Honorary Awards
The RSCM annually confers various diplomas and awards. Some are honorary; others are awarded as a result of academic study or other training. Details of criteria, nominations and presentation of the honorary awards can be found on this page.
Awards Criteria
The RSCM Council has agreed the following broad criteria as a normative guide when making nominations for awards. Council will continue to exercise its discretion in making awards.
Awards and Criteria
FRSCM – Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of internationally recognised significance, or for exceptional musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM which has had an impact at a national level.
ARSCM – Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of nationally recognised significance, or for important musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM which has had an impact regionally.
HonRSCM – Honorary Member of the Royal School of Church Music
is an award for exceptional or very significant work within the RSCM which is not primarily musical or liturgical that has contributed to the cause of church music and/or liturgy at international or national levels.
Nicholson Award (formerly Certificate of Special Service)
is an award for significant administrative work as a volunteer or member of staff within the RSCM; or an award for a significant contribution to church music and/or liturgy at a local level.
Young Church Musician Award
RSCM Young Church Musician Award
The new RSCM Young Church Musician Award seeks to recognise young church musicians (aged 18-30 inclusive, as of 30th June 2026) who are making a significant contribution to the flourishing of church music in their context.
It is an Award for those establishing their own role and voice within the church music sector and for whom being an advocate for the role of music within worship is a visible and ongoing feature of their life, whether on a paid or voluntary basis.
Criteria
Nominators will need to show that candidates:
Have gone above and beyond their job description/expected role.
Have made a significant, tangible difference to church music in their local context, using their own initiative.
Nominees do not have to be engaging with church music as their main occupation.
Like existing RSCM Honorary Awards, the Young Contributor Award is open to both UK-based and overseas nominations. It would normally be awarded at RSCM Celebration Day, or if appropriate at a national or branch festival or study school overseas.
Recipients will be given an RSCM Shop voucher, to be redeemed against RSCM Press publications (or other RSCM imprints).
Recipients will be invited, as part of their Award, to act as an ambassador for the RSCM for at least the year following their Award.
The ambassadorial role will look different for each recipient depending on their context, skills, preferences, availability and location, but might include:
sharing their story at events and receptions
joining panel discussions at conferences and festivals
acting as a consult (especially on matters of concern to young church musicians)
being interviewed for/contributing to CMQ and other publications
Unlike the other RSCM Honorary Awards, which often celebrate those at the pinnacle of their career, or a contribution made over a long and sustained period, this Award is intended to celebrate those nearer the beginning of their relationship with church music and we hope to keep in touch with recipients as their careers develop, through and beyond the end of the ambassador phase.
For the inaugural 2026 cycle, the closing date for applications is 30th June. Details and application link are available on the RSCM website: Honorary Awards | RSCM
All nominations should be confidential; and applications are subject to the normal Honorary Awards processes. The outcome decision of the Awards Scrutiny Panel is final.
Loyal Service Award
is an award for a significant contribution to church music and/or liturgy through either musical or administrative work within an affiliated member church.
Available to present at local level, the certificates and medals associated with this award, awarded at the discretion of an individual church, can be purchased from the RSCM Webshop.
Nominations
We welcome nominations for Awards in any of the above categories, using the form available by the link below.
Nominations will be considered by a scrutiny group for presentation to RSCM Council for approval. There is no certainty that the RSCM will be able to act on every nomination, and all nominations should therefore be treated with total confidentiality.
Nominations may be directly submitted by:
Members of RSCM Council | Senior RSCM Staff | Diocesan Representatives | President or Secretary of an RSCM National Governing Body | Chair or Secretary of an RSCM Overseas Branch
Nomination by any other person should be submitted by completing the form linked below and seconded by one of the above. If you do not have a seconder, a designated senior RSCM Staff member will review the nomination and second as appropriate.
Nominations must be received by 1 December each year (30 June for Young Church Musician Award).
Presentation of Awards
FRSCM, ARSCM, HonRSCM and Nicholson Awards will normally be awarded at a national RSCM celebration in the UK.
Awards relating to members of RSCM America, RSCM Australia, RSCM Canada, RSCM New Zealand and RSCM South Africa may be presented at a significant local body event in their own country, such as a national or branch festival or summer school if the recipient is unable to travel to the UK to receive the Award.