How to apply

You must apply online using the Common Application. You must complete all required fields and upload materials before submission. Most materials can be submitted electronically through the Common Application. Submission of required audition materials and/or audition scheduling must be done through The New School’s Online Application Center. You will be given access to the Online Application Center after a complete Common Application has been received. We welcome applications from artists pursuing the following courses of study:

• Bass
• Drums
• Electronics
• Guitar
• Piano and Keyboard Instruments
• Saxophone
• Clarinet
• Singer-Songwriter
• Strings
• Trumpet, Trombone, and Horn
• Vibraphone
• Vocal Performance

Any additional supporting documents that need to be sent by mail must include an Application Materials Cover Sheet. Documents can also be emailed to [email protected]. 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 2025 application will become available in mid-September.

The application fee for U.S. domestic applicants and international transfer applicants is $50. The application fee for first-year international applicants is $75.

Application fees are paid through the online application and are non-refundable.

If the application fee is a hardship for you or your family, you can request a fee waiver through the Common Application. Additionally, The New School waives application fees for those who meet the eligibility guidelines listed in the Application Fee Waivers section of our university-wide How to Apply page.

Applicants must submit two essays. The Common Application essay is not required. 

Essay 1

In your study or work at The New School, what social issue or system would you make the focus of your efforts to effect change? (200-400 words)

Essay 2

What specific aspects of The New School's academic programs or community drew you to apply? Please pay particular attention to the college and program that you have applied to in your essay. (200-400 words)

All applicants to the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music are required to audition.

The College of Performing Arts will hold on-campus auditions for fall entry only. Submitting audition recordings is always an option for both spring and fall.

Applicants will be invited to schedule their live audition or submit audition recordings once their Common Application has been received.

In-person auditions are conducted with a live rhythm section of current student musicians (piano, bass, drums), so make sure to bring at least three copies of sheet music or charts. We ask that you perform at least one tune with live musicians when auditioning.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

AUDITION REPERTOIRE 

Auditions are primarily judged on the following criteria:

• Individual expression
• Technique
• Musical maturity
• Originality
• Ability to phrase a melody, perform with a committed rhythmic feel, and improvise in contexts that commonly employ improvisation

The audition is the primary evaluation tool for both acceptance to the BFA program and scholarship consideration. All merit-based scholarships are awarded at the time of admission and are included in your decision letter.

Singer-Songwriter Applicants

• Two original pieces, showcasing proficiency in composition and individual artistic vision in addition to the criteria outlined above.
• One piece of your choosing, original or otherwise.
• If you are auditioning live, all original performed pieces must be self-accompanied. If you wish to perform with a rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) for any of your material, please bring three copies of legible charts for each tune.
• Audition recordings may include accompaniment or collaborators so long as the applicant is prominently featured.

Electronics Applicants:

• Two pieces, original or otherwise, showcasing proficiency with a Digital Audio Workstation for performance and/or composition, in addition to the criteria outlined above.
• One piece to be created based on the following prompt: Create a new audio work inspired by an era of popular music. Examples include the 1920s Jazz Age, 1950s rock and roll, and 2000s hip-hop. Support your piece with a short essay explaining your choice and describing your process for executing your idea. (300 words maximum)

• Electronics auditions must be submitted as recordings through the Online Application Center.

All Other Instruments and Vocal Applicants:

Prepare and perform three pieces, no longer than 15 minutes total:

1) A standard. This piece should highlight your improvisational skills where applicable. Refer to the Traditional American Songbook, blues tune, jazz tune, and Bossa Nova descriptions in the Typical Repertoire information below. 

2) A piece of your choosing, in any style (jazz, blues, pop, soul, rock R&B, an original work, etc.), which you can perform solo, with pre-recorded backing tracks (for recorded auditions only), or with a live rhythm section.

3) Another piece of your choosing, in any style (jazz, blues, pop, soul, rock, R&B, an original work, etc.), which you can perform solo, with pre-recorded backing tracks (for recorded auditions only), or with a live rhythm section.

We want to see diversity in your three audition pieces. Aim to play three different tempos and styles, and show us works you love to perform. We want to see you at your best!

Typical Repertoire

The Traditional American Songbook includes songs taken from American musical theater that can be performed in a variety of contexts. George Gershwin ("Summertime"), Irving Berlin ("Blue Skies"), Cole Porter ("What Is This Thing Called Love"), and Rodgers & Hart ("My Funny Valentine") are some of the best-known composers of these pieces.

Blues tunes include songs from the long tradition of American blues, from W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" to Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" to more swing-oriented songs like "Alright, Okay, You Win" and "Got My Mojo Working" and more jazz-oriented songs like "Now's the Time," "Route 66," and "Blue Monk."

