Breadcrumb
Deadlines
Nov. 15: Early Action deadline for CU Boulder Undergraduate Admissions application
Dec. 1: Priority deadline for College of Music application, including the following materials:
- College of Music application
- Pre-screening recordings (All composition and voice applicants must submit a pre-screening recording before being invited to a live audition. See the Auditions page for pre-screening requirements.)
Note: All College of Music applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by Dec. 1. Applications with no pre-screening requirement may be considered through Feb. 1, but are not guaranteed their preferred audition date.
Jan. 15: Regular Decision deadline for CU Boulder Undergraduate Admissions application
Feb. 1: Final College of Music application deadline (including recorded auditions)
Jan. 19-20 and Feb. 2-3: Live auditions on campus
Feb. 10: Virtual-live auditions on Zoom
Mid-March: Admissions decisions sent
Oct. 1: Deadline to submit both the CU Boulder Undergraduate Admissions application and the College of Music application, including:
- College of Music application
- Pre-screening recordings (All composition and voice applicants) and non-Colorado resident flute BME and BM applicants
Oct. 15: Final deadline to submit recorded audition
Nov. 15: Final deadline to complete a live audition/interview with the College of Music (including ad hoc auditions); deadline to receive a letter of recommendation.
The College of Music does not accept applications for summer term.
How to apply
Review all university admission requirements.
Submit your University of Colorado Boulder application
- First-year applicants: Apply via the Common Application
- Transfer applicants: Apply via the CU Boulder Transfer Application
Submit your College of Music application online
- Your music application can be found on your CU Boulder application status page. Once you’ve submitted the application, check your email for a message from Undergraduate Admissions prompting you to check your application status. Make sure to save your log in information. Find your College of Music checklist on tab 2.
- The College of Music application will ask you to select your audition method. You may choose to submit a recorded audition, attend a live in-person audition or attend a virtual-live audition. We strongly encourage you to attend a live audition if you can. See the Auditions page for more information.
- Composition and voice applicants only: Upload your pre-screening materials on your CU Boulder application status page on the Music checklist. See the Auditions page for pre-screening requirements.
- A short essay is required as part of the music application. Upload it via your application status page. Note that it will have to be a PDF file in order to successfully upload. Choose one of the following prompts:
- Tell us why you would like to be a music major, describe your most powerful musical experience and list your future goals as a musician. Comment on your musical background and share anything else you would like us to know.
- “Music lets you rediscover your humanity, and your connection to humanity.” -Hans Zimmer. In what ways do you believe music can or should connect people across difference?
Provide one letter of reference
- The College of Music application will request the names and email addresses of at least one person who will provide a letter of recommendation for you. This person should be a music teacher or someone familiar with your development as a musician.
- When you submit the application, an email will automatically be sent to your recommender requesting them to attest to your progress as a musician.
Complete your audition:
All students pursuing a degree through the College of Music must complete an audition. You may choose to audition by recording, attend a live in-person audition, or attend a live-virtual (Zoom) audition. We strongly recommend that you audition live if you can. See the Auditions page for dates and further information.
- Those who choose to audition by recording must upload this recording to their CU Boulder Application Status Page by Feb. 1.
- Those who choose to audition live will be invited to sign up for a live audition time on or shortly after Dec. 1. (voice and composition applicants will be invited to sign up for live auditions and/or interviews on Dec. 16, after pre-screening results are announced.)
- Music Education and Composition applicants will be invited to sign up for an interview time in addition to a live audition time.
Review the audition requirements for your specific area of study.
Undergraduate admissions FAQ
Successful College of Music applicants can read music using traditional notation and often have several years’ experience in high school ensembles and/or private lessons. College of Music students come from all across the US and the world. Incoming music students have an average unweighted high school GPA between 3.54 and 4.0.
To pursue a music degree at CU Boulder, you will need to complete two separate application processes: one through CU Boulder Undergraduate Admissions and another for the College of Music. It’s important to remain in contact with both CU Boulder Undergraduate Admissions and College of Music Admissions.
To be admitted to the College of Music, you must also be admitted to CU Boulder. If you are not admitted to the College of Music, you may still be admitted to CU Boulder and pursue a different major.
To pursue any of our music degrees, you must audition on a jazz or classical instrument. (The only exception is the non-performance Composition track.) See the “Auditions” page for repertoire requirements and audition methods. Some programs, like Composition and Music Education, require interviews as well.
If you do not play a jazz or classical instrument or do not wish to audition, we offer many non-major options so you can still be involved, including a music minor and Music Technology certificate!
Yes. Music students undergo both a musical (audition) review and an academic review.