Instructions for Application
The Yale School of Music application for the 2027–2028 academic year is available online at https://music.yale.edu/how-apply. The online application deadline is December 1, 2026.
The information that follows will assist applicants in filing the application. For an explanation of requirements and structure of various programs, please refer to the chapter Degrees in this bulletin. Please note that students may not apply to a degree or program at YSM if they already have completed the equivalent degree, program, or a doctorate from another institution in the same area of concentration. Students may not enroll in a degree or program at Yale if they will be enrolled in another institution’s degree or program simultaneously.
Application Fee
Each application submitted to the School of Music Office of Admissions must be accompanied by an application fee in the amount of $150 (U.S.). This application fee is nonrefundable and will not be credited toward tuition or any other account upon admission. There are no application fee waivers.
Master of Music (M.M.) Degree
Applicants who will have earned a bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, prior to September of their intended matriculation year may apply to the M.M. degree, a two-year curriculum.
Master of Musical Arts (M.M.A.) Degree
Applicants who will have earned a Master of Music degree, or its equivalent, in the same field in which they are applying prior to September of their intended matriculation year may apply to the M.M.A. degree, a two-year curriculum. Those who have already earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) Degree
Applicants who will have received a master’s degree, or its equivalent, prior to September of their intended matriculation year may apply to the D.M.A. degree. Those who have already earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
D.M.A. applicants are required to submit a term paper or other sample of scholarly writing at the time of application. Admission to the degree is through personal audition for the relevant area faculty and examinations in music history, analysis, and musicianship. Applicants should note that the entire application process requires their presence for at least two separate days in New Haven.
No one may apply to the D.M.A. degree more than twice. Yale first-year M.M.A. or A.D. students admitted to the D.M.A. degree forfeit their enrollment in their previous program.
Artist Diploma (A.D.) Program
Applicants who will have earned a minimum of a high school diploma, or its equivalent, prior to September of their intended matriculation year may apply to the A.D. program, a two-year curriculum. The program is open to instrumentalists on the verge of a major career. Those who have already earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
Certificate in Performance (CERT) Program
Applicants who will have earned a minimum of a high school diploma, or its equivalent, prior to September of their intended matriculation year may apply to the Certificate in Performance program, a three-year curriculum. Those who have already earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible to apply.
Bachelor of Arts/Master of Music (B.A./M.M.) Program
Admission to the B.A./M.M. program is through acceptance into Yale College as well as a separate, successful application and audition through the School of Music, either before matriculation into Yale College or during the third year of the undergraduate degree. The program is open to instrumentalists majoring in both music and other subjects; current Yale College students should consult with the School of Music’s Office of Admissions and the deputy dean before applying.
Prescreening and Audition Repertoire
Prescreening recordings are required from all applicants. All applicants must submit prescreening recordings online as part of the online application; no recordings or scores are accepted by mail.It is very important that the audio quality is as high as possible on audio and video recordings.
The most up-to-date repertoire and detailed instructions regarding prescreening and live audition may be found online at https://music.yale.edu/how-apply.
Recommendations
Each application must include three reference letters to support the applicant’s candidacy for graduate study. Current Yale School of Music students must submit one letter of recommendation.
Transcripts
Applicants are required to submit transcripts from all colleges, universities, and conservatories that they have attended or are currently attending. An unofficial transcript can be uploaded to the online application, but the transcript must be legible and include the applicant’s name, the name of the institution, the degree or program, and the GPA. Applicants who are offered a live audition will be required to submit official transcripts from all schools prior to March 1. All transcripts must be in English. Final transcripts must be translated into English by a certified translator, if applicable. Transcripts can be mailed; however, all applicants are highly encouraged to submit official electronic transcripts through a secure service such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, eScript-Safe, or other system. This helps to ensure that transcripts are delivered promptly and securely to the School of Music. Applicants who have not received a bachelor’s degree must submit official transcripts from all high schools attended.