Jazz tunes come primarily from the instrumental jazz world and include works by Duke Ellington ("Take the A Train"), Charlie Parker ("Ornithology"), Miles Davis ("Tune Up"), Thelonious Monk ("'Round Midnight"), Charles Mingus ("Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"), John Coltrane ("Moment's Notice"), and hundreds more.

Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim is the most commonly played composer of Bossa Nova tunes, including the frequently performed songs "Girl from Ipanema" and "Desafinado." 

Singer-songwriter repertoire from the 1960s to the present, including the work of Lennon and McCartney, Ashford & Simpson, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Elton John, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Prince, Tom Waits, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Alicia Keyes, and more, is welcome.

Backing Track Resource
Applicants who are unable to come to campus or to record with a live rhythm section are strongly encouraged to use a digital accompaniment resource such as:

• iRealPro
• Aebersold Play-A-Longs
• Hal Leonard Jazz Playalongs
• Jazzbacks

Recorded Auditions
If you are submitting an audition recording, you should upload recordings through your Admission Hub. You will receive an email with the link to your Admission Hub after submitting the Common Application. The Admission Hub will open on September 15. If you submit your Common Application before September 15, you won’t be able to upload recordings until September 15. Please upload each tune individually and label the files with your last name and the name of the song. Total time should not exceed 15 minutes.

We prefer audition recordings with live accompaniment if possible. If that is not possible, pre-recorded accompaniment tracks are acceptable. While the audio of audition recordings should be of high quality, we do not require applicants to record their auditions in a professional studio. All video audition files must be clearly labeled with your name, the instrument, and the title of each track.

In order to receive consideration of the highest level, audition recordings must be received at the Office of Admission by the application deadline.

Recommendations may be submitted online through the Common Application. If necessary, the recommendation form may be downloaded and emailed to [email protected].

First Year Applicants
Applicants applying directly from high school must submit one counselor recommendation and one recommendation from a teacher. The Common Application School Report is also required. Recommendation letters may also be written by someone who can speak highly of you as an artist, scholar, or student, like an employer or mentor. They may not be written by family members.

Transfer Applicants
Students transferring from other colleges or universities must submit one recommendation from a professor with whom they have studied. Recommendation letters may also be written by someone who can speak highly of you as an artist, scholar, or student, like an employer or mentor. They may not be written by family members.

Interviews are not required for admission, but they’re encouraged and can help with merit scholarship consideration in some cases. If you'd like to schedule an interview, email [email protected]. 

All applicants must provide official high school and/or college transcripts from all institutions attended. Undergraduate applicants who have attended multiple high schools can submit only the graduating school’s official transcript as long as all prior coursework is listed on that transcript.

First Year Applicants

First-year applicants must provide official high school and/or college transcripts. If you are currently in school, submit transcripts for all coursework taken to date. Transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.

Applicants who have attended multiple high schools may submit only the transcript from the school from which they are graduating as long as all prior coursework is listed on that transcript. All academic credentials for homeschool students must be submitted as indicated in the Additional Information for Specific Applicant Populations section below.

Transfer Applicants
Transfer applicants must submit an official high school/secondary school transcript with graduation date or General Education Diploma (GED). Transfer applicants who have completed 24 U.S. college credits in a degree-granting program, or the equivalent, are not required to submit their high school transcripts. Official transcripts are also required for each college or university you have previously attended.

Applicants with High School Equivalency Tests

Students may submit one of the following in lieu of official high school transcripts: General Education Development (GED), Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) exam results. Final results must be sent directly from the testing agency.

How to Submit Electronic Transcripts

Transcripts can be submitted through an approved electronic vendor (see below), submitted via email by a school official, from an official school email address, to [email protected], or through postal mail. Transcripts will be considered unofficial if forwarded in an email.

Approved electronic vendors: BridgeU, Common Application, Cialfo, Credentials eScrip-Safe, Kuder, MaiaLearning, MEFA Pathway, National Student Clearinghouse, Naviance, OverGrad, Parchment Exchange, UniFrog, SCOIR, SchooLinks, Xello).

If your school does not use any of these vendors and your school official is not able to email them from an official school email address, transcripts must be sent directly via postal mail by a school official in a sealed envelope.

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

All admitted students are automatically considered for scholarship awards. No separate application is required. International students are typically 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 need-based financial aid. The FAFSA is typically available each year on October 1, but will be delayed in 2025. 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.

Students who wish to further supplement their financial resources should consider applying for external scholarships.

Instructions for Early Decision Applicants

Domestic students, permanent residents, and other students eligible to submit the FAFSA who are applying Early Decision must submit the Net Price Calculator by November 10 in order to receive a need-based aid package with their Early Decision admission offer. Additional information about the Net Price Calculator will be shared with Early Decision applicants after they submit the application.

