Policies and Expectations

Summer Programs Waiver.pdf

For your records, please save or print a copy of the document above, which should have been electronically signed by participants or their guardians during the registration process.

Berklee Summer Programs Immunization Form.pdf

We want to be clear about our expectations regarding acceptable behavior. We do our very best to protect our campus, and our community includes young people and children below the age of 16. As a Berklee Summer Programs participant, you may be away from home and/or experiencing an urban campus for the first time. Like many college campuses, we do not offer constant adult supervision, but we treat each other with respect and have a lot of fun.

However, if we hear or see something that is contrary to the standards below, we have a duty to investigate the matter. Even if you think it is unnecessary, we must do so in order to protect you and our campus community. Here is some useful information for you and your family that should set the expectations as to what you can expect at Berklee and what Berklee expects of you.

These behavioral standards are designed and enforced to ensure the safety and well-being of the Summer Programs participants and those living within the residence halls at Berklee. Failure to abide by these standards will be investigated swiftly and may lead to immediate removal from Berklee housing and/or the program without reimbursement of fees.

1. Berklee expects Summer Programs participants to act in a respectful, considerate, and responsible manner at all times.

2. Any illegal behavior, including, but not limited to, possession and/or use of drugs and/or alcohol or paraphernalia; possession of weapons, firearms, or explosives; and physical violence and/or assault is in violation of these standards.

3. Any verbal or physical conduct that is demeaning or threatening is in violation of these standards.

4. All Berklee Summer Programs participants are expected to abide by the rules outlined in the Student Code of Community Standards.

5. Sexual activity is prohibited within the residence hall and/or while participating in the program. 

6. Any activity that is a violation of Massachusetts General Law c. 265, s. 23 (commonly known as the statutory rape law) regarding statutory rape and abuse of a child is unlawful and in violation of the standards. Also, please understand that, by law, we may be required to report this behavior to state authorities, and such behavior may also be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program without reimbursement of tuition and fees. Please note that in Massachusetts this law defines a child as someone under the age of 16.

7. Students residing on campus will be subject to a curfew between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. At 10:30 p.m. each night all residents must be in their room and must remain there until they have been checked in by a Residential Life staff member. After having been checked in the resident is free to leave their room, but they may not leave the residential floors of their building. After curfew, residents may not go below the third floor in the 150 Massachusetts Avenue building or the fifth floor in 160 Massachusetts Avenue.

8. Students in the Five-Week Summer Performance Program residing on campus will be granted no more than two requests to miss curfew or be away from Berklee overnight. Once the request is submitted via the online form, a Residential Life staff member will call the student’s emergency contact and verify that the student has permission to be away from Berklee for the stated period of time and stated purpose. The request is not approved until the student receives confirmation from a Residential Life staff member via phone or email. 

9. Non-resident guests are not allowed in the building at any time.

10. The only individuals allowed in a residence hall room are the individuals assigned to that specific room. Residents are not allowed to be present at any time in any room other than the room to which they are assigned. Summer programs participants can use lobbies and lounges for socializing. Summer programs participants are prohibited from sleeping overnight in a room that is not assigned to them.

Berklee administrators reserve the right to remove any participant from a summer program if he or she has engaged in any unlawful behavior or any behavior in violation of the Student Code of Community Standards. Summer program participants of all ages are prohibited from consuming or selling alcohol in any area of the college. The unlawful use, possession, or sale of drugs or alcohol on college property, or as part of college activities, is strictly prohibited. It is also a violation to be in the presence of, or under the influence of, alcohol and/or drugs on campus. The odor of marijuana or any other prohibited substance may suffice to constitute a violation of this policy. There is a zero-tolerance policy in place for alcohol and drug policy violations, and such violations will result in removal from housing and dismissal from the program.

If a summer program participant is alleged to have violated a standard of conduct, they will have a meeting to discuss the behavior and an outcome will be determined. The outcome is final and there is no appeal process for violations of conduct. If the violation results in dismissal from the program, the participant will have 24 hours to vacate their residential building. It is the responsibility of parents and families to make travel and housing arrangements for their student if they are dismissed from the program. Additionally, if a student is deemed to be a threat to the safety of the community, they may be immediately suspended and removed from campus housing. If this is the case, the parent/guardian will be contacted and it is their responsibility to ensure the student is immediately removed from campus pending further investigation into the alleged incident. Please note that domestic and international students are bound by these policies.

