We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Abbey Road Scholarship programme which will provide for two black students each year to study at Abbey Road Institute in London, followed by a year-long engineering work placement at Abbey Road Studios.

The first-of-its-kind Scholarship programme, which begins in 2021, will cover the full cost of the course fees and contribute towards living expenses for two black British students annually to study on Abbey Road Institute’s Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering. Abbey Road Institute is the education arm of Abbey Road Studios, offering highly specialised training for the next generation of audio professionals.

Upon successful completion of the course, the two graduates will be offered a year-long trainee engineering role within Abbey Road Studios, providing the opportunity to put all they’ve learnt into practice at one of the world’s most prestigious and historic recording studios.

The Abbey Road Scholarship programme is the first in a series of initiatives seeking to create education and mentoring opportunities for young black people, as part of a broader commitment to creating meaningful change within music production.

Abbey Road Studios' Managing Director, Isabel Garvey, shares her ambition for the scholarship: “I’m thrilled that this programme will create new opportunities for aspiring young engineers by giving them not just the educational foundation, but also the benefit of practical experience working with the best artists, composers and engineers in the industry. Abbey Road has always been about training the best studio talent, so it’s brilliant that the Scholarship will help diversify the next generation of engineering professionals from the ground up.”

Alongside the Scholarship and work placement, Garvey is keen to engage artists to play an integral role in the students’ journey. Raye, a British singer-songwriter from London, signed to Polydor Records, was keen to get actively involved and offer support and guidance as part of the programme. She will be part of the selection committee who will choose the successful applicants and will provide ongoing mentorship to the young people throughout their time at Abbey Road.

Raye explained why she wanted to be part of the programme: “I’m so proud to be part of this brilliant initiative to encourage more black students down the path of music production and audio engineering. Black producers and engineers are under-represented in the professional recording environment and we need to address that. During my time at The BRIT School I learned how important music education is and it’s been instrumental in helping me get further in life.

“This is such an incredible opportunity to obtain the highest levels of technical training at one of the world’s most iconic recording studios! I’m very much looking forward to meeting and working with the successful applicants and being a part of your amazing journey!”

Luca Barassi, CEO of Abbey Road Institute said: “Our ethos has always been to expand the range of diverse creative and technical minds aspiring to work in professional audio. The new Scholarship will help this in two ways: by funding students who may not have previously been able to join the programme, and by creating more awareness of the audio industry for younger generations who may now find their goal of becoming a music professional more achievable.”

Applicants have until 19 February 2021 to apply for the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering and the Abbey Road Scholarship Programme. Applicants who meet the entry criteria for both the course and the scholarship will be shortlisted and interviewed with the Scholarship selection panel and two successful candidates will be chosen.

The Scholarship will cover the full cost of the course fees for the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering at Abbey Road Institute London as well as a contribution towards living costs for the year, based on financial need. This is designed to ensure that the students have the support they need should they be relocating from another part of the UK.

The admissions team at Abbey Road Institute London are on hand to offer support and guidance with the Scholarship application process. The successful applicants will be announced at the end of March 2021 and will enrol in June 2021.

For more details on the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering.

For full details on the Scholarship programme, eligibility criteria and the application process.