Undergraduate Admissions
In order to pursue music studies at SMU (B.M. in Performance, Music Therapy, Music Education, or Composition; B.A. in Music or Music Minor), you must be accepted both to the Meadows School of the Arts (via your audition), as well as to SMU (via your undergraduate application for admission).
Prospective Student Visits
All students who attend a Pre-Audition Day will have the opportunity to observe a music class and ensemble rehearsal.
If you are unable to attend a Pre-Audition Day, click here to see instructions on how to schedule your music class visit and/or sample lesson.
Observing Music Class/Ensemble Rehearsal:
- Make sure to avoid campus breaks by checking the SMU Academic Calendar before you schedule your visit.
- Review our Undergraduate Music Class Schedule and Meadows Music Rehearsal Calendar
- Email musicadmission@smu.edu, at least two weeks prior to your visit date, with the class(es)/rehearsal(s) that you want to attend, indicating clearly your name, major interest, and the day of your visit. Our staff will notify the faculty member teaching the class to check for availabilities, and you will receive an email from musicadmission@smu.edu confirming your class/rehearsal attendance.
Scheduling a Sample Lesson:
- Make sure to avoid campus breaks by checking the SMU Academic Calendar before you schedule your visit.
- Search by instrument to find the faculty member in your discipline on our Music Faculty List.
- Contact the faculty member directly, cc'ing musicadmission@smu.edu, at least two weeks prior to your visit date, to request and schedule your sample lesson. Note that sample lessons are subject to faculty availability.
Admission checklist for Music applicants
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Review the Audition Dates or Recorded Auditions information
2016 – 17 Audition Dates
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Register online for your audition: Click on your area of study below to get to the appropriate audition-scheduling page and, once there, use the calendar to select your desired audition date.
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Apply to SMU. You must submit the application form (either via Common Application, SMU Application or Apply Texas) PRIOR to your audition day, though it is not necessary that you submit all items from the application checklist before you audition.
Click here to read an important note to those applying to SMU using Early Action/Early Decision 1 (November 1 deadline) and are pursuing degrees in Music, Dance, Theatre, Studio Art or the B.F.A. in Film & Media Arts.
If you apply to SMU by Nov. 1 but do not complete your audition/submit your portfolio until January or February, there is a strong possibility that your SMU admission decision will be deferred until your Meadows audition or portfolio results are available. This is because, as part of the holistic application review process, the SMU Office of Undergraduate Admission would like the opportunity to consider both your academic application as well as your audition/portfolio results before delivering an admission decision.
If you apply using Early Action/Early Decision I and receive a "deferred" letter, you will receive a followup decision letter after the SMU Office of Undergraduate Admission has reviewed the results of your audition or portfolio.
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View and prepare the required undergraduate audition repertoire.
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Complete the Undergraduate Theory Assessment prior to your audition day. You will receive instructions in a separate email after registering to audition.
- Review information about the Audition and our Pre-Audition Day
All SMU On-Campus Music Auditions are offered on Saturdays. The Saturday audition day schedule also includes an information session with student performances and optional campus tours offered by current music students.
We welcome all candidates to begin their visit to SMU on the Fridays preceding auditions, during the optional Pre-Audition Day, to become better acquainted with our facilities, students and faculty before their audition experience.
View the December Pre-Audition Day Schedule (to be posted October 1)
View the January/February Pre-Audition Day Schedule (to be posted January 15)
Please RSVP here to let us know you’re planning to attend the Pre-Audition Day. If you wish to go on the SMU Campus Tour, register for the 2:45 p.m. Campus Tour through the SMU Daily Visit form.
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Voice Candidates, Music Composition Candidates, and Transfer Students: review important notes below.
All voice candidates wishing to participate in the live Dallas auditions on January or February must first submit a pre-screening video here by December 1. All submissions will be evaluated by faculty, and email notification from the Division of Music will follow with instructions on registering for a live audition for candidates who are approved for a live audition in Dallas. Notifications are typically sent in mid-December. Early Action/Early Decision I/Spring Transfer Applicants wanting to audition live in Dallas on December 3 do not have to submit a pre-screening video.
Music Composition candidates: please see Music Composition admission requirements.
Transfer Students: Note that all transfer students are required to complete college algebra or a college-level math course before transferring to SMU. We strongly encourage you to plan ahead and check with your transfer admission counselor to ensure that you have satisfied this admission requirement.
Recorded Auditions
While we strongly prefer that a prospective applicant audition in person, we accept auditions through a video recording.
- Submissions are due by January 15 for scholarship consideration.
- Submit YouTube/Vimeo link(s) to your video recordings online through our Recorded Audition Submission Form by January 15.
- Audition repertoire must comply with the stated requirements.
- Music faculty may choose an interview or follow-up visit with candidates before reaching an admission decision.