Berklee takes pride in treating summer program attendees as real college students in order to give them a true Berklee experience. We strive to give them as much independence as possible, so students will be walking to class through Berklee's urban campus unattended, and on the weekends and in the evenings they will have some spare time. It is important to be sure that students are responsible enough to handle this independence when making the decision as to whether to attend one of our programs.

Summer programs students are always expected to abide by Berklee's community standards. Berklee has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol on campus. Every resident must check in with the Residence Life staff by the 10:30 p.m. curfew every night.

Both full-time professional staff (resident directors) and student staff (resident assistants) live in the residence halls. They help students with questions and concerns of all sorts; organize and support residence hall activities; monitor safety, security, and maintenance; and generally work with residents to maintain living communities that are safe, educational, and enjoyable.

Berklee is located in one of the best and liveliest areas in the city. However, as in any urban setting, it is necessary to exercise caution and common sense. We stress neighborhood and residence hall safety and security with summer programs students. Berklee's Public Safety Department is responsible for campus safety, security, law enforcement, and emergency response on campus. It is the department's mission to provide a comprehensive program of services to help ensure the campus remains a safe environment in which to live, study, and work. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To read more about Public Safety, please visit berklee.edu/public-safety.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. S 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99, is a federal law that protects the privacy of education records of students who are 18 years old and older.

Berklee staff, including academic advisors in the Counseling and Advising Center, must comply with this federal law. They cannot provide parents or family members with information about students concerning grades, academic standing, attendance, or other qualifying non-directory information without the written consent of the student.

Directory information that can be shared includes name, enrollment status, graduation status, semester level, program, major, principal instrument, dates of attendance, college mailbox number, residence hall telephone number, college email address, and hometown.

As described by the U.S. Department of Education:

The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students"... Schools must have written permission from the...eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record.

The City of Boston has an ordinance that bans the playing of instruments on city sidewalks. The city also requires a permit for large gatherings including parades. Blocking access to city sidewalks is prohibited. There are also curfews on noise and disturbances during evening and morning hours. Students are not permitted to busk on the street unless they have obtained a permit from the City of Boston.

You can review the Noise Municipal Code for the City of Boston before you arrive. Berklee is committed to respecting our neighbors in the Back Bay, and we expect our students to adhere to Berklee and municipal policies.

Students Withdrawing from Summer Programs

Any student withdrawing from a summer program must complete an exit interview with the program director. Students under the age of 18 who wish to withdraw from the program must obtain written permission from their parents or legal guardians.

Standard Withdrawal

1. Students withdrawing during the first two weeks of the Five-Week Summer Performance Program and Twelve-Week Full-Credit Summer Program are eligible for a tuition (and housing charges, if applicable) credit according to the following schedule:

• Withdrawal during the first week of class: 66 percent credit
• Withdrawal during the second week of class: 33 percent credit
• Withdrawal after the second week of class: No credit

2. Students withdrawing during the first two days of the Songwriting Workshop; Musical Theater Intensive; Guitar Sessions; Vocal Summit; Global String Program; Berklee/Boston Conservatory Brass Program; Piano/Keyboard Workshop; Creative Entrepeneurship Summer Program, or any week of Berklee Day Sessions are eligible for a tuition (and housing charges, if applicable) credit according to the following schedule:

• Withdrawal during the first day of class: 66 percent credit
• Withdrawal during the second day of class: 33 percent credit
• Withdrawal after the second day of class: No credit

3. Students withdrawing from Groove School: Bass, Drums, and Percussion; Music Production Workshop; The Business of Music; Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Weekend; or Stage Performance Workshop are eligible for a tuition (and housing charges, if applicable) credit according to the following schedule:

• Withdrawal during the first day of class: 50 percent credit
• Withdrawal after the first day of class: No credit

4. Student withdrawing from Composition Intensive, Dance Intensive, Musical Theater Dance Intensive, and Vocal/Choral Intensive are elibile for a tuition refund as follows:

• All application fees and deposits are nonrefundable. If circumstances prevent a registered student from attending, a refund for prepaid costs (minus any application fees and deposits) will be issued only if a written request is submitted before the commencement of the program.

