The Graduate Board of Admissions will only evaluate complete applications. Review the information below to ensure you have submitted all requirements.
Complete all required sections in the application, and upload your statement of purpose, resume, and program-specific portfolio to the application. You will then be able to pay the $150 non-refundable application fee and submit your completed online graduate application. If you are a Berklee alumnus (including Boston Conservatory, and Berklee Online)you may be eligible for a fee waiver.
Unsure which program to apply for? Explore our graduate offerings and learn more about Valencia and our esteemed faculty by downloading the Berklee Valencia Brochure .
Apart from the materials you will upload to your application directly, there are several other materials all graduate applicants are required to submit to support their application. Your resume, statement of purpose, and other program specific materials must be in PDF format.
This is your chance to tell us all about you, your musical journey, and why you would like to pursue a master’s degree program at Berklee College of Music (must be in English between 400-500 words).
Include your personal details, educational, and work experience in English.
You will be able to request a letter of recommendation directly from your online application. The recommendation should come from a professional that you have worked or collaborated with who can convey your musical strengths and skills. Recommendations should not be done by friends or peers, rather a professor or someone that you have reported to professionally. The letter must be written in English and signed by your recommender. Your recommender will receive instructions on how to submit their recommendation by email.
For applicants who attended university in the U.S. or Canada:
For applicants who attended university outside the U.S. or Canada:
Transcripts from institutions outside the U.S. or Canada must be evaluated by an approved third-party credential evaluation service. Berklee works closely with SpanTran and Educational Credential Evaluators, and we recommend their services. Please ask for a course-by-course evaluation.
The credential evaluation process can take several weeks to complete, and we strongly urge you to begin the process as early as possible. Your application will not be complete until we have received credential evaluation reports for all of your academic credentials. If admitted, you will be required to submit a copy of your bachelor degree diploma from your college/university before enrolling at Berklee.
Other documents, such as résumés, statement of purpose, and creative works must be uploaded to your application form before you submit it.
Students who have completed higher education outside of the United States and Canada are required to submit a credential evaluation report. Below is information about the supporting materials we need from you.
What is credential evaluation?
Credential evaluation is a process that provides Berklee with an official report that lists the courses taken, marks received, and honors earned by an applicant in their US equivalents. For example, the report will tell us if an applicant has the equivalent of a bachelor's degree, or other academic honor(s), and will list the marks received in the standard 4.0 US grading system.
Why do I need credential evaluation?
Berklee requires that applicants who have attended schools outside of the US and Canada use a credential evaluation agency to submit a report of their academic equivalency. Documents must be submitted to Berklee directly from a credential evaluation agency. Your credential evaluation along with your application and supporting materials will be used to determine whether you are ready for admission to a Berklee graduate program.
Note that academic documents sent directly by the applicant will not be accepted to complete the application, nor can they be returned to the sender.
Can I just send a translation instead?
No. Credential evaluation and translation are not the same. Part of the credential evaluation process involves checking that the applicant attended the institutions and earned the honors that they have listed. We do not accept international transcripts directly from the applicant and will not accept a translation to complete an application.
What if my school has US accreditation?
If your school has US accreditation, then you do not need to submit a credential evaluation for that institution.
We will accept transcripts directly from schools that are accredited by the following:
How can I get a credential evaluation report?
Berklee works closely with SpanTran and Educational Credential Evaluators, and we recommend their services.
The credential evaluation process can take several weeks to complete, and we strongly urge you to begin the process as early as possible. Your application will not be complete until we have received credential evaluation reports for all of your academic credentials.
How do I submit my documents to SpanTran?
Please go to the SpanTran website, and complete the application for a credential evaluation.
Follow the website prompts to request your evaluation. You will be able to select which Berklee campus(es) you would like to receive your evaluation, indicate whether your documents need to be translated, decide on how your credentials will be verified, and order additional copies of your evaluation.
Upload the appropriate documents to the application.
Pay the fee and submit.
What type of report should I request?
Berklee Valencia requires a course-by-course evaluation and grade point average (GPA) for your college/university studies.SpanTran will provide this service automatically.
All course-by-course reports must include a grade point average/grade equivalencies (GPA). Please make sure this is included in your report.
What if I want to use another company?
Although we highly recommend SpanTran and ECE , we do accept credential evaluation reports from any of the following companies:
The credential evaluation process can take several weeks to complete, and we strongly urge you to begin the process as early as possible. Your application will not be complete until we have received credential evaluation reports for all of your academic credentials.
Note that all course-by-course reports must include a grade point average/grade equivalencies (GPA). Please make sure this is included in your report.
What if I have not finished my bachelor’s degree?
You must submit a credential evaluation report of all your courses/marks received so far. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit proof of graduation from your college/university before attending Berklee.
When are my supporting materials/the credential evaluation due?
Review the Graduate Admissions Deadlines page for due dates.
Can I audition and interview before sending the supporting materials?
No. Your graduate application and supporting materials must be received by the application deadline. Review the How to Apply page for further information on what you need to submit.
If your first language is not English, you are required to submit one of the standardized English tests listed below. Your results must be emailed directly to admissionsvalencia@berklee.edu. Also see below for minimum score requirements.
Contemporary Performance Graduate Program Applicants
All Other Graduate Program Applicants
If you are finishing or have completed your bachelor's degree at an English-speaking university, this requirement may be waived.
If admitted, a copy of your diploma from your college/university will be required before enrolling at Berklee.
Please do not submit the materials as separate links. Your program specific materials should be organized in one PDF document with all links properly embedded and sections clearly labeled. If including links to YouTube, Spotify, or other, make sure they are public/unlisted so that we can view them.
* We will not download materials. Do not share materials via WeTransfer, DropBox, Google Drive, or other platforms.
Please do not submit the materials as separate links. Your program specific materials should be organized in one PDF document with all links properly embedded and sections clearly labeled. If including links to YouTube, Spotify, or other, make sure they are public/unlisted so that we can view them.
*We will not download materials. Do not share materials via WeTransfer, DropBox, Google Drive, or other platforms.
Please do not submit the materials as separate links. Your program specific materials should be organized in one PDF document with all links properly embedded and sections clearly labeled. If including links to YouTube, Spotify, or other, make sure they are public/unlisted so that we can view them
* We will not download materials. Do not share materials via WeTransfer, DropBox, Google Drive, or other platforms.
Please do not submit the materials as separate links. Your program specific materials should be organized in one PDF document with all links properly embedded and sections clearly labeled. If including links to YouTube, Spotify, or other, make sure they are public/unlisted so that we can view them.
* We will not download materials. Do not share materials via WeTransfer, DropBox, Google Drive, or other platforms.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the Berklee Valencia Admissions Office.