A Brief Guide to Application and Admission 

Please note: Although these pages are translated as a service to prospective students and their families, instruction is in English, and a solid English foundation is required of all Berklee students.


Introduction

Our board of admissions thoroughly reviews each application, considering every aspect of an applicant's strengths. We look for candidates who reflect the rich diversity of our curriculum, with high musical aptitude as players or writers, or in business, production, music therapy, or music education. We seek students who show high potential; who are creative, collaborative, and open to new ideas; who are problem solvers and entrepreneurs; who have something extra that sets them apart.

While an academic assessment is an important consideration in our evaluation of your application, Berklee does not specify a minimum GPA or test score, nor does it have any specific high school class requirements. We recommend a minimum of two years of private instruction; however, we evaluate many applicants with various types of musical backgrounds and do not have a private instruction requirement. Our unique audition and interview process helps you show your strengths while helping us assess your aptitude and ability to succeed in Berklee's highly charged and dynamic environment.


Application Information

Our new approach to admissions allows us to get to know our applicants better than ever, both as musicians and as people. While the audition and interview will give you opportunities to demonstrate your musical talents and personal strengths, the first step in the process—your application—is critical. Get the process off to a good start by following the instructions below carefully and completely.

Apply for Admission

  • Apply to Berklee using our online application

  • Apply by mail by downloading a printable application. To view and print the application, you will need to download and install Adobe's Acrobat Reader software, available free-of-charge from the Adobe website. Acrobat will allow you to print the admissions application so you can complete it and mail it to Berklee. To make sure you've completed everything you need to, see the application checklist included with the application.

Request Information

Deadlines

Berklee uses a fixed application deadline, which requires that the completed application for admission (along with all required supporting documents) is postmarked on or before the date specified. Applications received after the specified deadline will be considered at the discretion of the board of admissions.

    Fall (September) Semester

    Early Action Deadline: November 1
    Auditions take place August through December
    Admission Decisions Issued: January 31

    Regular Action Deadline: January 15
    Auditions take place August through March
    Admission Decisions Issued: March 31

    Spring (January) Semester

    Application Deadline: July 1
    Auditions take place March through July
    Admissions Decisions Issued: September 15

    Summer (May) Semester

    Application Deadline: December 1
    Auditions take place August through January
    Admissions Decisions Issued: March 1

IMPORTANT: All correspondence related to your application will be sent to the email address that you provide on your application. Please inform the Office of Admissions immediately should your email address change.


Admissions Requirements

Our board of admissions thoroughly reviews each application, considering every aspect of an applicant's strengths. We look for candidates who reflect the rich diversity of our curriculum, with high musical aptitude as players or writers, or in business, production, music therapy or music education. We seek students who show high potential; who are creative, collaborative, and open to new ideas; who are problem solvers and entrepreneurs; who have something extra that sets them apart.

An integral part of selecting our entering class is our unique audition and interview process, designed to help you show your strengths while helping us assess your aptitude and ability to succeed in Berklee's highly charged and dynamic environment.

Application Process

The application to Berklee consists of three parts.

 

1. The application form:

  • Complete the application itself.
  • Sign up for your audition and interview.
  • Complete and submit your essay and music-training background.
  • Submit your $150 application fee.

2. The audition and interview:

  • Participate in a 15-minute audition including a prepared piece of your choice, some sight-reading, and some call and response. You may also jam with the faculty auditioners.
  • Participate in a 15-minute discussion of your goals and aspirations and why you have chosen Berklee as a possible path in the pursuit of your music career. You are invited to bring samples of your creative work to share with the interviewer.

Auditions are required. All applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the Berklee campus to complete their audition and interview, tour our facilities, and meet with Berklee faculty, students, and staff. A complete listing of audition dates and locations throughout the world is available here (dates are subject to change).

You should come to your audition and interview prepared to show us what you've got. How will you contribute? What will you bring to the Berklee community?

3. The supporting materials:

  • Your academic transcripts, including your most recent high school transcript or GED, and a college transcript if you have already completed a minimum of 24 college credits at another institution. International applicants must provide official English translations of their transcripts.

    Berklee does not require SAT or ACT scores. While you may choose to include your test scores if they are an area of strength, our audition and interview process provides us with a wealth of information to assess each applicant's musical aptitude and ability to succeed at Berklee.

  • Applicants are asked to provide a contact name, address, phone, and email information for an instrumental or vocal instructor.

  • Applicants for whom English is not their primary language should submit a TOEFL score or provide a contact name, address, phone, and email information for an English language instructor.

We look forward to meeting you and hearing what you will personally bring to our community. There is always a place at Berklee for a distinctive musical voice—the world needs more of them.


Auditions

Review the following options and choose the one that best suits your plan. Audition spaces are limited. First preference will be given to those musicians who have applied for admission for the upcoming academic year. Nonapplicants will be auditioned based upon space availability.

    Option 1 – A prospective applicant for the upcoming academic year.
    You are required to complete a live audition and interview as part of your application. All applicants will be considered for scholarships through our audition and interview process. If you have already begun your application for admission to Berklee, you will be contacted regarding the date and location of your audition and interview. If you have not begun your application for admission, use this link to apply now: Apply to Berklee for admission for the upcoming academic year.

    Option 2 – An accepted applicant interested in a live scholarship audition.
    This option provides musicians already accepted to the college the opportunity to be considered for a live audition opportunity on the World Scholarship Tour (WST). Apply using the World Scholarship Tour application.

    Option 3 – A prospective student interested in auditions for possible scholarship.
    This option provides prospective students the opportunity to apply for a live audition for possible scholarship. If you are unable to take part in a live audition and still wish to be considered for partial-scholarship consideration, we advise you to contact our office at 617 747-8681 or via email at scholarships@berklee.edu. Apply using the World Scholarship Tour application.

Audition Sites

A sampling of our audition locations is provided below. We recommend that you visit the World Scholarships Tour Dates and Deadlines page for the most up to date listing of audition sites around the world.

    North America
    Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, San Juan, Seattle, St. Louis, and many more...

    Asia
    Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Russia

    Europe
    Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain

    Latin America
    Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico


Scholarships

Berklee awards $15 million in scholarships each year to students from all over the world who demonstrate the potential to succeed in today's music industry.

Berklee's Office of Scholarships and Student Employment provides extensive opportunities for both domestic and international students to apply for merit-based scholarships. Prospective students are invited to apply for an in-person scholarship audition. Those candidates unable to travel to a live audition site may choose to apply for scholarship through a recorded audition. Continuing students who have completed at least two semesters of full-time study at the college may apply for a scholarship by submitting an achievement portfolio.

Use the links below to find out more about Berklee's scholarship opportunities.


Summary

Berklee attracts the most creative young musicians in the world. They come here because they know that no other music college or institution offers such a rich diversity of people, music, and programs. It's a place for them to discover their true music calling, and to push themselves past their own expectations and into the forefront of every aspect of the global music industry.

With so many people here involved in music-related activities—all of it taking place in state-of-the-art facilities—the college will seem like a music industry of its own. Your fellow students will be performers, composers, producers, educators, music therapists, and people who work in the business of music. There are even two student-run record labels here. And our world-class faculty is composed of practicing artists and professionals who will endlessly inspire you. If you want to work in any part of the contemporary music industry, there's no better place to start than Berklee.