Desautels Faculty of Music applicant admission requirements (2024-2025)

January 15, 2024

This information is available with, and constitutes part of, the application. It is assumed that all applicants have read and understood it prior to submitting the completed application.

Programs offered

• Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) in Composition, General, History, Performance, and Music Education
• Bachelor of Jazz Studies (B.Jazz)

A. Academic Requirements

Students may be eligible for admission to the Desautels Faculty of Music programs in one of the following ways, depending on their previous academic history:

1. Direct Entry Category

Applicants in this category are current high school students or students who have already graduated from high school but have completed fewer than twenty-four (24) credit hours at a recognized university/college. Applicants must meet the General Entrance and Specific Admissions Requirements as listed in the Direct Entry Applicant Information Bulletin.

Additionally, Direct Entry applicants must meet the same non-academic requirements listed below as Advanced Entry applicants (see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, B. Non-Academic Requirements and C. English Language Proficiency Requirements).

2. Advanced Entry Category

The Advanced Entry option is for applicants who have completed one year (24 credit hours) or more of studies in another faculty at the University of Manitoba or another recognized post-secondary institution.

Applicants in this category will have fulfilled all Eligibility Requirements as described below. Students must:

1. Complete a minimum of 24 credit hours from a recognized university or college.
2. Achieve a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.0 or higher (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)).

B. Non-Academic Requirements

All applicants (Direct Entry and Advanced Entry) must meet the following non-academic requirements in addition to the applicable academic requirements.

1. Letters of Recommendation

Applicants require two letters of recommendation. These are usually completed by the applicant’s high school music teacher and/or private music instructor. We are collecting this information in the strictest of confidence and it will not be released to the applicant. This is done to ensure the integrity of the recommendation process.

2. Audition

The audition may be up to 30 minutes in length, which allows for 10 to 12 minutes of prepared music. If the music chosen exceeds this length, only portions of the audition repertoire may be heard. In addition to the prepared pieces, applicants will be asked to sight-read and/or sing. The audition will include a short interview. Aural and technical skills may be assessed.

Students auditioning in classical instrument or voice should have achieved a minimum performance level comparable to Royal Conservatory of Music/Conservatory Canada: Grade 6 for Organ; Grade 7 for Voice and Wind Instruments; Grade 8 for Piano; Grade 9 for Stringed Instruments.

Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.)

Audition requirements vary by area of application and can be found on the Music (BMus) program page.

• Learn more about the Bachelor of Music (BMus) program

Bachelor of Jazz Studies (B.Jazz)

Audition requirements can be found on the Jazz Studies (BJazz) program page.

• Learn more about the Bachelor of Jazz Studies (BJazz) program

Out of Province Applicants

Applicants may audition with a high quality video recording. The recordings must fulfill the audition requirements specified by the area and show the applicant performing.

The written theory entrance test will take place remotely. Please contact the Desautels Faculty of Music Admissions Coordinator (see Section 8: Contact Information) to schedule the test date.

Audition Dates and Times

Auditions will take place any time between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The audition dates for September 2024 admission are February 12 - 23, 2024 (additional dates and times may be added if application pool is large enough that they are needed). Please ensure that you are available throughout the entire audition period.  If  you are unable to audition during our advertised dates, please contact the Desautels Faculty of Music Admissions Coordinator in advance.

To be considered for Desautels Faculty of Music scholarships, applicants must meet the application deadline and audition during the advertised audition dates.

3. Written Theory Test

The theory test assesses competency in music rudiments and is usually written on the day of the audition. A grade of 70% or higher is required for admission to the Desautels Faculty of Music. Royal Conservatory Advanced Rudiments or equivalent is generally adequate preparation. A sample theory test is available on the Music (BMus) program page.

• Review a sample theory test for the Desautels Faculty of Music (PDF)

4. Personal Essay

Applicants are required to submit a personal essay of 250-300 words which outlines their musical aspirations and plans to achieve them.

C. English Language Proficiency Requirements

All applicants whose primary language is not English and who do not qualify for a waiver under the University of Manitoba’s English language proficiency regulations will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English.

Additional information regarding specific English Language Proficiency Requirements, English Language Proficiency Waiver information, and test options can be found on the University of Manitoba Admissions website.

• English language proficiency requirements

Results for most language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo, expire two years from the test date. Test scores must be valid at the start of classes. Please confirm the validity of your test results.

Applications are not considered received until the application is submitted and the non-refundable application fee has been paid by the posted deadline.

All correspondence, including decision release information will be sent via email and posted to your application portal.

