The Music School Bangalore Begins Delivering AIM's Undergraduate Certification- Opening a Direct Bachelor's Degree Pathway to Australia
- Swathi K Nair
- May 25
- 5 min read
10 October 2021 | The Music School Bangalore, Bangalore
The Music School Bangalore (TMSB) announced a significant milestone in October 2021
- becoming an authorised delivery partner for the Australian Institute of Music's (AIM)
Undergraduate Certification in Music Production and Composition.
A seven month program representing the first two study periods of AIM's full Bachelor's degree in Australia, the certification launched its first batch in January 2022 and went on to be delivered across multiple batches over the course of the year.
For the first time, Indian music students could begin their AIM Bachelor's degree
journey right here in Bangalore; and transition directly into AIM's campus in Australia
upon completion. It was a moment that quietly changed what was possible for Indian musicians.
What the AIM Undergraduate Certification Represented
The AIM Undergraduate Certification in Music Production and Composition was not a standalone qualification. It was the opening chapter of AIM's full Bachelor's degree
program- structured across AIM's own study periods and designed to the same
academic standards as the program delivered on AIM's campus in Australia.
Students who enrolled at TMSB and completed the seven month certification covered the first two study periods of AIM's Bachelor's curriculum gaining a genuine,
substantive foundation in university level music production and composition, taught in Bangalore but fully recognised by one of Australia's most prestigious contemporary music institutions.Upon successful completion, those students were eligible to continue directly into AIM's Bachelor's degree program in Australia- stepping into their international education already ahead, with the first two study periods of their degree already behind them.
The financial and practical implications were significant. Students arrived in Australia not as nervous first year students starting from scratch, but as confident, prepared musicians who had already proven themselves at AIM's own academic standard.
Multiple Batches: A Program That Scaled
From the moment the first batch launched in January 2022, the AIM Undergraduate
Certification at TMSB demonstrated a level of demand that reflected how significant this opportunity was for Indian music students.
Rather than a single annual intake, TMSB delivered the program across multiple
batches throughout the year- ensuring that students were not restricted to a single
entry point and could begin their AIM journey at a time that suited their individual
circumstances. This flexibility was a deliberate and important feature of the program. It reflected both institutions' shared commitment to making world-class music education as accessible as possible to Indian students- removing barriers not just of cost and geography, but of timing as well.
The People Who Made It Happen
Partnerships of this significance are built on relationships; and the TMSB- AIM
Undergraduate Certification would not have been possible without the dedication of key individuals on both sides.
Julian Gough, Academic Director of the Australian Institute of Music, played
a central role in shaping the academic framework of the program. His commitment to ensuring the highest standards of curriculum delivery went beyond institutional oversight- Julian held weekly meetings with TMSB's faculty throughout the program, providing direct academic guidance, reviewing progress, and ensuring that every student at TMSB received an education fully aligned with AIM's own exacting standards.
His hands on involvement was instrumental in making this partnership a genuine
academic collaboration rather than simply a formal arrangement. Belinda, Head of International at AIM, was pivotal in structuring the international framework of the partnership- navigating the administrative, regulatory, and logistical dimensions of delivering an Australian undergraduate program in India, and ensuring that TMSB students' academic journey transitioned seamlessly from Bangalore to Australia.
Atul Sondhi, AIM's representative in India, served as the vital bridge between the
two institutions; facilitating communication, building trust, and ensuring that the
partnership's goals were understood and executed effectively on the ground in India. His knowledge of both the Indian education landscape and AIM's institutional
expectations made him an indispensable part of this collaboration.
Together, these three individuals, alongside TMSB's own faculty and leadership;
built something that had never existed before in Indian music education.
A Partnership Built on Shared Standards
AIM's agreement to authorise TMSB as a delivery partner for its own undergraduate
curriculum reflected a deep confidence in TMSB's facilities, faculty, and academic
standards. For AIM to allow its Bachelor's degree program to be taught in India under TMSB's roof- required the assurance that students would receive an education indistinguishable in quality from what they would receive on AIM's own campus.
That confidence was built on years of relationship between the two institutions and on TMSB's standing as the only RSL VQ Delivery and Assessment Centre in India- a
status that demonstrated TMSB's commitment to meeting the highest international
academic standards.
The Evolution to a 2+1 Pathway
The AIM Undergraduate Certification program proved transformative for TMSB's
students from the outset. Within a year of its launch, the partnership between TMSB
and AIM evolved into something even more comprehensive.
TMSB and AIM formalised a 2+1 pathway- enabling students to complete a more
substantial portion of their Bachelor's degree equivalent at TMSB in Bangalore before continuing their studies at AIM in Australia.
This pathway built directly on the foundation of the 2021 announcement and the
multiple batches delivered through 2022- became one of the most powerful and practical international degree pathways available to Indian music students anywhere in the country.
What This Meant for Indian Music Students
Before October 2021, the path from Bangalore to an AIM Bachelor's degree required a student to relocate to Australia from day one- navigating the full financial and
personal cost of an international undergraduate education from the very beginning.
After October 2021, that journey could begin in Bangalore.
It was a change that made AIM's world-class music education genuinely accessible to Indian students in a way it had never been before — financially, practically, and academically.
A Statement from the Founder
Milton Lance, Founder and Director of The Music School Bangalore, reflected on what the launch of the AIM Undergraduate Certification meant:
"This was a genuinely historic moment for us. Delivering AIM's own undergraduate
curriculum at TMSB to AIM's own standards, meant that our students could begin a world class Australian music degree without leaving India. The dedication of Julian,
Belinda, and Atul in making this happen cannot be overstated. This partnership was built on trust, shared values, and a genuine commitment to doing right by students; and that is what made it work."
A Foundation That Continues to Grow
The October 2021 announcement was one chapter in a partnership between TMSB and AIM that now spans over a decade. Today that partnership encompasses a full suite of credit transfer pathways, enabling TMSB students at multiple qualification levels to continue their studies at AIM in Australia across programs in Music Production, Composition, Audio Engineering, and Performance.What began with an announcement in October 2021 and a first batch in January 2022 has grown into one of the most comprehensive and meaningful international music education pathways available to students in India.
For more information about TMSB's internationally accredited programs and
international degree pathways, visit www.themusicschoolbangalore.com or call
+91 7848828829
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