Returning Student Information
How to Return to Berklee College of Music
If you have completed at least one semester of undergraduate study at Berklee College of Music and then have been away from the school for at least one fall or spring semester, you are considered a returning student. Returning to the college is easy; you do not need to reapply for admission, and you may return at any time.
To begin the process, you need to simply fill out and submit a Returning Student Intent Form. We recommend you do this at least one month before registration begins for the semester you wish to return. Registration for the summer (May) and fall (September) semesters begins in late March/early April, and registration for the spring (January) semester begins in early November.
If you have any questions regarding re-entrance, contact registrar@berklee.edu.
Students requesting to return to the college after a medical withdrawal should visit Readmittance to the College after a Medical Leave of Absence for key dates and further information.
Information for Returning Students
If you are not enrolled at Berklee College of Music for the spring 2020 semester but are planning to return for the summer or fall 2020 semester, you are considered a returning student. Registration for returning students begins Tuesday, April 14 at 10:00 a.m. EDT and is online at MyBerklee (my.berklee.edu). You will not have an assigned online registration time. The registration period ends Wednesday, April 29.
To register, log in to my.berklee.edu and select "Search and Register." Make changes to your schedule at "View/Change Schedule." Registration services are available except for the hours between midnight and 6:00 a.m. EDT.
You must use your Berklee OnePass to log in to my.berklee.edu. If you do not currently have a Berklee OnePass account, you must fill out the Returning Student Intent Form, and your account will be reactivated one–two weeks prior to the beginning of registration. If you fill out the form after the registration period has started, your Berklee OnePass credentials will be reactivated one–two weeks later. If you have never logged in to my.berklee.edu, contact registrar@berklee.edu.
The online Registration Guide for Summer/Fall 2020 provides valuable information and tools to help you determine the courses you need to create your schedule, register online, and perform other registration-related activities. Academic Advising or your academic department can provide additional help in choosing your classes. Once registration has started, you will be able to view closed courses.
The catalog year policy states that students who leave and return to Berklee College of Music after four or more years will automatically be assigned to the catalog of the most recent fall semester. Students may not change their catalog year assignment to an earlier catalog. However, students are encouraged to meet with the chair of their major to discuss the applicability of past course work to their existing catalog assignment.
Immunizations must be up-to-date before you can register for classes or check-in. Any outstanding immunization requirements you may have will be listed on the Registration and Check-in Profile screen on my.berklee.edu. For information on resolving them, refer here.
Online check-in is May 19 through May 22 at 11:59 p.m. for the summer 2020 semester, and August 29 through September 5 at 11:59 p.m. EST for the fall 2020 semester. To enroll for the semester, all students, including returning students, must log in to my.berklee.edu and select the "Semester Check-in" link in the Check-in section. Before you can complete the check-in process, all check-in restrictions must be cleared.
Please note: Students who fail to complete the check-in process by the posted deadline will be considered by the college as not attending the semester and will have their schedule canceled. If there is a restriction on your account and special circumstances prevent you from checking in, you must inform the office which administers the restriction in advance and you may be allowed to check in after the deadline. You will be charged a $250 late fee, and your schedule will be rebuilt based on course availability. .
Beginning one month before the start of the semester and before arriving on campus, you should check your restrictions by logging in to my.berklee.edu and clicking on the "Semester Check-in" link in the Check-in section. Your individual restrictions will be listed, as well as steps for resolving them.
If you are a returning international student, you must also verify your immigration information. Please see International Student Check-in Requirements for more information.
After all check-in requirements have been cleared, check in at my.berklee.edu by clicking the “Check-in” button at the bottom of the “Semester Check-in” screen. You will see a green “SUCCESS!” message once you are successfully checked in. You can then view your schedule (with room numbers), and add and drop courses.
For scholarship and financial aid information, call 617-747-2274 or email financialaid@berklee.edu.
There is limited on-campus housing available for returning students for the summer and fall 2020 semesters. For information about off-campus housing, please call 617-747-2292, or refer to the Housing web page.
Summer 2020 Returning Students
Summer 2020 courses will be delivered online/remotely.
- Students who would like to return after a leave of absence and whose SEVIS record has been terminated: F-1 regulations do not permit students to enter the U.S. in F-1 status for full-time remote study. Therefore, we cannot issue an I-20 to you for summer enrollment. However, you may enroll in remote instruction from outside the U.S. To do so, complete the Returning Student Intent Form and wait for an email with further instructions. Please note: Berklee intends to offer the fall 2020 semester on campus, at which time students would be eligible for a new I-20.
- Students who would like to transfer to Berklee from another U.S. school: Follow the instructions for fall 2020 returning students below to request a transfer-in I-20.
Fall 2020 Returning Students
You must enter the U.S. in F-1 student status in order to resume your studies at Berklee. You will need a valid I-20, a valid F-1 visa*, and a valid passport.
How to Determine If You Need a New I-20
You will need a new I-20 if:
- you did not enroll at Berklee in the semester immediately prior to the semester you plan to return, and you did not have ISS authorization on your I-20 for medical leave or a vacation semester.
- your I-20 (SEVIS record) was transferred to another school in the U.S.; or
- your I-20 (SEVIS record) was terminated; or
-
you were outside the U.S. and enrolled as a returning student in summer 2020.
Get Ready to Return to Berklee for Fall 2020
- Inform the Registrar’s Office, and register for classes.
First, complete the Returning Student Intent Form. The Registrar’s Office will send you an email with instructions for registering for classes. -
Request a new I-20 from ISS (if needed).
After you're registered for classes, download and complete the I-20 request packet. Click here to download the I-20 request packet.Next, email your complete I-20 request packet and supporting documents to iss@berklee.edu. It will take no more than two weeks for ISS to issue your new I-20, and ISS will email you when your I-20 is ready to be shipped/picked up.
Important: Please submit your documentation to ISS as early as possible to ensure that your I-20 arrives in time to apply for a student visa (if needed) and enter the U.S. before the published check-in deadline.
Finally, submit a prepaid shipping label to have the new I-20 shipped to you. ISS will notify you when your I-20 is shipped.
- Pay the I-901 fee (SEVIS fee).
Your new I-20 will include a cover sheet with instructions for paying the SEVIS fee (a student must pay the SEVIS fee any time they are issued a new SEVIS record/SEVIS ID number). You must pay the fee before you enter the U.S., and don’t forget to print your payment receipt for your records. -
Apply for a new F-1 visa (if needed).*
You need to apply for a new F-1 visa if you will enter the U.S. after the expiration date shown on the F-1 visa in your passport. Detailed information about the F-1 visa application process is on the Travel, I-20 Signature, and F-1 Visa page (login required).*Canadian and Bermudian passport holders do not need a valid F-1 visa in their passport. They may enter the U.S. by showing a valid I-20, valid passport, and proof of I-901 fee payment.
Arrival and Check-in
You may not enter the U.S. before the "Earliest Admission Date" listed on page 1 of your I-20. You must physically check in on campus by Berklee's published check-in deadline.
Before you can check in online, you must submit proof to ISS that you entered the U.S. in F-1 status. Follow the instructions on the Entering and Returning International Student Check-in Requirements page.
Questions?
For questions about F-1 status or the I-20 request process: contact International Student Services at iss@berklee.edu, or call +1 617-747-6600 (read new information about office hours while ISS is operating remotely).
For all other questions: contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@berklee.edu.