Berklee College of Music Admissions

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Berklee College of Music is a premium institute specializing in contemporary music and the performing arts, the college offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees and also offers its award-winning distance learning programs, through an Online mode of learning. The College is dedicated to nurturing the creative potential of the world’s most inspiring artists, Berklee’s is committed to providing world-class arts education which is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni and more than hundreds of the students passed out from the college have been conferred trophies such as Grammy, Tony, Oscar, and Emmy. This blog brings to you all the information you need related to Berklee College of Music admissions.

UniversityBerklee College of Music
Founded in1945
Type Private Music College
LocationBoston, United States
Courses DurationMaster’s Degree: 1-3 Years
Bachelor’s Degree: 2-4 Years
Certificates : 3-18 months
Online Courses: 5-10 hours per week
Acceptance Rate52%
IntakesSummer, Autumn
English Proficiency Test IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, SAT, Duolingo
Application FeeINR 5,724
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Courses Offered

  • Music Production
  • Guitar
  • Music Theory, Harmony, and Ear Training
  • Songwriting
  • Music Business
  • Voice
  • Piano and Keyboard
  • Arranging
  • Bass
  • Orchestration
  • Drums
  • Music History and Liberal Arts
  • Music for Film, TV, and Games
  • Improvisation
  • Dance, Music, and Theater 
berklee college of music
Source: Berklee College of Music

Berkeley College of Music Entry Requirements

Undergraduate Entry Requirements

  • You must be proficient in the English language in terms of reading, writing, and speaking, and you must have completed your high school/secondary school by the time you enroll in an undergraduate course at the Berklee College of Music.
  • If you have pursued your school education anywhere outside of the United States or Canada, you are required to get your academic records assessed well in advance according to the US standards. You can do this either by submitting them to a NACES-approved credential evaluation agency (such as ECE) OR by submitting them directly to Berklee Online.

As an international student, you can choose any one of the following:

External Credential Evaluation Agency:

  • One way to get through your application as an international student is to submit your academic transcripts directly to a NACES-approved credential evaluation agency, and then you can request a structural way of course-by-course evaluation along with grades. Then you can get your report sent directly from the agency itself to the Berklee Online platform. Electronic copies are preferred whenever possible.
  • Berklee Online:

Another way to get through your application is to submit all your academic transcripts for complete evaluation via a direct mode to Berklee Online. You can visit the International Student webpage for more information. 

English Language Proficiency Requirement

As the classes are taught and presented in English, applicants must have demonstrated proficiency in the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking, in order to be successful in our program. Applicants who have applied for a degree program at the College and whose first language is not English are required to possess and submit a PTE Academic,  IELTS, TOEFL, or a Duolingo scorecard in order to complete their application process for admission.

Recommended scores are

TOEFL: iBT ( for Internet-based tests): 100;  for Computer-based tests: 250; for Paper-based tests: 600

PTE Academic: 68

IELTS: 7.5 or higher

Duolingo: 120 or higher

Postgraduate Entry Requirements

  • You must be proficient in the English language which includes reading, writing, and speaking. You are also expected to have a good academic.
  • In order to be eligible for Graduate Degrees at the Berklee College of Music, you must have a Bachelor’s degree.
  • For Master of Music in Music Production: Bachelor’s degree in music production, engineering, or technology, or bachelor’s degree with significant work experience in music production, engineering, and/or technology.
  • For Master of Music in Film Scoring: Bachelor’s degree in composition with a focus on scoring to media, or bachelor’s degree with a minimum of two years of professional work in film composition.

For International Applicants

If you have pursued your college degree anywhere outside of the United States or Canada, you are required to get your academic records assessed well in advance according to the US standards. You can do this either by submitting them to a NACES-approved credential evaluation agency (such as ECE) OR by submitting them directly to Berklee Online.

