Graduate Admissions
Graduate degree programs at NEC offer the next level of training and career preparation for postgraduates. Each program provides access to NEC faculty and resources to deepen artistry, broaden musical perspectives, and prepare graduate students for rewarding professional careers.
KEY DATES
Application Dates
September 5
Applications open
December 1
Applications due
January 15
Letters of recommendation due
February 15
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filing deadline (U.S. citizens and permanent residents)
March 1
TOEFL or IELTS re-test score reports due (if applicable)
Month of March
Admission decision letters and financial aid award letters sent
April 15
Enrollment decisions due from admitted students
Audition Dates
January + February
Live auditions take place at NEC
February 1
Video auditions due for approved applicants
Note on Spring Admission
Applications for Spring admission are accepted on a space-available basis.
Contact Admissions staff in late September to inquire about anticipated program openings and deadlines before completing an application.
The community at NEC is so supportive and welcoming. Everyone is there to help you with your musical journey, meeting you where you are and pushing you to achieve what you didn’t know you could.”
sara mitnik ’23 mm
After Nec
Where will you go from here?
NEC alums are thriving in careers in all kinds of settings, including:
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Boston Symphony Orchestra
In orchestras and symphonies around the world
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Chad Smith ’95 NEC/Tufts, ’98 MM, President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Leading their own artistic enterprises, ensembles, and non-profits
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As faculty members at colleges and universities worldwide
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At Fortune 500 tech and media companies
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On Broadway and with internationally touring productions
Where will you go from here?
NEC alums are thriving in careers in all kinds of settings, including:
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Chad Smith ’95 NEC/Tufts, ’98 MM, President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
GRADUATE APPLICATIONS
To complete an application for graduate admission, submit the following materials using the online application by December 1.
Upload these items to the online application. Please do not mail or have items delivered through Parchment, Naviance, or other third-party systems. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In some situations, we will accept applications after December 1. Contact us for more information.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Complete our our online application by following the link below. You can return to the application multiple times to work on it before the submission deadline.
Prescreening video recordings are the first part of the audition process for most degree programs. Upload videos as part of the online application in one of the supported formats: MPEG, MPG, MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, VOB.
Some degree programs require an upload of a portfolio of representative works in addition to, or instead of, the prescreening video recording. Review the audition information for your selected degree program to get specifics about what’s needed.
Each piece must be performed in a single, unedited take (with the exception of Contemporary Musical Arts recordings). Each piece or composition score should be submitted as a separate file and clearly labeled with the composer’s name, title of work, and movement (if applicable). It is not necessary to submit a professionally produced recording, but please be sure that the sound is of high quality and accurately represents your playing or singing. Applicants should make sure that proper lighting is used and that the camera shows full range of movement and use of instrument. We strongly encourage you to thoroughly review your recordings prior to submission.
Upload electronic PDF versions of your unofficial transcripts as part of the application; don’t have them emailed or mailed directly to NEC. Transcripts should show coursework completed, grades earned to date, and classes in which the applicant is currently enrolled.
If you attended multiple schools, please include transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate study, not just the most recent program.
All transcripts must be in English. Applicants whose college studies have been completed outside the U.S. are required to submit all academic records with official English translations, as well as documentation of U.S. degree equivalency. We recommend that applicants with questions about their degree equivalency contact the Admissions Office and/or have their academic records evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service before applying.
Applicants who are accepted and matriculate at NEC will be required to submit official copies of all final transcripts showing graduation dates and degrees received.
Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) program at NEC will also need to upload into the online application a PDF of a short academic paper (or an excerpt from a longer paper) that demonstrates graduate-level research and writing ability on music. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your ability to think critically, compose a well-organized essay, and document sources. Please ensure that your submission meets the following criteria:
- Essays should present and support an original thesis or argument on any aspect of music or musical practice, including, but not limited to, analysis, theory, history, criticism, pedagogy, or performance practice.
- Your essay should be typed, approximately 1000 to 1500 words in length, and demonstrate facility with the mechanics of academic citation.
- You may submit an essay that was written for past coursework or professional purposes, preferably from within the past 2 – 3 years.
- You may submit an excerpt of a larger paper as long as it is the required length and makes sense on its own.
- Your essay should represent your own original work.
