Prospective undergraduates

Review all university admission requirements on the CU Boulder Office of Admissions website

Submit your University of Colorado Boulder application

• First-year applicants: Apply using The Common Application
• Transfer applicants: Apply using the CU Boulder Transfer Application

Submit your College of Music application online

• Your music application can be found on the status page of your CU Boulder application. Once you’ve submitted the application, check your email for a message from Undergraduate Admissions prompting you to check your application status. The College of Music application will be below your checklist.
• The College of Music application will ask you to select your audition method. All applicants are required to submit a recorded audition on or before Feb. 1 (It is highly recommended to do so by Dec. 1). You also have the choice to sign up for a live audition (highly recommended). Please note you will not be able to select a date/time until your recording has been uploaded.

  • Note: A short essay is required as part of the music application. You’ll need to upload it via your application portal. Note that it will have to be a PDF file in order to successfully upload. See prompts below.

  • Note: You must submit your recording via your CU Boulder application checklist page, in the application portal. After submitting the application, you will get an email from Undergraduate Admissions with your log in information. Log in and view your CU Boulder checklist page. From this portal, you may upload recordings. If you’re having trouble with this process, please reach out to Undergraduate Admissions directly.

• Please choose one of the following essay prompts and upload an original essay (approximately 250 words)
  • 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?
• Fall composition applicants must also submit three of their best scores, along with sound recordings through the CU Boulder application by Dec. 1. Spring composition applicants must submit by Oct. 15. Applicants who are not admitted to the Composition major will still be considered for other music majors at the applied audition.

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 either with only a recording or recording + live audition (recommended).

• Option 1: Upload a recorded audition to your CU Boulder application portal and be done with your audition. Note that if you're applying to a composition, music education, or musicology degree you'll have additional steps.

• Option 2 (highly recommended): Upload your recordings via your CU Boulder application portal and also sign up for a live audition/interview. We require applicants to choose their date and time to complete a live audition. Dates and times will become available via your CU Boulder Application Portal in early December and only after you've submitted your recorded audition.

You must sign up for your live audition date and time via your application checklist. Dates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a date has been filled, you must choose a different date option. Students applying for Music Education and Composition will also be required to interview.

Review the audition requirements for your specific area of study.