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Berklee College Of Music Overview

Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including rock, hip hop, reggae, salsa, heavy metal and bluegrass. Berklee alumni have won 310 Grammy Awards, more than any other college, and 108 Latin Grammy Awards. Other notable accolades for its alumni include 34 Emmy Awards, 7 Tony Awards, 8 Academy Awards and 3 Saturn Awards.

Additionally, Valencia, Spain has been home to a campus of the Berklee College of Music since 2012. The Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music decided to merge in December 2015. The new organization is called Berklee, and the conservatory is now known as The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Berklee College Of Music Academics

Berklee College of Music is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). It offers multiple bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as well as diplomas, all focused on music.

Berklee College Of Music Admission

Berklee’s admission process is holistic: It focuses primarily on an audition, an interview, and on the applicant’s academic record.

For the 2017–2018 school year, the acceptance rate for the Berklee College of Music Boston was 33.8% for the Boston Conservatory it was 38%, and for Berklee Online it was 66%.

From 2014 to 2017, Berklee reported acceptance rates ranging from 28 to 36%. As of fall 2018, Admissions updated its applications reporting to count only paid applications. Previous years’ totals includes all partial applications, regardless of status or payment.^[

Berklee offers three different terms for entering full-time students: the traditional fall semester, spring, and summer. Unlike other colleges, entering students may choose their own entering semester. Typically, the deadlines are November 1 (early action) and January 15 (regular action) for fall semester, July 1 for spring semester, and December 1 for summer semester.

As part of the application to the college, applicants are required to complete a live audition and interview. An integral part of selecting the entering class is the audition and interview experience, designed to show applicants’ strengths while helping the school to assess applicants’ talent and potential to succeed in Berklee’s dynamic environment. Although there is a general format for the audition and interview, each experience is unique. Berklee considers all applicants for both admission and scholarship through the audition and interview process. Starting in 2014, the college will audition some applicants online using high speed internet technology.

Berklee is known for its high cost of attendance, with the total undergraduate cost without aid at $73,391. The high cost of attendance has forced many low-income students to quit after the first two semesters, or take out large loans, as the school offers very few merit-based scholarships, and close to no need-based grants.

Harvard University Dual Degree Program

In July 2016, Berklee announced a dual bachelor’s/master’s program with Harvard University. Upon completion of the program, students will earn Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) at Harvard College and a Master of Music (M.M.) or a Master of Arts (M.A.) at Berklee.

Demographics

As of the 2013–2014 academic year, total enrollment at Berklee was 4,402. Of students enrolled in degree programs, 29% were female, 11% were African American, and 10% were Hispanic. Students from 100 countries outside the U.S. accounted for approximately 30% of the student population. South Korea, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and China were the top five countries of origin. In addition to students attending the Berklee campus in Boston, in the 2012–2013 academic year, approximately 5,000 students took online courses through Berklee Online.

Alumni Profiles

Carlos Averhoff, Jr.Class of 2011Latin Grammy-nominated Cuban tenor saxophonist Carlos Averhoff Jr. is a contemporary Afro-Cuban jazz composer and educator described by All About Jazz as “a dynamic, fresh new voice on the saxophone.”

Mindi AbairClass of 1991SaxophonistFully charting Mindi Abair’s career as a saxophonist would be as dizzying as reading the long lists of accolades she has garnered. Having been a saxophonist on American Idol, toured with Aerosmith, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, played at the Grand Ole Opry, recorded multiple albums, and received several Grammy nominations, Abair is at the top of her game.

Greg AbateClass of 1971Jazz Saxophonist; Flutist; Composer; ArrangerJazz saxophonist, flautist, and composer Greg Abate ’71 played lead alto saxophone in the Ray Charles Orchestra in the early ’70s after completing his studies at Berklee, and has since recorded more than 16 albums.

ArunaClass of 2002Singer-Songwriter; DJ; ProducerAn accomplished singer, songwriter, DJ and producer, Aruna is a well known EDM singer and a fixture on the international dance circuit.

Tariqh AkoniClass of 1991Musical Director; GuitaristTariqh Akoni ’91, a session guitarist and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California, is the musical director for multiplatinum recording artist Josh Groban and has toured or recorded alongside artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, and Bette Midler.

Layth Al-RubayeClass of 2014ViolinistBorn in Baghdad and raised in Amman, Jordan, Layth Al-­Rubaye is a leading Middle Eastern violinist on the world music stage. Raised in a musical family, Al-­Rubaye started playing the violin at the age of four and quickly began performing as a young soloist.

Naseem AlatrashClass of 2014CellistA globally acclaimed Palestinian cellist, Naseem Alatrash is a sonic product of his upbringing in the Middle East. An accomplished classically trained musician and improviser in diverse styles, Alatrash has earned a reputation for fearlessly broadening the horizons of the cello on the world stage.

Melissa AldanaClass of 2009SaxophonistMelissa Aldana, a rising star in the world of saxophone and the first female instrumentalist to win the coveted Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, has said she doesn’t think about shattering glass ceilings in her career. The native of Chile, who attended Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, just felt privileged to compete with “all these great young musicians.”