As an international student, you can choose any one of the following:

External Credential Evaluation Agency:

  • One way to get through your application as an international student is to submit your academic transcripts directly to a NACES-approved credential evaluation agency, and then you can request a structural way of course-by-course evaluation along with grades. Then you can get your report sent directly from the agency itself to the Berklee Online platform. Electronic copies are preferred whenever possible.
  • Berklee Online:

Another way to get through your application is to submit all your academic transcripts for complete evaluation via a direct mode to Berklee Online. You can visit the International Student webpage for more information.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

The classes at the Berklee College of Music are mostly taught and instructed in English, the applicants are required to demonstrate their proficiency in the English language which includes reading, writing, and speaking, in order to be successful in the program. Applicants who have applied for a degree program at the College and whose first language is not English are required to possess and submit a PTE Academic,  IELTS, TOEFL, or a Duolingo scorecard in order to complete their application process for admission.

Recommended scores:

TOEFL: iBT (Internet-based): 100; Computer-based: 250; Paper-based: 600

PTE Academic: 68

IELTS: 7.5 or higher

Duolingo: 120 or higher

How to Apply?

As a freshman at the Berklee School of Music, please follow the step-by-step instructions below:

Step 1: Fill out the online application form which will take you about 15 minutes. This step will connect you to an advisor, who will guide you through the rest of the admissions process.

Step 2: Collect the rest of your application materials. This step includes all your Personal Statement, Demonstration of Musicianship, and supplemental material, as applicable.

Step 3: Request your transcripts and letters of recommendation from the appropriate parties. If you are an international applicant, you are required to go through a credential evaluation and you also need to have an acceptable English language proficiency test score.

Step 4: Submit your completed application along with the application fee.

Documents Required

  • Completed online application
  • Copy of the official high school transcript (or an equivalent certificate)
  • Copy of all the transcripts from all institutions attended or in which the student is currently enrolled
  • TOEFL or IELTS score for applicants whose first language is not English
  • Personal essay or video presentation
  • Two letters of recommendation (one academic/professional and one personal)
  • Portfolio

Cost of Studying and Accommodation at Berklee School of Music

Undergraduate courses- 

Average Tuition Fees- $18,314 to $22,808 (INR 13.97 lakhs to INR 17.740 lakhs) per year

Books and/or Software – $600 (INR 45,792) per year

Loan Fees – $54 (INR 4,121) per year

Personal Expenses – $680 (INR 51,898) per year

Room & Board – $7,560 (INR 5,76,988) per year

Transportation – $2,154 (INR 1,64,395) per year

Postgraduate courses- 

Average Tuition Fees- $33,620 to $36,120 (INR 25.65 lakhs to INR 27.56 lakhs) per year

Books – $5,250 (INR 4,00,686) per year

Room & Board – $10,082 (INR 7,69,470) per year

Personal Expenses – $1,132 (INR 86,395) per year

Loan Fees – $208 (INR 15,874) per year

Transportation – $2,872 (INR 2,19,194) per year

FAQs

What GPA do you need to get into Berklee College of Music?

The admissions office at the Berklee College of Music does not specify any minimum GPA for admission to the music college, but applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or below will have very less chances to be considered a strong candidate for admission.

Is Berklee College of Music hard to get into?

The acceptance rate of Berklee College of Music is 51.4% which translates to the fact that for every 100 applicants, 51 applications are accepted which means that the college is moderately selective. The institution expects their prospective students to meet the requirements for GPA scores, but they’re more flexible as compared to the other colleges of the same league.

Is Berklee College of Music worth it?

Berklee College of Music has a ranking of 1,318 out of 1,472 institutions for value around the nation. Based on the analysis of other colleges offering courses at a similar tuition fee, it is believed that the Berklee College of Music is a good choice for the quality of education it provides.

How do I get admission to Berklee College of Music?

In order to apply to Berklee College of Music, you are required to fill out an online application form,  attaching your supporting documents (e.g. resume, personal statement, and transcripts), and additionally an audition tape and/or video interview. Different programs have different application requirements based on the degree level and choice of course.

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