Inquiries & Information

Information may be obtained from the Music Department Office:

Music Office
phone: (860) 486-3728
FAX: (860) 486-3796
music@uconn.edu

Submitting an Application

The Graduate School’s application deadlines may be found here: https://grad.uconn.edu/admissions/faq/. Please note that applications are reviewed by the Music Department faculty during the fall and spring semesters only. Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships should apply by February 15th. Applicants who wish to apply for graduate fellowships may find information on them here: https://grad.uconn.edu/prospective-student/internal-awards/ Please note that the doctoral fellowships have January deadlines. All applications are submitted online through the Graduate School website; for details go to https://grad.uconn.edu/admissions/apply-to-uconn/.

The following table lists the materials required for each of the graduate programs in Music. All these items can be uploaded as part of the online application process. Links to pre-audition videos are not a part of the Graduate School’s application process but may be requested after the prospective student’s application has been reviewed by members of the Music Department faculty.

* At least one of the recommendations should come from a person who can speak to the applicant's academic background and achievement.

** The writing sample should demonstrate the applicant's ability to do research appropriate to the degree as well as an ability to communicate effectively in written English. Appropriate writing samples include thesis chapters or representative term papers from previous college-level courses.

Procedure for Evaluation of Applicants

The Graduate School reviews the application form and transcripts and, if they meet the minimum requirements for consideration, forwards them to the Music Department. When all the remaining materials are received, the file is examined by the Director of Graduate Studies and a faculty admissions committee in the area of concentration. At this point, the application may be refused, or the committee may decide to proceed by asking the applicant for an audition or interview. A video or audio recording is sometimes requested first. Auditions and interviews normally take place on campus. With the consent of the faculty, a live video session may substitute for an on-campus audition or interview.

For audition requirements, please see music.uconn.edu/audition-requirements.

With the approval of the admissions committee, it may be possible to arrange an audition before the admissions file is complete. This is usually done as a convenience for students who live outside Connecticut, but who may be visiting at a particular time. In any case, remember that you cannot be admitted until all application requirements have been met, and you cannot be offered any type of financial aid until you have been admitted by the Music Department and the Graduate School.

The Department of Music works within the framework of the admissions deadlines established by the Graduate School (https://grad.uconn.edu/admissions/faq), with the following additional stipulations: 1) admissions for programs in the Department of Music are for the fall and spring semesters only; 2) auditions and interviews take place between the dates in August to May, when full-time faculty are working under the terms of the annual nine-month contracts. In many areas, only a small number of students can be admitted, and financial support in all areas is limited. Financial awards are generally made for admission in the fall semester only. Therefore we strongly recommend that you submit all application materials no later than February 15 to receive full consideration for graduate assistantships. Applicants who wish to apply for graduate fellowships may find information on them here: https://grad.uconn.edu/prospective-student/internal-awards/. Please note that the doctoral fellowships have January deadlines. The University of Connecticut is a signatory to the April 15 Resolution (https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution).

Types of Admissions

Students who are admitted on regular status are those who meet the standards expected for graduate study. However, students on regular status may also be required to take background courses in specific areas of deficiency as determined by the admissions committee or placement testing. Occasionally, master's applicants who do not fully meet the standards for regular status may be admitted as provisional students. If the initial twelve credits of course work are of good quality, the Major Advisor may request that a provisional student be granted regular status by sending a letter to the Graduate School. Neither doctoral students nor international students may be admitted on provisional status, and provisional students are not eligible for graduate assistantships and most other types of financial aid.

International students who do not meet minimum standards of English language proficiency may be considered for language-conditional status. Whereas very few language-conditional students are accepted into graduate music degree programs, students in the Certificate in Music Performance program may qualify. See https://grad.uconn.edu/admissions/requirements/#englishtest for the Graduate School’s current English-proficiency standards. Language-conditional students must meet a standard appropriate to their program before completing their program of study.

With permission of the Music Department and the instructor, a student may register under non-degree status through the Registrar's Office. Non-degree status is available for students who wish to take specific courses at UConn and then transfer the credits to another institution. It is sometimes offered also to applicants who do not complete the admissions process before the beginning of classes, and to those who have been refused admission to a degree program, but who wish to reapply at a later time. Note that no more than six credits of non-degree work can be applied later to a degree program, and successful completion of non-degree courses does not ensure an applicant's ultimate admission into a degree or certificate program. See https://nondegree.uconn.edu/ for information on non-degree registration.