Eligibility

Instrumental Categories

YCAT auditions are open to the following instruments:

• Strings
• Woodwind, Brass & Percussion
• Voice
• Solo Piano / Keyboard (includes Accordion)
• Ensemble 2-6 members; groups comprising singers and instrumentalists, and piano duos (one piano) are eligible to apply. Instrumental duos with piano (e.g. violin/piano, cello/piano etc.) and two piano duos are not eligible. 

Age Limit

On the date of the Final Auditions, you must be:

• Instrumentalists - aged 28 or under
• Singers - aged 30 or under
• Ensembles - average age of 30 or under

Management

If you are currently, or have previously been, signed and received representation from local or international commercial management you are not eligible to apply.

You cannot apply to both YCAT and the Concert Artists Guild (CAG) in the same year.

Education

You have completed (or are enrolled in) a recognised course of study for your instrument/voice.

Visas

If you are not currently resident or studying in the UK, you must have the right to undertake regular paid performance work in the UK without the need for individual work visas/permits, and be eligible to visit and undertake performances in the UK via the Permitted Paid Engagements route. We regret that anyone currently holding a 'visa national' passport (and not currently holding a valid UK student visa) is ineligible to apply for YCAT. Please refer to this current list of UK government recognised visa national countries: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-visitor-visa-national-list

If you are currently studying in the UK on a Student Visa, you can apply for YCAT, but must be able to guarantee that any paid work as result of YCAT does not contravene the visa obligations and requirements with the issuing institution. For those students in their final year of study (i.e. finishing their course of study in summer 2024), you must be applying for either the 2 year UK Graduate Route in 2024 in order to remain in UK (https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/after-your-studies/post-study-work), or have confirmation of the UK Global Talent visa for the following five years (https://www.gov.uk/global-talent).

Still have questions? See our Audition FAQs