All applicants will submit short essays (150-300 words each) depending on their program of choice:
Master’s, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate Programs
All applicants must submit short essays (150-300 words each) on the following topics:
- NEC is a community made up of many different cultures and backgrounds, and exploring this cross-cultural environment is an important part of the NEC experience. Tell us your story about a time you joined a new community and how you got to know the people within it.
- At NEC, your conservatory education will go beyond music instruction. Instead you will be part of a learning eco-system that will teach you how to think and learn in new ways. In your words, what does it mean to you to be “educated”? Aside from musical development, what do you hope to gain from your NEC experience that will put you on the path to achieving your definition of “educated”?
- Contemporary Musical Arts (CMA) applicants only: Please explain your reasons for choosing to pursue the CMA major, including a description of the influences on and motivations for your personal style.
Doctor of Musical Arts
All applicants must submit short essays (150-300 words each) on the following topics:
- Please explain your reasons for choosing to pursue a DMA in your major at NEC, including any career goals you may have in mind. If you are a CMA applicant, please include a description of some of the influences on and motivations for your personal style.
Artist Diploma
All applicants must submit short essays (150-300 words each) on the following topics:
- NEC is a community made up of many different cultures and backgrounds, and exploring this cross-cultural environment is an important part of the NEC experience. Tell us your story about a time you joined a new community and how you got to know the people within it.
- At NEC, your conservatory education will go beyond music instruction. Instead you will be part of a learning eco-system that will teach you how to think and learn in new ways. In your words, what does it mean to you to be “educated”? Aside from musical development, what do you hope to gain from your NEC experience that will put you on the path to achieving your definition of “educated”?
- Please write about a musical experience that you consider to be a defining moment for you in your development as an artist. Please explain how that experience continues to influence your musical values and approach to being a performer.
- Please indicate your specific artistic and educational goals for the Artist Diploma program. How will these objectives help you achieve your professional goals? (Aside from your audition, this statement is the most important component of the admissions process.)
Chamber Music Programs
All applicants must submit short essays (150-300 words each) on the following topics:
- NEC is a community made up of many different cultures and backgrounds, and exploring this cross-cultural environment is an important part of the NEC experience. Tell us your story about a time you joined a new community and how you got to know the people within it.
- At NEC, your conservatory education will go beyond music instruction. Instead you will be part of a learning eco-system that will teach you how to think and learn in new ways. In your words, what does it mean to you to be “educated”? Aside from musical development, what do you hope to gain from your NEC experience that will put you on the path to achieving your definition of “educated”?
All applicants will submit an artistic resume which provides a brief and focused overview of your artistry and accomplishments. Keep in mind that you will paste your resume into the online application which will remove most text formatting such as bold, italics, underlines, indentations, etc.
You artistic resume should detail the following topics:
- Prior academic study (institutions, dates, and degrees awarded)
- Applied/private study (with whom, dates, etc.)
- Performance experience
- Festivals and summer programs
- Awards and distinctions
- A brief, representative list of works studied and performed in the past three years. Indicate pieces performed in public recitals/concerts and those that are in-progress. For composers, list your own works and their instrumentation
An official TOEFL or IELTS score is required of applicants for whom English is not a native language, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents. You may upload an official score report from within the past two years with your application. NEC’s ETS school code is 3659. NEC does not accept scores from anything other than TOEFL or IELTS.
Minimum scores for graduate programs:
- TOEFL iBT – 79
- IELTS – 6.5
Waivers may be granted in certain circumstances:
- Applicants who have completed a full-time degree program at a U.S. college or university or a diploma at a U.S. high school
- Applicants who will have completed a full-time degree program at a non-U.S. college or university where English is the language of instruction may request an exemption by submitting a written statement of at least 100 words describing your experience with the English language. Requests should be uploaded as a part of the online application.
NEC may need, and request, additional information. No offer of admission will be made until English proficiency has been demonstrated.
Submit the name and contact information for two recommenders with your online application by December 1. Once the application is submitted, instructions will be emailed directly to each recommender.
Recommendations are due January 15.
NEC asks for artistic recommendations to support your graduate application for admission:
- One artistic recommendation from your primary music teacher (or another music teacher or conductor) addressing your musical progress and readiness to study music at a conservatory level
- A second artistic recommendation from another music teacher or ensemble director/coach
- DMA and AD Only – A third artistic recommendation from another music teacher or ensemble director/coach
A non-refundable fee of $125 is payable by credit card when you submit the application. If you apply to more than one major/program, submit a separate application and fee for each major/program. The application fee for NEC alumni and current students is $75 for each major/program. The application fee for Professional String Quartet and Piano Trio is $40 per member. NEC does not grant fee waivers for graduate applicants.
