Artist Diploma Applicants
This four-semester program, offered only in certain performance departments, is intended for a limited number of exceptionally gifted performers who have completed the BM or its equivalent, or who have acquired extensive musical experience or training through institutional or private studies or through unusual performing experiences, and who wish to concentrate on private applied study without additional course requirements. Students who enroll in and or complete the Artist Diploma program may not transfer to the Bachelor of Music degree program.
Oberlin BM students are only allowed to apply to the Artist Diploma program with the recommendation of the department and approval of the Office of the Associate Deans of the Conservatory.
Important Dates and Deadlines
| Application for Admission | December 1 |
| Application Fee Payment | December 4 |
| Screening Materials | December 4 |
| Notification of Admission | April 1 |
| Reply/Deposit Due | May 1 |
Step 1: Complete the Application for Admission
Deadline: December 1
Select the link below to access the Application Management portal. Follow the instructions on how to create an account to start a new application. Be sure to select the appropriate program before creating your application.
Step 2: Pay the Application Fee
Deadline: December 4
The conservatory has an application fee of $100 (application fee is non-refundable).
After you submit the Application for Admission, you will be directed to your Applicant Portal. This portal contains a link that should be used to submit your application fee. No applicant will be considered without receipt of the application fee. In addition to fee payment, the Applicant Portal can be used to track the receipt of required materials (detailed below).
Step 3: Submit your screening materials
Deadline: December 4
The Artist Diploma in Performance requires submission of screening materials for on-campus auditions/interviews. There is important information about this and details on how to submit these materials on the auditions & interviews web page.
Step 4: Take the audition
The audition is the most important component. Auditions are being held February 10, 11, 17, and 18. You can find all the available audition dates and requirements on our auditions & interviews web page. We look forward to meeting you.
Students who wish to be considered for a fee waiver should contact the Conservatory Admissions Office at conservatory.admissions@oberlin.edu.
After submitting the Application for Admission, students receive an e-mail inviting them to log in to their online Applicant Portal. The portal contains a link to pay the application fee, as well as a complete checklist of required application materials and the status of those materials (received, waived, etc.). It also contains the Audition and Screening Dropbox, where students can submit all required and optional screening, final audition, and supplemental recordings. After an admission decision has been made, we will release the decision letter on the portal and students will be able to submit the Reply to Offer of Conservatory Admission form and pay the enrollment deposit using the portal. When there is an update available to the portal that requires some action, we will notify students via e-mail.
Tip: Bookmark your portal page after logging in, as you will return to this page many times throughout the admission process.
The music résumé should be uploaded to the Application for Admission and will be required to submit the application. It should provide an overview of your past and current professional and educational experience. Common items to list on your résumé include performance experience, teaching experience, compositions/arrangements, recordings and broadcasts, tours, competitions, affiliations/memberships, and honors/awards, among other details.
Music teacher recommendations will be submitted electronically through the Application for Admission. We require two recommendations from persons who can write about the applicant's musical abilities and experiences. This could include a current private studio teacher, chamber music coach, conductor, etc. An e-mail with detailed instructions for completing the recommendation will be sent to the music teacher as soon as they are added to the application. Recommenders will then have until December 1 or two weeks after the student's submission of the application, whichever comes later, to submit the recommendations.
Academic transcripts are required for all postsecondary institutions attended. These should be mailed to the Conservatory Admissions Office, 39 W. College St., Oberlin, OH 44074. Secondary school transcripts are not required.
International applicants are required to submit all transcripts in English.
We recommend either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Testing System (IELTS) from all international applicants whose primary language or language of instruction is not English.
On the Oberlin Conservatory Application for Admission, you will be requested to provide a self-reported score for the exam taken, or the date on which you expect to take the exam. In addition, scores must be sent directly to Oberlin by the testing service. Read more information about the TOEFL at www.ets.org/toefl/. Read more information about the IELTS at www.ielts.org.
TOEFL Code: 1587
Digital photo of front page of passport showing name, birth date, birth city and country, and citizenship information. Must be uploaded on the Applicant Portal.
All international applicants, regardless of aid status, must complete the required International Student Certification of Finances Forms in their Applicant Portal by January 15.
Domestic applicants:
If you are requesting need-based financial aid, then you must complete the College Board Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile) and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the federal processor. Both must be completed by January 15. All applicants will be reviewed for merit-based financial aid. Completing the FAFSA is not required for consideration, however it is strongly recommended that you complete the College Board Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile).
For more information about applying for financial aid, visit Oberlin’s Office of Financial Aid website.
International applicants:
In addition to the International Student Certification of Finances Form (to be submitted on the Applicant Portal), any international applicants wishing to apply for need-based financial assistance must submit the College Board Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile).
It is important to note that because Oberlin's international financial aid budget is not unlimited, students who do not apply for financial aid at the time of admission are not eligible for aid in future years.
For more information, visit Oberlin’s international student website.