Music Graduate Office

Changing programs (internal admissions)

General information  ·  What to submit  ·  When to apply  ·  Things to remember

General information

Current students at the IU School of Music who wish to pursue a different program must apply for the new one. They may do this through the Music Admissions Office (Merrill Hall 101, 855-7998,musicadm@indiana.edu). Current students often will not have to complete a full application, but will need to fill out a short application and provide supporting materials.

Some international students also need to apply through the Office of International Admissions.  The Music Admissions Office will be able to tell you if that is necessary for your particular situation. 

What to submit

In general, to apply to a new program in the School of Music you will need to submit the following to the Music Admissions Office:

• an application form;
• a letter of support from your major teacher;
• a letter of support from the department chair;
• an audition report (if a performance major; some departments allow the use of a hearing or recital).

Students applying from a diploma program to a degree program also need to submit a transcript or other documentation of a bachelor's or master's degree, as appropriate.

When to apply

All paperwork must be completed by these dates:

To enter in a fall semester: December 1

To enter in a spring semester: September 1

To enter in a summer session: April 1

Note:  For full consideration for financial aid, all materials should be submitted one month before these deadlines.

Things to remember

Course work does not automatically transfer from one degree or diploma to another.

You must petition the Director of Graduate Studies if you want to apply work you did under one program to a different one. Courses may count towards only one degree or diploma.

In general, you need to have been qualified for the new program at the time you did the work. Students should ask permission to apply courses at the same time they apply for a new program. Requests made after courses have been taken or after a student has been admitted to a new program will ordinarily not be honored.

The minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score is different for admission to each program (diploma, masters, and doctoral).

Minimum TOEFL for each program:
Artist and Performer Diploma:  183 (computer-based) or 510 (paper-based) or 65 (internet-based)

Masters:  223 (computer-based) or 560 (paper-based) or 84 (internet-based)

Doctoral:  250 (computer-based) or 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based)