Graduate Application & Audition Process

Graduate Application & Audition Process

1. Apply to the university at http://go.unl.edu/gradapp. Create an account.

Click here for a full list of audition days

For all MM & Doctoral Specializations, except MM Music Education: In order to be given priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, two deadlines must be met: (1) the graduate application deadline for all degrees (except MM Music Education) is December 15, 2024, and (2) the deadline for completion of the audition is February 15, 2025. There are 3 ways in which the audition may be completed: (1) audition in person on the preferred Graduate Audition Day, February 15, 2025 (or Jan. 31 or Feb. 1 if you are unavailable Feb. 15) for most specializations except Conducting (conducting auditions are coordinated with appropriate faculty to be completed by February 15, 2025); please be available the entire day of February 15, 2025, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., (2) audition at a time arranged with the Area Head (for Conducting and others), or (3) audition via video. (For more details about completing the audition, how to send a video audition, and filling out the request to audition and assistantship application, please see the "Music Interviews and Auditions" section.) https://arts.unl.edu/music/music-interviews-and-auditions

2. Provide copies of transcripts showing all postsecondary coursework completed, including all studies for which credit was granted (e.g. summer institutes such as Aspen or Interlochen).
  • Transcripts and/or mark sheets must show the grades earned in each course. 
  • A diploma or certificate of graduation is required if the transcript does not include the name of the degree and the date it was conferred. 
  • If the academic records are in a language other than English, the UNL Office of Graduate Studies must receive both the (1) original language documents and (2) a word-for-word English translation. 
  • Further information can be found: https://graduate.unl.edu/admissions/requirements#transcripts
MINIMUM GPA REQUIREMENTS
  • If applying for an MM, we require: Undergraduate GPA = 2.75/4.00 scale
  • If applying for a DMA, we require: MM GPA= 3.25/4.00 scale
  • If applying for a PhD, we require: MM GPA = 3.50/4.00 scale

GKSOM ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS 

3. Students whose native language is not English or who have not previously earned a degree from an institution at which English is the official medium of instruction must enter their TOEFL or IELTS score and upload a copy of their score report.  Official scores should be sent DIRECTLY to UNL Graduate Studies. Further information about language requirements can be found here: https://graduate.unl.edu/admissions/english-proficiency

For master's degrees, we require: TOEFL iBT 79 or IELTS 6.5 overall band score. Duolingo English Test (accepted through December 31, 2024) Minimum score of 120.

For DMA and PhD degrees we require TOEFL iBT 100 or IELTS 7.0 overall band score.

Duolingo English Test (accepted through December 31, 2024) Minimum score of 30

4. LETTERS OF REFERENCE You will need to provide the contact information, including an email address, for each person from whom you wish a reference. For each recommender, click the Submit Recommendation Request button to send a letter request to your reference writer.  A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required; four letters are recommended. It is your job to monitor your CollegeNet account as the deadline approaches to ensure all letters of recommendation have been provided.  

5. Review your specific degree's Application Checklist for audition information and/or creative/scholarly materials required for admission. Click on the program (MM, DMA, PhD) below or in the column at the right of this page to begin to locate the information for your specific degree.

6. Once all required documents have been uploaded, Submit your application and pay the application fee of $50 ($25 if you are currently an active student at UNL). After you’ve clicked “Submit,” validated your information, and paid the application fee, you’ll receive a confirmation email indicating that the application was successfully submitted and providing you with a link to the "2025 Graduate Audition & GA Information Form” to submit information regarding your audition preferences and graduate assistant preferences.

7. Schedule your audition and interview

MASTER OF MUSIC EDUCATION

For the MM Music Education Specialization: Review of applications for the Summer 2025 Graduate Music Education Fellowships will begin May 1, 2025, and will be awarded based on merit and the date by which the degree application was completed. No separate fellowship application is required; all first-time applicants are considered.