Graduate Admissions Guide
The School of Music will begin accepting applications for the
2006 - 2007 academic year in early September 2005.
Spring 2006 Application Deadlines
October 15: Priority deadline for receipt of application materials
November 1: Final deadline for receipt of application materials
Fall 2006 Application Deadlines
November 15: Priority deadline for receipt of graduate application materials
December 1: Deadline for receipt of prescreening materials - required for all graduate voice, conducting, and Music Education EdD candidates. See specific requirements for details concerning other documents that must be submitted with the prescreening materials.
January 2: Final deadline for receipt of all graduate application materials
March 1: Deadline to complete audition/interview in order to be considered for merit-based fellowships, assistantships, and tuition waivers
Audition Dates, Application Process, Program of Study Requirements, Evaluation Criteria, Graduate Audition Requirements, Financial Aid
Application Process:
Step 1:
International Applicants must also submit the additional material listed below:
- Complete and mail the Declaration and Certification of Finances form* to the Music Admissions Office
- Applicants whose native language is not English, must submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) by January 2. International applicants who have attended a US institution for 2 or more years or who have received a degree from as US institution are not required to submit a TOEFL score. Unofficial scores submitted by the applicant will not be accepted.
*Return all items marked with an "asterisk" to the Music Admissions Office
Merit-Based Aid Consideration
All U.S. (domestic) applicants seeking a Teaching or Graduate Assistantship MUST attempt to qualify for Federal Work Study by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); be sure to answer “yes” to question 34. Please mail a copy of the response from FAFSA to the Music Admissions Office as soon as possible after January 1, but by no later than March 1. Applicants will not be considered for merit-based awards until this document is on file
International applicants who wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE).The minimum TSE score required for merit-based aid consideration is 50.
When reporting the TSE and TOEFL scores, request scores to be submitted to the University of Illinois; the Institution Code is 1836.
Step 2:
All performance, conducting, vocal accompanying/coaching, and MME with Certification applicants, must complete the
Supplemental Music Application.
Auditions/Interviews are scheduled only after the applicant has submitted both the University Application and the School of Music's Supplemental Application. Candidates are advised to not make travel plans until the audition date has been confirmed. A confirmation letter and e-mail will be sent as your official notification. Confirmation letters are typically mailed during the beginning of December through January dependent upon when completed applications are received. Every effort will be made to honor the candidate's preferred audition date, however, it is possible that another date will be assigned.
Step 3:
Complete and submit each of the individual requirements for your program of study to the Music Admissions Office by January 2. These requirements are in addition to those outlined in Step 1 and Step 2.
Graduate Audition Requirements:
Bassoon, Clarinet, Cello,
Conducting, Double Bass, Euphonium, Flute, Harp, Harpsichord, Horn, Jazz Studies, Oboe, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Piano Pedagogy, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Viola, Violin, Vocal Accompanying and Coaching, Voice
Program of Study Requirements:
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Programs of concerts and/or recitals
- Complete an audition on primary instrument or in voice
Vocal Performance Candidates: Submit a Prescreening CD by December 1. A limited number of applicants will be invited to audition. Invited applicants will be contacted soon after January 1 to arrange an on-campus audition. Only CD recordings will be reviewed; other media-types will not be considered.
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Programs of concerts and/or recitals
- Complete an audition on primary instrument or in voice
Master of Music and Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology applicants must also submit:
- Term Papers, undergraduate or master's theses, or other evidence of successful accomplishment in the field
Note: GRE scores are strongly suggested for those seeking financial aid.
Master of Music in Theory and Composition and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition applicants must also submit:
- List of compositions (include instrumentation)
- Portfolio of notated original compositions (theory applicants need not send scores)
- Recordings of performance of applicant's compositions, if available (CD preferred, no videos please)
- Term papers or other evidence of the ability to use language effectively (theory applicants only)
- Applicants seeking assistantships in Composition-Theory, must complete the Composition Theory Exam by February 1.
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting applicants must:
- Submit a Prescreening Video by December 1. A limited number of applicants will be invited to audition. Invited applicants will be contacted soon after January 1 to arrange an on-campus audition for January 20, February 3, or February 10.
- Submit additional materials listed on the Audition Requirements Page
- Repertory list of conducted choral works and solo vocal literature performed
- Programs of concerts in which the applicant has appeared as conductor or performer
Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Accompanying and Coaching applicants must also submit:
- A repertory list
- Programs of concerts and/or recitals played
Note: Non-Accompanying candidates may apply for an Accompanying Assistantship.
Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting applicants must:
- Submit a Prescreening Video by December 1. A limited number of applicants will be invited to audition. Invited applicants will be contacted soon after January 1 to arrange an on-campus audition for January 20, February 3, or February 10.
- Submit additional materials listed on the Audition Requirements Page
- Orchestral Conducting applicants who are invited to campus will be contacted shortly after December 15 to arrange an audition on one of the following dates: January 20, February 8, February 10, or February 15.
Master of Music Education, Master of Music Education with Certification, and Doctoral Programs in Music Education, EdD or PhD applicants must:
- Submit a score for the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). This is required for all doctoral applicants and for masters applicants wishing to be considered for financial aid. Registration may be completed online at http://www.milleranalogies.com or requested by phone at (800) 622-3231.
- MME with Certification applicants must successfully complete the following as part of the application process:
- Illinois Basic Skills Test as an admission component. Students who reside outside the State of Illinois should contact the Council on Teacher Education (chetzych@uiuc.edu) for information on possible provisional admission.
- Complete the Supplemental Music Application so that the Music Admissions Office may schedule an audition on your primary instrument and interview with the Music Education Faculty
- EdD and PhD candidates must submit a Prescreening Video by December 1. In addition, applicants must also submit Part 1 of the University application and the application fee by December 1. Please label video with your full name and "Prescreening Music Education." The video tape should show the applicant engaged in classroom teaching or conducting a rehearsal, as appropriate to area of emphasis.
- EdD and PhD applicants must also submit a Videotape or DVD of musical performance. Applicants are required to prepare three compositions (or movements of larger works), drawn from three different historical periods, styles or cultures. Two of the selections must represent Western musical traditions. Each of the works should be approximately 4-6 minutes in length. A written list of representative repertoire of works studied in the past must also be submitted. NOTE: The Division of Music Education recognizes that many teachers have not continued to study or perform regularly. Be assured that our primary concern is that you can demonstrate musicality and basic musicianship to serve as an appropriate musical model for students.
All applicants to the graduate Music Education program are encouraged to review the Music Education Handbook for further details regarding the application and curricular requirements.
Note: GRE scores are not required for students applying to the Music Education department.
Evaluation Criteria:
Graduate candidates applying to the School of Music will be evaluated on the following:
- Supplemental Music Application
- The Supporting Materials (see Program of Study Requirements for more details)
- Audition on primary instrument and/or in voice
- Letters of Reference*
- Review of Academic Profile