ADDITIONAL DEGREE INFORMATION
Admission to the Master of Music program at NEC requires a completed bachelor’s degree, or its recognized equivalent, from an accredited college or university. The Master of Music curriculum focuses on studio and ensemble work, supplemented by academic course requirements in musicology and music theory, as well as coursework that is complementary to your chosen major. Additional study is provided through frequent masterclasses, guest artists, and repertoire classes.
Applying to the Master of Music Program
To apply to the NEC Master of Music program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
This program consists of two years of full-time study in composition, performance and conducting. The minimum requirement for entry into this program is a bachelor’s degree, undergraduate diploma, or the equivalent. Students and their academic advisor design a four-semester program of study that is reviewed during registration periods.
Applying to the Graduate Diploma Program
To apply to the NEC Graduate Diploma program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
The one-year certificate program affords students the opportunity of crafting a customized, focused curriculum that centers around studio instruction instrument/area of study, supplemented by elective offerings that complement the studio experience and align with the student’s professional, artistic and/ or academic objectives. This program requires an undergraduate diploma or bachelor’s degree or their equivalent.
Applying to the Graduate Performance Certificate Program
To apply to the NEC Graduate Performance Certificate program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
The Artist Diploma (AD) is the highest-level performance designation offered by NEC. AD students are given a full tuition scholarship and a $10,000 annual stipend. The AD program at NEC offers the opportunity to deepen artistry and broaden musical perspectives, all with the support of NEC faculty and resources.
The two-year program distinguishes itself through a combination of mentorship, study, and performance opportunities. Admitted AD candidates will possess an individual musical voice and be emerging into a professional career that will make a significant contribution to the musical landscape.
Applications to our Artist Diploma program are currently open to applicants in cello, piano, viola, violin, and opera studies.
Applying to the Artistic Diploma Program
To apply to the NEC Artistic Diploma program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
The Doctor of Musical Arts curriculum (DMA) is a rigorous and selective program intended for performer-scholars who combine the highest standards in their major area, with proven accomplishments in musicology and music theory. It is designed to provide professional musicians with the necessary knowledge and skills for artistic, cultural, social, and educational leadership.
Applying to the DMA Program
To apply to the NEC DMA program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
DMA applicants who advance from the live auditions will sit for a three-hour exam in music theory and a three-hour exam in music history the day after their audition. All applicants will be notified during the evening of their audition day if they will be required to take the entrance exams the next day. Applicants should therefore be prepared to be in Boston for two days. The results of both exams will factor into the DMA Committee’s admission decisions.
Anchored by a world-class chamber music faculty, the Chamber Music Department at NEC teaches students to embrace and enjoy musical collaboration and creative interaction. Instrumentalists participating in chamber music study at NEC, typically in groups of three to eight musicians, receive in-depth, individualized group coaching focused on all aspects of small ensemble playing.
Applying to Chamber Music Programs at NEC
NEC typically only hosts two resident training ensembles at any given time: one string quartet and one piano trio. Openings will depend on the expected graduation of the current ensemble. The current anticipated openings are:
String Quartet: Open for Fall 2024 applications
Piano Trio: Open for Fall 2024 applications
To apply to the NEC Chamber Music program, follow the instructions for graduate applicants using the online application by December 1.
GRADUATE AUDITIONS
GRADUATE AUDITIONS
Auditions are a core aspect of Conservatory admission. For applicants, auditions represent an exciting performance opportunity, a chance to showcase your talents to an audience eager to know more about you. For NEC faculty, auditions are our chance to get a glimpse of your abilities and artistic identity.
All programs require a prescreening video recording or portfolio due at the online application deadline of December 1. Follow the repertoire and instructions below closely. Applicants who advance through the prescreening round will be invited to audition live at NEC or, in select situations, submit a final audition recording.
Your prescreening recording must be performed in a single, unedited take. It is not necessary to submit a professionally produced recording, but the sound quality should be very good. Applicants should make sure that proper lighting is used and that the camera shows full range of movement and use of instrument.