The New School does not require submission of SAT or ACT scores, and they do not play a part in our review process. If you choose to share your scores, our SAT institution code is 2521, and our ACT code is 2828.

All applicants whose first language is not English must submit valid English language proficiency test results taken within the past two years.

We permit applicants to submit one of the following tests: TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duloingo 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 - 115
• Cambridge English - 176

TOEFL iBT is the world’s most trusted and accepted English proficiency test to demonstrate your academic readiness. Take it at home or in a test center in less than 2 hours. Register for an upcoming TOEFL iBT test to realize your dreams of studying, working, and living abroad. Our TOEFL institution code is 2521. 

IELTS test takers should electronically submit their test results to The New School.

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.
  
• Successfully completed two full semesters of college-level coursework while taking non-ESL college-level expository writing or equivalent courses (transfer students only).
• Earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college/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 evaluate your candidacy.

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 marked as received in your Admission Hub. 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 early action and early decision first-year admission decisions will be released in late December and early January.

Fall regular decision first-year admission decisions will be released by April 1 for high school applicants. 

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

The New School welcomes applicants from all over the world. To be competitive for admission, applicants must be on track to complete required coursework to earn a high school diploma within their home country that qualifies them for university entry. Below are some of the most common international secondary school curriculums that we see students applying from and helpful guidance for each one.

• Advanced Levels (A-Levels): Students who are most competitive for admission will have completed or be in the process of completing A Levels from three subjects at the time of application.
• Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) or Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE): Submission of both Standard X (SSC) and completed or predicted Standard XII (HSC) exam marks is required.
• International Baccalaureate (IB): Students can pursue either the IB Diploma Program (DP) or IB Career-related Program (CP). Applicants who are taking individual IB courses as a supplement to a national curriculum are permitted to pursue individual IB courses rather than the DP or CP. 

For more information about submission requirements see the Submitting Transcripts section above. Applicants with questions about their secondary school transcripts as they relate to admission can email [email protected].

Some international secondary school coursework will qualify for pre-matriculation credit, awarded by the Registrar upon enrollment.

You can apply to the BA/BFA dual-degree program with your initial application for admission to The New School. All applicants are required to apply online using the Common Application. In the field that asks "What school are you applying to?" you will be able to choose either "Lang and Jazz, BA/BFA" or "Lang and Parsons, BA/BFA".

Upon completion of the homeschool curriculum, students must provide proof of high school graduation or an equivalent. We will accept an official transcript from a state homeschool association or sponsoring public high school; GED, TASC, or HiSET exam results; individual homeschool transcripts with date of completion; and certificates of completion recognized by local homeschool associations.

Homeschool applicants must provide the equivalent of a high school transcript with course or subject titles, duration of study for each title, content of study for each title, and an assessment of performance or “grade” at the time of application. Preferably, the courses completed at home are part of a curriculum developed and evaluated by a nationally recognized diploma-granting organization or agency. 

Upon review, applicants may be required to submit additional application materials.

The Internal Transfer Application is required for all current New School students who wish to transfer from one New School college to another. If you would like to apply as an internal applicant, review the deadlines and requirements in the Undergraduate Internal Transfer Policy section of our University Admission How to Apply page. Students who wish to change departments or majors within the same college should speak with their academic advisor. Internal transfer applicants should connect with a Financial Aid Counselor. Financial aid packages, including scholarships, will change as a result of changing programs.

Transfer students are students who have graduated from high school or earned a high school equivalent and are in the process of completing or have completed college or university coursework after high school graduation. If you are unsure whether to apply as a first-year applicant or a transfer applicant, please email [email protected].

Students may transfer up to 64 credits toward their BFA degree pending the evaluation of these credits by the university registrar and academic leadership. Selected transfer credits for skills-based major coursework are accepted contingent upon the results of placement testing. We invite you to learn more about how transfer credits are evaluated by contacting the Registrar's Office.

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

The Application for Readmission should be completed by students who wish to return after an absence of four semesters (fall and spring). If you would like to apply for readmission, review the readmission deadlines and requirements in the Readmission section of our university How to Apply page. If you have enrolled at another institution as a degree seeking student since you were last enrolled at The New School, you should apply for admission as a transfer student according to the instructions outlined above.

The New School welcomes undocumented students and students who hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status to apply—such status does not affect the admissions process. When completing the Common Application related to Citizenship status, you may select “DACA, undocumented, Deferred Enforced Departure, or Temporary Protected Status.”

For questions about financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

Additional information about how we support undocumented students can be found on our Student Support website.