How to Apply - Graduate

Applicants are required to apply online. You must complete all required fields and upload materials prior to submission. Most materials can be submitted electronically through the online application. Mannes School of Music accepts applications from artists pursuing the following courses of study:

• Bassoon
• Cello
• Clarinet
• Collaborative Piano: Instrumental (MM only)
• Collaborative Piano: Vocal
• Composition
• Double Bass
• Flute
• Guitar
• Harp
• Harpsichord
• Horn
• Oboe
• Orchestral Conducting
• Percussion
• Piano
• Theory
• Trombone
• Trumpet
• Tuba
• Viola
• Violin
• Voice

Any additional supporting documents that need to be sent electronically or by mail must include an Application Materials Cover Sheet. All supporting materials must be received before your application can be reviewed.

If you're planning to apply using a school email address, please confirm that you can receive our email first. Some schools block email from outside their domains.

The application fee for U.S. domestic applicants and international transfer applicants is $50. Application fees are paid through the online application and are non-refundable. The New School waives application fees for those who meet the eligibility guidelines listed in the Application Fee Waivers section of our university-wide undergraduate and graduate How to Apply pages.

In prose form, and in 200 to 500 words, please answer one of the following questions:

Choice 1
Describe the biggest risk you've ever taken.

Choice 2
Why did you decide to pursue music as a career?

Choice 3
The New School brings together a dynamic group of students interested in the performing arts, visual art, design, entrepreneurship, social change, and critical thought. We would like to know more about your interest in joining our community and why you would be a good fit for The New School. We are particularly interested in knowing what will make you a valuable member of your specific school, college, program, area of study, or campus.

Choice 4
Please describe in detail your interest in music improvisation, new music technologies, music entrepreneurship, and/or public engagement. Please also describe how you feel music education can help you pursue your career goals in these areas.

Applicants to the Composition, Conducting, Piano, and Voice programs must submit a portfolio or prescreen materials, as detailed on our audition requirements page. After review, those whose portfolios or prescreen materials pass will be invited to submit any additional final recordings and/or schedule an admission video interview. 

Two letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references are required. Recommendations must be submitted by recommenders directly via the online application portal. Instructions are included in the online application.

Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript, mark sheet, or academic record for each institution (even if you didn’t receive a degree) in the Academic History section of the online application.

All uploaded transcripts must be accompanied by a key, a legend, or the back copy of the transcript. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. Records from non-U.S. institutions must have grades or marks and contain a copy of diploma if the degree has been conferred. Make sure your name appears on the transcript/record. Scanned documents must be clear and legible.

If you experience trouble uploading your transcript, email [email protected] and give a detailed description of the issue and attach the document in question.

The New School reserves the right to require official transcripts or an official NACES course-by-course evaluation at any time during the admission process. Any fraudulent activity or discrepancies found between uploaded and official transcripts will result in the immediate revocation of admission and/or dismissal from The New School. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial.

Applicants offered admission will be required to submit official transcripts with proof of their degree conferral(s) prior to enrollment. Admitted applicants must submit all official transcripts pertaining to their entire academic career. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial, and do not satisfy this requirement.

How to Submit Electronic Transcripts
The New School accepts electronic transcripts only from our approved vendors:

• National Student Clearinghouse
• Parchment Exchange
• Credentials eScrip-Safe
• TrueCopy Credentials

Electronic transcripts sent directly by a student are not considered official.

Whenever possible, please send all official communication electronically, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, and tuition deposits.

In rare circumstances where items must be mailed, please send to:

The New School
Office of Admission
55 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011

All applicants whose first language is not English must submit valid results of an English language proficiency test taken within the past two years. We permit applicants to submit one of the following tests: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency.

Minimum required scores are:

• TOEFL iBT — 79
• IELTS — 6.5
• PTE — 53
• Duolingo English Test — 105
• Cambridge English — 176

Our TOEFL institution code is 2501.

The New School does not accept English language proficiency test results from IELTS Indicator, IELTS for UKVI, iTEP, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL ITP Plus for China, TOEFL My Best Score, or the University College London preparatory certificate program.

The New School does not require TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge English scores for applicants who have:

• Studied in English, as the primary language of instruction, for all four consecutive years of high school/secondary school. However, students who have taken any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses while in high school, regardless of how long they have been in high school, must submit TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo English Test results.
  
• Earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college or university or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction, with a minimum of three years' attendance (transfer students only).

After reviewing your application, the Office of Admission may require you to submit an English language proficiency test score to allow for evaluation of your candidacy.

All admitted students are considered for merit scholarship awards determined by the strength of their applications. International students are eligible only for merit scholarships. If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid  (FAFSA) in order to be considered for federal financial aid. The FAFSA is available each year on October 1. The New School’s federal school code is 002780. You don’t need to wait for an admission decision to apply for federal aid. Our Financial Aid staff are available to guide you through the process of applying for financial aid.

The College of Performing Arts will hold on-campus auditions for both spring and fall entry.

