Admissions & Entrance Auditions

First Time Freshman Students

(Attendance at Cal State Fullerton following high school, or with few transferable units from another institution.)

• To start the process, first file an application through Cal State Apply, and indicate music as your preferred major.

You will then get a series of emails from us.  One will ask what instrument (including voice) you intend to study.  Others will provide information about auditions and any pre-screening requirements, and tell you more about the School of Music, financial aid, and other essentials.

• Application Process
• Get ready to audition!

ALL STUDENTS, regardless of whether you’re performance, composition, music history, music education, jazz, etc., take private lessons in either voice or the instrument of your choice. ALL STUDENTS must audition either in voice or on their instrument. 

Upper Division Transfer Students

(Attending Cal State Fullerton coming from a community college, or from another four year institution.)

• To start the process, first file an application through Cal State Apply, and indicate music as your preferred major.

You will then get a series of emails from us.  One will ask what instrument (including voice) you intend to study.  Others will provide information about auditions and any pre-screening requirements, and tell you more about the School of Music, financial aid, and other essentials.

• You must have passed the Golden Four Courses in order to transfer from a community college to CSUF.
• Application Process
• Get ready to audition!

ALL STUDENTS, regardless of whether you’re performance, composition, music history, music education, jazz, etc., take private lessons in either voice or the instrument of your choice. ALL STUDENTS must audition either in voice or on their instrument.

About the program

In our graduate program, you can further your study by working closely with leading performance and academic faculty in an environment that emphasizes personal attention. We offer MM and MA degrees in many areas of study, as well as an Artist Diploma certificate. To begin your graduate study, you must be both admitted to University and accepted by the School of Music. 

Online university application

To start the process, first file an application through Cal State Apply.  

Once the School of Music has received your application, you may then get a series of emails from us.  One will ask what instrument (including voice) you intend to study. Others will provide information about auditions and any pre-screening requirements.

Supporting materials

All required supporting materials must be submitted online through Cal State Apply. These required materials include unofficial transcripts, personal statement, names and email addresses of referees, and, depending on the desired degree program, performance links, compositions, or research papers. For your application to be reviewed all materials must be submitted.

Transcripts and TOEFL

Have an official transcript from each university, college, and/or community college you have attended sent directly to: 

CSU Fullerton
Admissions and Records
P.O. Box 6900
Fullerton, CA 92834-6900 

If your native language is not English and you have not completed a bachelor’s degree at an English-speaking institution, also have your TOEFL score of 550/80 or higher for the MM/MA or 500/61 or higher for the Artist Diploma sent to the address above. Note that foreign language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations. 

You cannot be admitted to CSUF without these documents. Sending them by February 1 (to begin study in fall) will expedite the admissions process and I-20 preparation. 

Please note that GRE scores are not needed and that CSUF alumni do not need to send CSUF transcripts.

Financial questions? 

Studying at CSUF is very affordable, and we offer a robust set of financial aid options for U.S. citizens, including grants, scholarships, and loans. Make sure that you complete the FAFSA application, preferably by February, to have access to the widest array of financial aid options. If you are not a U.S. citizen, the graduate adviser, artist diploma adviser, and other music faculty can provide information about relevant options, including Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT). If you have questions about what scholarships or other financial assistance may be offered specifically through the School of Music, contact the division coordinator for your area of study.

Deadlines

If you intend to audition during the main February audition period to begin classes the next fall semester, you should submit your online university application and other required materials by the end of January to ensure the most complete consideration. If no deadline is listed for your intended area of study, applicants may be considered on a rolling basis. However, in such cases, online university applications must be submitted at Cal State Apply by the beginning of July for Fall admission and by the beginning of December for Spring admission. If you have missed this deadline, please contact the Graduate Program adviser or Artist Diploma adviser listed above to learn about other options for beginning your graduate study at CSUF soon.

About the program

The Artist Diploma is a two-year certificate program offering the exceptionally talented, emerging professional musician practical instruction and experience in music performance at the post- baccalaureate level. Coursework emphasizes private study, recital performance, and ensemble performance, while allowing students to tailor their remaining elective coursework as best supports their personal background and goals. Admission is based largely on performance ability, as assessed through rigorous live auditions. The Artist Diploma is offered for the following areas of study: brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, guitar, voice, jazz, piano, and instrumental conducting.

Auditions

Auditions normally occur each spring at the same time as School of Music auditions for all programs. 

Artist Diploma Advisor Dr. Ernest Salem (657) 278-3552

Criteria for Admission

1. A baccalaureate music degree from a domestic accredited college, university, or conservatory, or equivalent if foreign student (equivalency to be determined by Admissions and Records).
2. A minimum 2.5 G.P.A. in the last 60 units attempted.
3. For those applicants who hold no degrees from an English-language based institution, a minimum score of 500 on the paper-based TOEFL exam or 61 on the Internet TOEFL (NOTE: 550 paper / 80 Internet TOEFL is required for students choosing to enroll in 500-level graduate seminars for elective units).
4. A high level of musical performance ability as assessed through a live audition (please see audition requirements listed under areas of concentration) held before the Artist Diploma Auditioning Committee which would be comprised of area coordinators and other appropriate music faculty (Students living at least 500 miles away for whom travel to CSUF would be costly, may submit a DVD or an online link to YouTube, Dropbox, personal website, etc., as a preliminary assessment of their performance; students successfully passing this preliminary assessment of their performance must still perform a live audition after they arrive). It is expected that an Artist Diploma candidate would pass a higher standard of performance in their audition than that of an incoming master’s student applying to the Master of Music Program.