School of Music Undergraduate Admissions

Once you’ve submitted your application through the Common App, your next step is to prepare for your audition!

Early Decision:

• Early Decision 1 applicants: schedule your audition by November 2, 2026 (through our Online Portal, Acceptd) to audition during the month of November. Prescreening is not required for Early Decision 1 applicants.
• Early Decision 2 applicants: schedule your audition no later than January 8, 2027 to attend your audition later that month. Prescreening may be required, so be sure to take a look at our Prescreening Information page. Please check your instrument’s audition requirements as well for more information. For instruments which do not require prescreening, you will still open an Acceptd portal so that we can schedule your audition.

Regular Decision:

We highly encourage all of our applicants to audition or interview in Boston if possible, however, most applicants may submit a single-round final video audition by January 9 through Acceptd in lieu of a live audition.

Prescreening may be required, so be sure to take a look at our Prescreening Information page. Please check your instrument’s audition requirements as well for more information. For instruments which do not require prescreening, you will still open an Acceptd portal so that we can schedule your audition.

Like the Performance major, all Music Education undergraduate applicants must also perform an audition according to the repertoire requirements for the appropriate instrument. Visit our Prescreening Information page and Audition Repertoire & Portfolio Requirements page for more information.

• Early Decision 1 applicants: schedule your audition by November 2, 2026 (through our Online Portal, Acceptd) to audition during the month of November
• Early Decision 2 applicants: schedule your audition no later than January 8, 2027 to attend your audition later that month

In addition, Music Education applicants are required to meet with Music Education faculty for an interview on the day of their audition.

DID YOU KNOW? BU School of Music also offers a five-year combined Bachelor of Music in Performance/Master of Music in Music Education. The combined 4+1 program offers students the opportunity to complete both a Bachelor of Music in Performance and a Master of Music in Music Education in only five years, allowing students to pursue both their interests. Upon completing the program, students are eligible to apply for licensure to teach music in schools from the Massachusetts Department of Education. For more information about this program, contact the Chair of Music Education, Associate Professor Dr. Diana Dansereau.

Composition applicants are accepted based on the strength of their composition portfolio and academic record. The optional applied audition does not factor into the admission decision.

The Required Composition Portfolio

Composition applicants will upload three composition scores through our Online Portal, Acceptd. Scores submitted should be in good manuscript form and should demonstrate knowledge of contemporary classical music and technical skills.

Scores are due by:

• November 2, 2026 for undergraduate Early Decision and Spring Transfer applicants
• January 8, 2027 for undergraduate Regular Decision applicants
• March 1, 2027 for fall Transfer applicants

Composition Tracks

All composition undergraduates will be placed into one of four tracks, which will enrich their composition studies:

• Standard Piano Track: This is the most common track and is open to composers of all applied backgrounds, as well as composers who do not declare an applied instrument. Development of keyboard skills will be met through weekly lessons with an experienced Doctoral Teaching Assistant assigned by the Keyboard Department.
• Applied Piano Track: This track is for composition majors who play classical piano at a skilled level. Audition repertoire, performed from memory, must include: one Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach; one movement of a Classical era sonata, and one short piece from the Romantic, 20^th century, or contemporary era. Successfully-auditioning composers will be placed in the studio of a piano faculty member. Students wishing to audition will indicate so on their Acceptd portal, and will be invited to schedule their audition accordingly. Students who do not pass the audition (or who do not wish to audition) will be placed into the Standard Piano Track (see above).
• Instrumental Track: This track is for composition students whose primary instrument is other than piano or voice (e.g., saxophone, viola, etc.) Students wishing to audition will indicate so on their Acceptd portal, and will be invited to schedule their audition accordingly. Students who do not pass the instrumental audition (or who do not wish to audition) will be placed into the Standard Piano Track (see above).
• Vocal Track: This track is for composition students whose primary instrument is classical voice. Students wishing to audition will indicate so on their Acceptd portal, and will be invited to submit prescreening recordings in advance of scheduling an audition. Students who do not pass the voice prescreening/audition (or who do not wish to audition) will be placed into the Standard Piano Track (see above).

This program is designed for students who desire a broad liberal arts education while exploring the realm of music without a strict focus on performance, composition and theory, or music education. Therefore, no audition is required for BA Music applicants. Students interested in applying must submit their application through the Common App.