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Apply for the Graduate Program

The ethnomusicology, musicology, and composition programs will accept applications for the 2024/25 academic year.

The Application for Graduate Admission and Fellowships will open on September 13, 2023. Please submit the application and all supporting materials by 8:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on December 11, 2023 in order to be considered for admission for Fall 2024. The application deadline is strictly observed and no submission or changes to application can be made after the deadline.

Please begin an application to view all of the requirements, including a Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statement, Transcripts, Test Scores, and 3 Letters of Recommendation. Composition applicants are asked to upload recordings and scores for 3-5 pieces. Musicology and Ethnomusicology applicants should submit 1-2 research papers as samples of their scholarship.

The Department of Music offers a combined M.A./Ph.D. program and a Ph.D. program, with specialties in composition, musicology, and ethnomusicology. A terminal M.A. degree is not offered. All applicants should select ‘Music Ph.D.’ on the online application.

All admitted graduate students are supported by fellowships and teaching opportunities. A typical funding package consists of an annual stipend of $34,000, plus covered tuition, health insurance, and student fees, guaranteed for five years (M.A./Ph.D.) or four years (Ph.D.).

The most appropriate preparation for the graduate program is a B.A. in Music, though applicants with undergraduate degrees in other fields may still apply. Applications are considered once a year for admission to the fall semester. Students will be notified of the admission decisions by e-mail no later than April 1st.

An audition is not required. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.

Applicants who would like to visit the department should contact faculty members in their field of interest directly. Applicants who are offered admission will be invited to visit the department in the spring.

International applicants: All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 90 or the IELTS with a minimum score of 7. These scores must be received by December 1st. For additional information, see the Graduate Division’s policy.

Please refer questions regarding application fee waivers to the Graduate Division.

If you have any questions, contact our Graduate Student Services Advisor at musicgradadvisor@berkeley.edu