Composition and Theory interviews will be held online.

Applicants who prefer to submit audition recordings instead may do so. Recordings are evaluated with the same criteria and the same level of scrutiny as a live audition. Recordings must be submitted through the Online Application Center before or by November 1 for spring 2023 admission and February 1 for fall 2023 admission.

It is not necessary to submit a professionally produced video, but the sound quality should be at a high level. We strongly recommend the use of an external microphone. Applicants should also ensure that proper lighting is used and that the camera shows the full range of movement and use of instrument (if applicable).

Once your application and audition upload is complete, you’ll be invited to schedule a video conference interview. Interviews are ten minutes long and are intended to help you and us to get to know one another better. There’s nothing specific you need to prepare.

Live audition schedules and specific program audition requirements are listed on our Graduate Audition Requirements page.

Mannes emphasizes the performance of music of our time. One of the required major solo works for the graduate audition is a contemporary work, composed after 1970. Alternatively, an additional solo work may be performed that meets this requirement. This may be a standard contemporary work, a lesser-known work, or an original composition or arrangement by the auditionee.

Note: If you are unfamiliar with contemporary repertoire, please email us at [email protected] to discuss how you can still have a successful audition at Mannes.

Applications become complete and ready for review once all required items have been received by the Office of Admission. You can check your application status in the Admission Hub.

Allow at least 14 days from the date you submitted your application for items to be matched and shown as received. Applicants are responsible for following up with schools and recommenders to confirm that transcripts and recommendations have been sent.

The Office of Admission will periodically notify applicants by email if their file is missing any documents and again when their file is complete for review. These notifications are sent to the email address provided in the online application.

If you need to change your email address, mailing address, or other contact information, email the Office of Admission.

Spring admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in November.

Fall admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in late March.

Fall transfer admission decisions will be released on a rolling basis starting in April.

In any given academic year, a student can apply to only one department or program within The New School. Applicants who file more than one application in an academic year will be required to withdraw one of the applications, and application fees will not be refunded.

All materials and documents submitted in association with The New School application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

Students who wish to return to a graduate degree program after an absence of four semesters must reapply via the graduate application. They must first confirm that their program is still active, and that they are meeting time limit requirements (if applicable), before completing the application.

The New School attracts students from all over the world. The university is authorized by the United States government to enroll international students in the full-time degree and diploma programs.

The decision to admit an applicant always relies on successful completion of current studies and the receipt of a final transcript. All admitted students must have their official final transcripts on file before they begin classes. Please review our transcript requirements above for more information.

Please do not submit bank statements with your application for admission. Submission of bank statements is part of the visa process.

Visiting the United States
Upon request, the Office of Admission will provide a letter for international applicants to present at a U.S. consulate or embassy when applying for a tourist visa to attend the on-campus audition. Although consular practices vary from country to country, applicants should request a "Prospective Student" annotation on the B-1/B-2 visa. For more information about entering as a tourist, contact International Student and Scholar Services.

International Student and Scholar Services
When notified of admission, applicants will receive complete instructions for additional procedures regarding financial aid, housing, tuition and fees, I-20 visas (for nonresidents of the United States), and other matters. International students who need to file the I-20 or DS-2019 form to obtain a student visa will find a link to the online International Student Application Packet in their decision letters. They can also access the link using the Accepted Student tab in MyNewSchool. The packet includes information about applying for the I-20 or DS-2019, guidelines for providing the required financial documents, instructions and procedures for F-1 transfer students, and other important forms and information. Learn more on the International Student and Scholar Services website.

All current degree-seeking New School students who apply to a new program are required to submit a final audition for that program. A letter of recommendation is not required.

All current degree-seeking New School students who apply to a Mannes program are exempt from any pre-audition screening requirements if applying to the same major as at the previous degree level.

Current degree-seeking New School students applying to a new or different program for the next school year will have the application fee waived if they contact the Office of Admission before the December 1 application deadline.

Current Bachelor of Music and undergraduate diploma students are not required to take musicianship placement exams or be interviewed when applying for admission to the Master of Music degree program. However, Mannes Professional Studies Diploma students must take the musicianship placement examination if they are applying to any degree program or major that normally requires placement examinations.

Students currently enrolled at another college who wish to take classes at The New School for one semester should apply as a visiting student.

All applicants are required to complete a virtual Performing Arts Admission Interview with our faculty. Applicants will be invited to schedule their interview separately from their audition scheduling/submission process after a complete application has been received.

Why interview?

Because we want to know the musician beyond the music.

The College of Performing Arts is dedicated to creating a community of engaged artistic citizens through holistic processes that promote access, equity, and justice. The interview is an informal conversation with our community leaders that allows us to meet the you beyond your technical abilities—to meet the entrepreneur, the innovator, the human being. 

The New School welcomes undocumented students and students who hold DACA status to apply—such status does not affect the admissions process. For questions about financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

Learn more about how we support undocumented students.