Graduate Admissions
Preparation for Graduate School

Admission to the UW's Graduate School and the School of Music is a selective process. Applicants usually meet these minimum requirements:

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution, AND
  • Have earned at least a 3.0 or B average in the most recent two years of study. In addition, applicants who are applying for Music Education, Music History, Music Theory, or Composition must submit GRE scores (unless you already hold a doctorate from an accredited institution). Visit http://www.gre.org for more information on the GRE.
International Applicants

If you are applying as an International Student and your native language is not English, you must meet two additional requirements, EVEN IF you have already earned a degree at a US institution:

  • Submit TOEFL scores. We require a minimum score of 70 on the internet-based test for admission, although in rare cases we may consider applicants with lower scores.
  • Submit a Statement of Financial Ability Form. This form will become available to you after you submit your online application
Applying to the School of Music

To apply to a School of Music graduate program, you must submit application materials to the UW's Graduate School and to the School of Music. A checklist of required application materials, as well as a link to the online application, can be found here.

For performance degrees, you must also audition for School of Music faculty. Of course, we prefer live auditions, but if you live more than 1,000 miles from Seattle, you can submit a videotape or DVD as an initial evaluation. When you arrive on campus, however, an in-person audition may be required. To guarantee consideration, videotaped auditions must be submitted by January 15th. Upcoming audition dates can be found here. To schedule your audition, contact the Admissions & Outreach Coordinator, Jenni Cole or (206) 685-9872. **You MUST submit your application to the UW before you can schedule an audition.**

Additional materials for other degree programs include:

  • For Choral Conducting: a visit to campus, although an audition videotape is acceptable if living more than 1,000 miles from Seattle.
  • For Instrumental Conducting: a videotape of a recent rehearsal and performance, and a musical resume
  • For Composition: a portfolio of scores and recordings
  • For Ethnomusicology, Music History, & Music Theory: scholarly writing samples
  • For Music Education: a videotape of a recent lesson and scholarly writing samples

    • You can find a list of audition repertoire here.