Many students who keep at it and pass ABRSM Grade 8 hit the same question: graded exams have reached their peak — what formal exam is there to keep planning practice and building solo ability? In 30+ years of teaching, I've met countless Grade 8 graduates — some keep piano as a hobby, many want to keep refining performance through a systematic diploma. Below is a plain rundown of the two main performance-diploma routes, to weigh against your own goals.
Grade 8 Is a Watershed, Not the End
If you want to keep planning your practice and refining solo ability through a recognised qualification, there are two main performance-diploma directions: ARSM and ATCL. Note that the old DipABRSM diploma was officially discontinued in 2024; diploma study after Grade 8 now leads mainly into these two systems.
Option One: ARSM (the ABRSM performance diploma)
ARSM belongs to the original ABRSM system and is a bridging performance diploma designed for Grade 8 graduates — a steady step up many students choose first:
• It stays within the ABRSM system throughout, so there's no need to adapt to new exam rules or a new adjudicating logic; you keep progressing within one performance framework.
• The exam no longer splits into separate scales, sight-reading and aural components; it centres on presenting a set of solo pieces, focusing on the style, the joins between sections and continuous stage performance of whole works.
• The difficulty rises gradually — above Grade 8 but without a sudden jump — suiting students who want to stay in the ABRSM system and strengthen solo performance step by step.
Not Sure Which Path Suits You?
If you've just passed Grade 8 and aren't sure whether your playing suits ARSM or ATCL, or want a direction that doesn't involve a diploma, you're welcome to book a one-on-one piano consultation.
Option Two: ATCL (the Trinity performance diploma)
ATCL is a performance diploma from Trinity College London — in Hong Kong's piano scene, the most common route for deepening semi-professional performance after Grade 8:
• Pitched at a semi-professional level of performance, the certificate is well recognised in the field, suiting students planning to develop toward higher-level solo playing or long-term piano teaching.
• The exam takes the form of a complete solo recital, requiring command of repertoire across several periods and styles, with deep work on voice balance, tonal layering and live stage control.
• If you pass ATCL with a solid enough foundation, you can go on to challenge higher diplomas such as LTCL.
How to Choose Between Them
A simple comparison: to stay in the familiar ABRSM system and strengthen solo ability steadily, take ARSM; to challenge a semi-professional level of performance and pave the way for teaching or higher performance, take ATCL. Both build on the Grade 8 foundation — choose according to your practice time and long-term goals.
In Closing
Passing Grade 8 isn't the end of learning piano, but a new watershed. Whichever you choose — ARSM or ATCL — what matters is how solid the Grade 8 foundation is; solid technique and independent musical thinking are what carry you onto the diploma path. Which route suits you varies with each student's playing strengths and goals, so it's best to get an objective assessment before planning.
Further Reading
The Complete ABRSM Grade 8 Piano Guide
Two Years of ATCL Preparation, Still No Pass — When Effort Isn't the Same as Method
30+ Years of Teaching: Music Education Has No Standard Timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
Ms. Kannaz Kwok
30+ years of piano teaching experience. Holder of internationally recognised qualifications from the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire.