Example courses
What do graduates do?
- Musician
- Composer
- Music teacher
- Music producer
- Sound engineer
- Sound designer
- Music therapist
- Arts administrator
Which subjects matter?
Magdalen College at Oxford expects music at A-level or IB Higher Level for music. For an applicant whose school does not offer this subject, at least Grade 7 music theory is also accepted.
Example: University of Cambridge, first-year courses
- Historical and critical studies (2 papers)
- Tonal skills and general musicianship (1.5 papers)
- Music analysis (1 paper)
- Optional half papers: extended essay, performance, composition, history workshop
Length by country
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Germany
USAExams required for this field
Audition United Kingdom
At the Royal College of Music, the main criterion for admission is the audition performance. It can be done live on the London campus or by video; most performance auditions last 15 to 20 minutes. Composers are assessed with a portfolio and an interview.
Written work and college assessment United Kingdom
For Cambridge Music, written work and music material are submitted; some colleges also run an assessment.
Entrance exam (Eignungsprüfung) Germany
At Berlin UdK, for example, the harpsichord bachelor's exam consists of performing three major works, sight reading and a written music theory test of about one hour. International applicants are asked for B2 German.
Examples of schools where you can study this subject
18 schools in 8 countries. Programmes were checked on the schools’ own websites. These are only examples; every country has many more options. We choose the schools that fit your budget, documents and goals together.
United Kingdom
King's College LondonMusic · LondonUniversity of GlasgowMusic · GlasgowUniversity of ManchesterMusic MusB · ManchesterUniversity of SheffieldMusic · Sheffield
Canada
Humber PolytechnicBachelor of Music · TorontoToronto Metropolitan UniversityProfessional Music · TorontoUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughMusic and Culture · Toronto
Ireland
Dublin City UniversityJazz and Contemporary Music Performance · DublinUniversity College DublinMusic · DublinUniversity of GalwayBachelor of Arts (Music) · Galway
Hungary
University of DebrecenMusical Creative Art and Musicology · DebrecenUniversity of DebrecenPerformance – Classical Music · DebrecenUniversity of DebrecenContemporary Music · Debrecen
Australia
University of MelbourneBachelor of Music · MelbourneUniversity of QueenslandBachelor of Music · BrisbaneUniversity of SydneyBachelor of Music (Performance) · SydneyUSA
Boston UniversityMusic (Performance) · BostonPenn State UniversityMusic
New Zealand
University of AucklandBachelor of Music · Auckland
Malta
University of MaltaBachelor of Music (Honours) · MsidaWhat to know, country by country
For each country where you can study this subject: an example tuition fee and the next step in the timeline. You can find the details in our country guides.
- 26 October to 21 December 2026
Booking period for the January 2027 session of the ESAT, TMUA and TARA exams (for universities other than Oxford and Cambridge).
- 7 November 2026
Recommended application date for the University of Toronto first review rounds (OUAC 105)
- October to November 2026
For Trinity, ask study@tcd.ie whether your high school is on the direct entry list.
- November 2026
Clarifying the diploma route. The Turkish high school diploma is not on the Melbourne and Sydney lists. Looking at foundation, IB, or a US diploma with SAT/ACT
- 7 November 2026
SAT exam (next date 5 December 2026). Whether a school asks for a test varies by school
- 1 December 2026
International applications for 2027/28 open at the University of Szeged Faculty of Medicine.
- 15 November 2026
For those considering February/March 2027 (Semester One) entry: the last day to apply from abroad at Otago. At Canterbury the international closing date is 1 December, and at Auckland it is 8 December 2026 for most bachelor's programs.
Let’s build your school list for Music together
- We choose schools from 26 countries that fit your grades, budget and documents.
- We gather every school’s application timeline, required documents and exam scores in one list.
- We put tuition fees and living costs side by side.
- We prepare your application file and personal statement together.
Frequently asked questions
How do auditions work in music departments?
At the Royal College of Music, the main criterion for admission is the audition performance. The audition can be live in London or by video; most last 15 to 20 minutes. At Magdalen College, Oxford, an applicant invited to an interview can play a piece they have prepared and takes a short aural test.
Are instrument or theory certificates (Grades) required?
According to The Uni Guide, most traditional music bachelor's degrees expect Grade VII or VIII level on the main instrument. Magdalen College may ask an applicant without Grade 5 piano to show keyboard skills.
Other fields of study in this category
Last checked: October 2026.
Is Music right for you?
Let's talk about interests, strong subjects and target countries, and narrow down the subject and school options together.