Medical Withdrawal

Students forced to withdraw for medical reasons may be eligible to receive a prorated adjustment of tuition for the program in which they are registered. If applicable, the housing fee may also be prorated. A medical withdrawal can be considered only if accompanied by written verification from a doctor that the student couldn't complete the program due to the disability.

Withdrawal of Scholarship Recipient

In the event of withdrawal, recipients of a Berklee scholarship may apply up to 100 percent of their scholarship toward outstanding tuition charges only. Scholarships may not be applied toward any outstanding housing charges or other charges resulting from a withdrawal. Berklee scholarship awards are not issued as a cash reimbursement under any circumstances. If the scholarship award exceeds outstanding tuition charges as the result of a withdrawal, the scholarship credit will be adjusted to reflect the amount of tuition charges.

Family and friends are welcome to enjoy a student's public and final performances. Students may also have the weekends and some evenings free so visitors are also welcome during these times. Please keep in mind that visitors are not allowed inside the residence halls beyond the security checkpoint.

Students are permitted but not required to bring along their laptops, computers, tablets, etc. Many students like to bring their phones and computers in order to work on homework and keep in touch with friends and family at home. Wireless internet and electrical outlet plugs are provided throughout the campus. Please keep in mind that it is the student's responsibility to keep their items safe, and Berklee is not responsible for these items.

Students are permitted to contact their friends and family during the course of the program. However, many students find they are so busy that they don't always have time to check in.

Property Insurance

Berklee insures only its own property against loss. It does not insure against nor reimburse against the loss, from any cause, of student property. It is strongly suggested that students who possess property of value insure against loss through their own insurance company.

As a student, you are responsible for insuring your own instruments. One way to insure an instrument is to attach a floater to a parental homeowner's or renter's insurance policy.

International students are likely to experience some difficulty in establishing a policy in the United States and are encouraged to secure instrument coverage in their home country.

Health Insurance

Though students are not required to obtain health insurance in order to attend the program, it is strongly suggested that they obtain insurance that will cover the cost of health concerns during the length of the their stay in Boston. Students should be sure that their health insurance policy covers them while they are attending the program, especially if they are coming to the program from a state other than Massachusetts and particularly if they are coming to the program from a country other than the U.S.

Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk offers short-term plans specifically for international students studying in the U.S. Information about purchasing the plan can be found here or by calling 800-933-4723 for more information. 

What is the payment deadline?

We encourage all participants to pay in full as soon as possible since many of the programs have limited capacity and fill up quickly.

How do I secure my attendance for a program?

1. When you pay the program registration fee, you will begin to receive relevant program information so that you can prepare for your summer at Berklee.
2. After you have paid in full for your program, you have secured your place and should start to book your travel arrangements. You will also be eligible to receive your room assignment once it has been determined.

Some programs reach capacity before the payment deadline. Should this occur, priority is given to those who pay in full. If you have registered for a program but have not paid in full, you will be placed on a wait list and contacted by the Summer Programs team if a space becomes available.

Does attendance at Berklee Summer Programs improve a student's chances of being accepted to Berklee or their choice of college?

There are no formal arrangements between Berklee and other educational institutions to provide preferential admission to students who have attended Berklee Summer Programs. However, there are many opportunities for students to interact with Berklee faculty, staff, and admissions representatives, and, in select programs, students will have the opportunity to audition and interview for scholarship consideration for full-time enrollment as well as for a future Five-Week Summer Performance Program. Berklee awards more than $44 million annually in institutional scholarships and grants to entering and continuing students, including more than $7 million in scholarships annually to Five-Week students auditioning for full-time enrollment.

Are students required to wear uniforms or particular clothes?

There are no dress requirements. However, students are typically instructed to wear stage black clothes for final performances.

Can I rent an instrument for my summer program?

Many students who travel far distances prefer to rent an instrument for their time at Berklee. Guitar Center, located at 159 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, is familiar with all recommended and required items that students may need for classes. Contact the rental department to reserve instruments upon your arrival in Boston. For additional information, contact gcrentals599@guitarcenter.com or 617-450-4311.