Ali AmrClass of 2012Vocalist; Qanun PlayerAli Amr is a vocalist and qanun performer. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arabic music while it forges ahead to new frontiers, embracing many different styles in the process. Amr was honored with three advanced Marcel Khalife Competition prizes as the Best Arabic Music Performer, 2004-2007.

Jeff ApruzzeseClass of 2008Media and Operations Manager, BPMINew Jersey native and bassist Jeff Apruzzese ’08 studied music business/management at Berklee. In his final semester, he cofounded the indie-electronica group Passion Pit, and spent the next eight years playing to festivals and stadiums with the band. 

Eleni ArapoglouClass of 2014Eleni Arapoglou is a dynamic singer from Athens, Greece. After graduating from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts in drama and dance, she continued her studies at Berklee, where she obtained a professional diploma in vocal performance. While at Tufts, Arapoglou toured with the Tufts Jazz Orchestra and opened for the Roots with her band in May 2010.

Demian ArriagaClass of 2004Drummer; PercussionistDrummer and percussionist Demian Arriaga was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. At age 19, he moved to Boston to attend Berklee, graduating in 2004. He has performed with a variety of musicians including Iggy Azalea, Richie Kotzen, and the Jonas Brothers, among others.

Berklee Online Programs

Berklee Online is the online extension school of Berklee College of Music. The school delivers access to Berklee’s curriculum to students around the world.

Berklee Online’s online music courses, multi-course certificate programs, and Bachelor of Professional Studies online degree programs are accredited and taught by the college’s faculty and industry professionals. The school also provides free Berklee online music resources through Berklee Shares, massive open online courses (MOOCs) including Coursera,  EdX, and Kadenze.

From 2005 to 2012, the University Professional Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) awarded Berklee Online with its Best Online College Course Award. Since its inception, Berklee Online has taught more than 30,000 students from 144 countries.

Former Berklee Online students include members of Nine Inch Nails, Dave Matthews Band (Stefan Lessard), Karmin (Amy Heidemann), Sugarland (Annie Clements, Brandon Bush, Thad Beatty), and Train.

Online degree programs

In October 2013, the online school began accepting applications for its 120-credit online degree in two majors: Bachelor of Professional Studies in Music Production and Bachelor of Professional Studies in Music Business. In November 2014, Berklee Online added three new degree majors to its Bachelor of Professional Studies program: Electronic Music Production and Sound Design, Music Composition for Film, TV, and Games, and Interdisciplinary Music Studies, a major that allows students to build their own program based on their musical interests and goals. Since then, the college has continued to expand its online bachelor’s degree major offerings, adding Guitar, Songwriting, and Songwriting and Producing Music to the roster. The college is reportedly the first nonprofit music institution to offer regionally accredited bachelor’s degrees online.

berklee college of music majors

In the Bachelor of Music degree program, studies in your major are combined with liberal arts courses, affording you a broad context in which to study and pursue your objectives in music.

The professional diploma program is almost entirely devoted to the study of music. It includes few liberal arts courses and is not offered for music therapy and music education majors. If accepted to the diploma program, you can switch to the degree program while enrolled at Berklee College of Music if you meet certain academic requirements.

Double Majors
Students may combine many of Berklee College of Music’s 12 majors, depending on the nature of the program. The double major program requires a five-year course of study and is available to both degree and diploma candidates.

berklee college of music requirements

Each Berklee graduate program has specific entrance requirements and supporting materials that you will need to submit in the applicant portal.

Review the entrance requirements and supporting materials for the campus at which your program takes place: 

• Berklee College of Music, Boston campus
  • Master of Music in global jazz: supporting materials
  • Master of Music in music education: supporting materials
  • Master of Music in music education (autism concentration): supporting materials
  • Graduate Certificate in music education and autism: supporting materials
• Berklee NYC’s Master of Arts in creative media and technology: supporting materials
• Berklee Valencia’s graduate programs: supporting materials
• Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s graduate programs: supporting materials
• Berklee Online’s graduate programs: supporting materials

All graduate applicants are required to have the following:

Proof of Bachelor’s Degree

All graduate applicants are required to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, conservatory, or university, and must submit official transcripts from their undergraduate degree. Please do not submit transcripts from high school. 

For applicants who attended university outside the U.S. or Canada:

• Transcripts from institutions outside the U.S. or Canada must be submitted via a credential evaluation service, such as SpanTran or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Please request a course-by-course evaluation, and ask to send the report to Berklee College of Music. 
• If you have not yet finished your degree, you must submit a credential evaluation report of all your courses/marks received so far. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit proof of graduation from your college/university before attending Berklee.
• Any applicant who is enrolled in or has graduated from an international baccalaureate (IB) diploma school with an IB diploma is exempt from submitting documents through a credential evaluator.

We accept transcripts electronically through Parchment. Please select “Berklee College” to deliver your transcripts. If you are concerned about submitting your materials via Parchment or email, please contact us for guidance. 

