How and When to Apply
Available Programs
We offer programs leading to the MA degree (musicology, music theory)and MMus degree (music education, composition, music performance). Applicants to our master's programs normally hold a BMus or BA degree with a major in music from an accredited university. A 70% minimum average is required; 80% or higher is customary in the proposed area of concentration. Please note that meeting these minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission.
Our doctoral programs include the PhD (in musicology, composition, music theory, and music education) and DMA (in voice, piano, violin, viola, cello, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, and choral conducting). Admission to our doctoral programs normally requires an MA or MMus degree in the proposed area of study.
How to Apply
The application is online and administered by Western's School for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Applicants are required to upload all supplementary documents to the online application by the deadline.
Dates
Last updated December 5, 2024
Application opens: October 7, 2024
Application deadline: extended to January 15, 2025
Admission decisions communicated to applicants: mid to late March
Program start date: September 1, 2025
International Applicants
Please note that on September 18, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced several measures that will affect new international graduate students in 2025. For more information, please see IRCC’s Sept 18 New Release and Speaking Notes.
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) has created a web page that will be updated on an ongoing basis as we continue to receive new information about study permits: Changes to Canadian Study Permit Policies.
Application FAQs
Is an audition required?
Auditions are only required for applicants to the MMus in Performance and the DMA program. For audition dates and repertoire requirements please see our audition webpage.
English language proficiency: which tests are accepted?
Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of their proficiency in English through satisfactory achievement on an accepted language test within the past two years:
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT (internet-Based Test): The minimum acceptable score is 86, with no individual score below 20. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- International English Language Testing Service Academic (IELTS Academic). The minimum acceptable score is 6.5 out of 9.
- The Duolingo English Test. Applicants must attain a minimum score of 115.
For the full list of acceptable proficiency tests,please see the SGPS website.
Can the English language proficiency requirement be waived?
The English language proficiency requirement is waived for applicants who have completed at least two years in a university degree program where the language of instruction and the first official language of the country is English.
How do I submit letters of recommendation?
In the References section of the online application, by entering the email address of a referee, the system will automatically send a request to your referees.
How do I apply for funding?
There is no separate application for funding. All eligible applicants are considered for funding. Master’s students may receive a Western Graduate Research Scholarship that offsets some of the cost of tuition. Doctoral students receive funding at least equal to the cost of tuition plus $17,000, usually in the form of a Western Graduate Research Scholarship plus a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
Do I need to find a supervisor before applying?
No, you do not need to find a supervisor before applying.
May I study part-time?
Part-time registration is only offered in the MMus Music Education program. All other graduate programs in Music require full-time registration.
I'm having technical difficulties with my application/payment of the application fee. Who can I contact for help?
Contact gradapps@uwo.ca for all technical and payment issues related to the online application.
Contact Information
Associate Dean (Graduate Studies)
Kevin Mooney, PhD
kmooney@uwo.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Audrey Yardley-Jones
ayardley@uwo.ca
Phone: 519-661-2111 x85354
Mailing address
Graduate Program Assistant, Don Wright Faculty of Music
Talbot College room 216
Western University
London, Ontario N6A 3K7 Canada
