form, cancellations must be emailed to [email protected]

If a booking is cancelled less than 28 days before (and not including) the first day of the Private Visit, we 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 us in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam. 

Late bookings at a Private Visit

For an exam booked during the late booking period, after the 28- day deadline, we will only make refunds 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 us in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam. 


Other refunds 

A candidate who withdraws from or doesn’t attend an exam, or doesn’t upload a video or start their online exam during the allotted 28 days, may be eligible for a partial refund under the circumstances specified in paragraphs h, i, j or k of our Withdrawals, Non-attendance and Fee Refund Policy. The applicant must notify us in writing at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than the day of the exam, or the date the booking expires. Telling the examiner, honorary local representative, steward or invigilator isn't enough to qualify for a refund. 

We cannot transfer booking details / payments from one exam session to the next.  

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