• Berklee College of Music, Boston campus: graduateadmissions@berklee.edu
• Berklee College of Music, New York City campus: admissionsnyc@berklee.edu
• Berklee College of Music, Valencia, Spain campus: admissionsvalencia@berklee.edu
• Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston campus: conservatoryadmissions@berklee.edu
• Berklee Online: advisors@online.berklee.edu

Student Visas

All master’s degree program participants on the Boston and New York City campuses need a visa unless they are a citizen or legal resident of the United States. Learn about obtaining a student visa to study on the Boston or New York campuses.

All master’s degree program participants on the Valencia, Spain, campus need a visa unless they are a citizen or legal resident of the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, or Switzerland. Learn about obtaining a student visa to study at the Valencia campus.

English Language Requirement

If English is your second language and your undergraduate degree was earned at an institution where the language of instruction was not English, you will need to submit the results of one of the following standardized tests. 

• TOEFL*: iBT (internet-based)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Cambridge English Language Exams: Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Business English Certificate (BEC) 
• Pearson Test of English Academic
• Duolingo* 

We recommend a TOEFL iBT score of 100 or higher, an IELTS score of 7.5 or higher, a Pearson Test of English Academic score of 73, or a Duolingo score of 120 or higher. To send exam scores, you may be asked for a code that represents Berklee College of Music. The institution code for Berklee is 3107.

*Please note that Duolingo is currently available for programs at the Boston campus only. Duolingo is not available for students applying to graduate programs in Valencia, Spain.

Supporting Materials

You will be prompted to upload supporting materials through the online application portal. All materials must be written in English. Example supporting materials include items such as a résumé, letter of recommendation, and a portfolio. Admissions

berklee college of music scholarships

Berklee awards more than $60 million annually in institutional scholarships and grants to students from Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee Valencia, Berklee NYC, and Berklee Online. Approximately 40 percent of entering campus students are awarded institutional aid, with an average award covering 40 percent of tuition.

Scholarships for Entering Students

All entering undergraduate and graduate students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships as part of the admissions process when applying to the College, Conservatory, and Berklee NYC. Berklee Valencia graduate applicants submit a scholarship application within their admissions application portal. Berklee College of Music students also have the opportunity to submit materials within their admissions application to have their songwriting and composition abilities considered. 

Undergraduate scholarships are awarded for up to eight total semesters of enrollment, and are automatically renewed each semester provided students are meeting the terms and conditions of their scholarship.

Institutional Need-Based Grants

Additionally, Berklee College of Music entering undergraduate domestic students who submit a CSS Profile by the posted deadlines will automatically be considered for need-based institutional grants. Because Berklee need-based funding is limited, students who demonstrate high financial need are given priority.

There is no separate application necessary for Berklee scholarship or need-based grant consideration. Consideration, awarding, and notification is an automatic process. Find out when auditions will be held near you.

Entering international students are not eligible to receive institutional need-based aid, but should explore our international students financing page for other options to finance their education.

Scholarships for Continuing Students

Continuing undergraduate campus students are automatically considered for specific awards during their tenure with Berklee, such as the Thrive Scholarship and division awards. 

Thrive Scholarship

The Thrive Scholarship is an initiative designed to invest in continuing undergraduate students who have demonstrated academic achievement, demonstrated financial need, and are on track to graduate on time. 

Continuing undergraduate Boston campus students should ensure they have a CSS Profile on file to be considered for the Thrive Scholarship. Boston Conservatory domestic students should have a FAFSA on file.

Division Awards

Division awards are given to Berklee College of Music students demonstrating high academic and artistic achievement within their respective academic divisions. These relatively small awards are generally decided in the spring semester and issued based on academic division. Students who are eligible will be notified.

No application or request for consideration is necessary for the Thrive Scholarship or division awards. All students who are eligible are automatically considered and, if awarded, notified via email. Berklee Online continuing students can apply for a scholarship if they’ve earned 90 credits towards an online degree and meet the other eligibility criteria.

Special Circumstances Appeal Grants

We recognize that due to extenuating circumstances you may experience temporary challenges affecting your financing plan. Berklee allows all campus-based students to submit a special circumstances appeal to be considered for temporary need-based institutional funding. Domestic students must have a FAFSA on file and international students must have a CSS Profile on file for their appeal to be considered.

Berklee College Of Music Notable Alumni

There is no better place to prepare for a career in contemporary music than Berklee. Perhaps the best evidence of this is the success of the college’s outstanding alumni. To date, 125 Berklee alumni have received 311 Grammy Awards, popular music’s highest honor.

Nick Baxter ’07Jay Bellerose ’87Thomas Bellino ’72 (Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)Steve Berkowitz ’78Jeff Bhasker ’99Josh Blair ’99Gustavo Borner ’89Stephen Bray ’78Alan Broadbent ’69Paul Boutin ’94Gary Burton ’62Will Calhoun ’86 (Living Colour)Kevin Camp ’07Terri Lyne Carrington ’83Annie Clark ’03 (St. Vincent)Vinnie Colaiuta ’75