Overview
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) offers ballet examinations in several families, set out in its specifications document (January 2025 edition). Candidates are normally entered through a teacher, and exams are held in sessions whose dates are published by RAD's local offices.
Levels or stages
Class awards: Pre-Primary in Dance and Primary in Dance, and Grades 1 to 8 in the class award form. A class award is led by the teacher (or the examiner at Grades 6 to 8) and gives a broad indication of standard rather than a detailed breakdown.
Graded examinations: Primary in Dance and Grades 1 to 8.
Vocational graded examinations: Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced Foundation, Advanced 1 and Advanced 2. Advanced 2 is assessed by candidates of the female and male syllabi separately.
Solo Performance Awards: Grades 1 to 7, with three solo dances, at least two from the exam syllabus.
Discovering Repertoire: a unit-based qualification at Levels 2, 3 and 4, with each unit taken in its entirety.
Solo Seal: a higher-level solo award for which Advanced 2 with Distinction is the prerequisite.
Who can apply
RAD lists a minimum age for each level. Required minimums are 11 for Intermediate Foundation, 12 for Intermediate and Discovering Repertoire. Recommended minimums are 6 for Primary in Dance, 7 for Grades 1 to 5, 11 for Grades 6 to 8, 13 for Advanced Foundation, 14 for Advanced 1, and 15 for Advanced 2 and Solo Seal. Some vocational levels require an earlier level to be passed first, for example Intermediate before Advanced 1.
Exam pattern
Examinations are taken by 1 to 4 candidates at a time. Timing depends on the number of candidates: Advanced 1, for instance, runs for 55 minutes for one candidate and 85 minutes for three or four. Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced Foundation exams include one unprepared enchainement given by the examiner. Candidates are assessed on technique, music and performance, with recall also assessed at Primary in Dance and in Solo Performance Awards.
Marking and results
Examinations other than Solo Seal and Solo Performance Awards give a final mark as a percentage and an attainment band. The bands are:
| Result | Total marks | Medal (graded exams only) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard not attained | 0 to 39 | none |
| Pass | 40 to 54 | Bronze |
| Merit | 55 to 64 | Silver |
| High Merit | 65 to 74 | Silver |
| Distinction | 75 to 84 | Gold |
| High Distinction | 85 to 100 | Gold |
For Primary in Dance, Grades 1 to 7, Intermediate Foundation and Intermediate, no single section has to be passed; the marks can come from any section. At Grade 8 a candidate needs at least 8 out of 20 for each dance.
How to apply
Entry is made through a teacher, using the RAD online entry system, by the closing date set for each session. Contact your local RAD office for session dates.
FAQs
What mark is needed to pass an RAD exam?
40 out of 100 is a Pass, 55 is a Merit and 75 is a Distinction. Marks of 85 or more are a High Distinction.
Do RAD exams have set dates?
Exams are held in sessions, and each local office publishes its own session dates and closing dates for entries.