Australian Institute of Music

Who we are

Building on 50 years as an education provider, the Australian Institute of Music (AIM) is Australia’s largest tertiary music institution.

Internationally renowned as a leading independent education provider in the music, entertainment and performing arts industries. Founded by Dr Peter Calvo as the Sydney Guitar School in 1968, AIM now operates across two national campuses, offering the most diverse range of fully accredited music and creative arts programs to international and domestic students at campuses in both Melbourne and Sydney.

AIM is driven to provide industry-leading education that inspires and prepares passionate people, worldwide, to lead lives of purpose. We seek to empower our students by encouraging them to embrace their skills and push themselves further.

Our graduates are staking out sustainable and innovative careers, developing networks and reputations across a range of professions as they carve out their futures in the creative industries.

Our high-quality, fully accredited tertiary bachelor and postgraduate programs, as well as industry short courses, all balance practice, performance and theory – and are all taught by industry experts with volumes of practical industry experience.

Our mission, vision & values

Our Mission

To educate and empower creative practitioners to confidently embrace proactive professional careers in arts and entertainment performance, production and management.

Our Vision

To deliver excellence in practice-based learning, teaching and scholarship that stimulates cultural and creative innovation through artistic exploration and free intellectual enquiry.

Our Values

• Respect for passion.
• Nurturing individual talent and creative development.
• Encouraging artistic collaboration and entrepreneurship.
• Fostering innovative cross-disciplinary performance and production.
• Facilitation of professional employment in global creative industries.
• Foster cultural competence to engage appropriate and sensitively in a diverse context.

Our industry connections, your access to our network

AIM’s far-reaching network of industry relationships allows us to deliver unique learning experiences and opportunities to our students.

Our professional network is built on internship arrangements, alumni career progression, current staff connections and close working associations with leading organisations, companies, businesses and industry thought leaders.

As a result, our students enjoy direct opportunities to connect on-campus with guest speakers and industry panels, and participate in professional workshops, internships and even recording experiences.

Industry partners include

• Ambience Entertainment
• APRA AMCOS
• Architects of Entertainment
• ARIA
• Austereo
• The Bell Shakespeare Company
• Casula Powerhouse
• Channel 7
• Deloitte Private
• EMI
• Fountainhead Casting
• Future Entertainment
• Griffin Theatre Company
• Hub Artist Services
• Inertia
• IP Publicity
• Ivy League Records
• JK Entertainment
• Madison Entertainment
• Mushroom Group Promotions
• Musica Viva
• Oxford Art Factory
• The Performance Space
• Playwriting Australia
• Powerhouse Museum
• Purple Sneakers
• Reckoning Entertainment
• Roland
• Shopfront
• Sony ATV
• Sony Music
• Southern Cross University
• Speak & Spell
• Staple Management
• Sydney Opera House
• Sydney Theatre Company
• Universal Music
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Warner Music
• Australian LGBTI Awards
• New Zealand LGBTI Awards

Not-for-profit status means everything goes back to you!

As a not-for-profit educational institution, we invest all profits back into improving our students’ learning experience and as well as continually upgrading our campus facilities and equipment.

Our programs and courses are designed to be forward-thinking and be flexible enough to respond to shifting industry requirements and challenges because it’s not enough to just be prepared for today’s industry challenges - our students need to be prepared for the future.

As a registered Higher Education Provider (HEP), all AIM domestic undergraduate and postgraduate students may be eligible for FEE-HELP – the Australian Government’s Higher Education Loan Program.