International applications

A valid TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (DET) is required of all international graduate applicants whose native language is not English. International students who have completed at least one year of full-time academic study at a U.S. institution (or at an institution in a country where English is the native language) at the time they apply and within two years from their desired admission term may request an English proficiency score waiver. Requests will be evaluated by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at the College of Music and subject to approval. You may submit a request via email to graduate.music@colorado.edu by Wednesday, November 20th. Waiver requests received after November 20th will not be considered. Please have the application completed with requested supplemental materials uploaded and ready to submit before submitting your request.

Applicants who are not granted a waiver must submit an acceptable score by Dec. 1 in order for their application to be considered complete. There are no exceptions to these requirements. Exams that are more than two years old are considered invalid for admission purposes.

Fall 2025 applicants

Note: The College of Music does not accept the MyBestScore score report.

The minimum acceptable scores for the College of Music are shown below.

Artist Diploma programs: TOEFL 75 | IELTS 6.5 | DET 120
All Master’s degree programs: TOEFL 83 | IELTS 6.5 | DET 120
All Doctor of Musical Arts and PhD programs: TOEFL 88 | IELTS 7 | DET 130

All students whose native language is not English are encouraged to take an English placement exam with the English as a Second Language Department (ESL) upon arrival on campus and to consider the recommendations made for additional ESL coursework.