Yale School of Music reserves the right to request a third-party transcript evaluation for foreign degrees or programs if we are unable to determine the applicant’s degree or program equivalency based on submitted transcripts. Applicants will be notified if an official evaluation of the transcript is required to verify academic level. Companies such as SpanTran, WES, or ECE can provide this service for a fee.
English Language Proficiency Requirement (TOEFL/IELTS)
Students for whom English is not a native language must demonstrate a level of language proficiency appropriate for graduate study. For applicants to the M.M., M.M.A., and D.M.A. degrees, as well as the Certificate in Performance program, the School of Music requires a minimum TOEFL score of 4.5 total score on the new scoring scale or 86 on the internet-based test (equivalent to 227 on the computer-based test and 567 on the paper-based test) or a minimum IELTS Academic score of 6.5. The minimum TOEFL score for A.D. applicants is 4.0 total score on the new scoring scale or 80 on the internet-based test (equivalent to 215 on the computer-based test and 552 on the paper-based test) or 6.0 on the IELTS Academic. The institution reporting code for official TOEFL score reports is 3992. Official IELTS scores must be sent directly from IELTS by searching “Yale School of Music” in their online electronic score delivery system. Students are advised to make testing arrangements at least six months before the application deadline.
Note: An initial TOEFL/IELTS score is due by the application deadline of December 1. This score is required at the time of completing the online application, although it does not have to meet our minimum requirement. Applicants who have not submitted an initial score by the application deadline will not be invited to audition. Applicants will then have until March 1 to retake the test and achieve a score at or above our minimum requirements. Applicants who have not submitted the required test with a score at or above our minimum requirement by the final deadline of March 1 will not be considered for admission.
English Language Proficiency Waiver
Applicants may request a TOEFL/IELTS waiver if they have studied at fully English-speaking institutions full-time for six years or more prior to beginning school at Yale. Waiver requests should be made as part of the online application and include the following:
- a short description of your education history (tell us when you started attending English-speaking schools and how many years you studied at each school); and
- copies of your university, high school, and/or middle school transcripts that show six years or more of strong academic performance at English-speaking schools.
TOEFL/IELTS waivers are evaluated on a case-by-case basis with emphasis on strong academic performance and are not guaranteed for those who have studied at English-speaking schools for six or more years. Uploaded transcripts must show strong academic performance and significant course work in areas other than music performance.
Auditions/Interviews
Applicants are invited for a personal audition (interview for composers) in New Haven on the basis of the prescreening recording and other credentials. Applicants will be notified in January or February and must be prepared to perform all material specified in the repertoire guidelines. Applicants may be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability and other essential musical skills during the audition. Auditions are held in New Haven. In-person attendance on the scheduled audition day(s) during audition week is mandatory, and those who do not attend will not be considered for admission.
Audition/Interview Schedule, 2027
Auditions and interviews for all applicants will take place during audition week: Monday, February 22, through Sunday, February 28, 2027. Audition dates for specific areas of study are posted online at https://music.yale.edu/how-apply.
The first round of A.D. auditions will be heard by Yale School of Music faculty as part of the regular auditions for each area. After the first round, select candidates will be advanced to a final round of auditions, which will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2027. The final round will be adjudicated by a separate committee of jurors. Those who wish to be considered for the A.D. must plan on being present for at least two separate days in New Haven during audition week.
The D.M.A. examinations in music history, analysis, and musicianship, required of all D.M.A. candidates, will be given during audition week. All D.M.A. applicants are required to attend in-person on the exam day. The exams are not offered on any other dates and will not be rescheduled. Those who wish to be considered for the D.M.A. must plan on being present for at least two separate days in New Haven during audition week. Applicants may be invited to a thirty-minute virtual interview with members of the D.M.A. Examination Committee. Applicants who are invited to interview will be notified by the Office of Admissions.
Matriculation Deferrals
Requests to defer matriculation must be submitted in writing and require the approval of the Admissions Committee and the dean. University policy permits matriculation deferral for no more than two academic terms (one year) on approved requests. Those who are approved for deferred matriculation must pay the enrollment deposit to secure their place in the incoming class for the following year.