Please ensure your email account remains current and will accept emails from the University of Manitoba. Check your filters.

It is important to check your email and application portal regularly and specifically around the deadlines and important dates listed below.

B. Deadlines and Important Dates

* Late applications and auditions may be considered. Please contact the Desautels Faculty of Music for more information.

C. Required Application Documentation

The following documents will be required to complete your application:

Please send all documentation to the following address:

Admission for Music
University of Manitoba
424 UMSU University Centre
66 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts should be submitted to applicant.services@umanitoba.ca. In order to be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the email of the office responsible for issuing transcripts. Transcripts emailed or forwarded by the applicant are considered unofficial.

The University of Manitoba is a registered receiving organization with MyCreds^TM. Applicants from participating member universities and colleges can release their transcripts to the University of Manitoba through their MyCreds^TM portal. Applicants should select 'Share' and then 'Organization' instead of opting for 'email'.

Applications are not complete until all necessary documents are received.  It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the Admissions Office receives all required information by the applicable deadline.

Applicants must notify the Admissions Office immediately should they either enroll at a postsecondary institution not previously declared on their application or enroll in additional coursework not declared on the previously submitted final transcript provided for assessment. Applicants will be required to provide proof of registration.

D. Transfer Credit Information

At the University of Manitoba, all prior course work from recognized post-secondary institutions will be considered as part of the application for admission process for our undergraduate degree and diploma programs.

Courses are evaluated for advanced standing or transfer credit on a course-by-course basis and assigned a University of Manitoba equivalent, where applicable. Where a direct equivalent does not exist, students may receive general (unallocated) credit. The regulations regarding transfer credit are program specific and vary considerably depending on the faculty or school of application. Faculties and schools will only consider external courses completed within the last ten (or fewer) years.

Courses deemed acceptable for transfer credit will be awarded, subject to program approval, up to the maximum allowed under the program of admission, based on the Faculty or School’s transfer credit policy and residency requirements (consult the section of the University's Academic Calendar for details).

• Explore the Academic Calendar

Students may be asked to provide comprehensive and accurate course outlines or syllabi, as issued by their institution of study, for all courses lacking a current evaluation. Course outlines or syllabi should include information on course objectives, outline of the units studied, textbook(s) used, assignments, and accompanying laboratory information, if applicable, to assist in the transfer credit assessment process.

An online transfer credit resource is available for information on current course evaluations receiving credit.

While we appreciate that some institutions do not have course information readily available, many students have been able to provide the information requested by contacting the individual departments or instructors at their prior institutions. Students who are unable to provide the requested course information may render themselves ineligible for programs with specific course requirements. In cases where outlines have not been provided, unsuccessful course attempts, including F grades, may be assessed as part of the academic assessment regulations of a student's program of study. Only successful applicants will be notified of transfer credit results.

Additional information related to transfer credit is available on the Admissions website.

Transfer credit information

A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

The Cumulative Grade Point Average will be calculated using all recognized post-secondary course work including original grades of repeated courses.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform the Admission Office in writing of any deferred exams or grade changes. All final grades, including grade changes must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the document deadline in order for them to be included in the final selection process. Grade changes will not be accepted after the documentation deadline date.  If a grade is not available by the documentation deadline date, an ‘F’ grade will be used in the final admission determination and calculation.

Should a grade be retained on your record yet excluded from your institutional GPA calculation, that grade will be used to meet admission requirements and the GPA calculation for your application to the University of Manitoba.

B. Notification of Decision

Decisions will be posted to the applicant’s portal. Applicants must log into their application portal to view the decision and to accept or decline their offer. If the offer is not accepted and the subsequent deposit paid by the deadline date indicated in the letter, the offer will lapse. Lapsed offers will be considered a declined response. It is imperative that email accounts remain current and that emails and application portals are regularly checked.

Individuals who wish to have their applications reconsidered should submit their request in writing to the Admissions Office. Past experience has shown that most inquiries can be satisfied at this level without further reference. Persons wishing reconsideration of the decision shall direct their request to the Admissions Office within ten (10) business days of the posted decision date

Should the student wish to pursue the reconsideration decision further, such an appeal will be made in accordance with the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals Procedures.

• Review the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals procedures

Applicants are advised that appeals of reconsideration decisions by the Senate Admissions Appeal Committee focus on questions of correct adherence to published policies and procedures by the Committee of Selection, and not on subjective issues or the relative merits of the application.

The Desautels Faculty of Music and Admissions Office are able to assist applicants who seek counselling regarding admission to the Desautels Faculty of Music. However, it is policy not to instruct applicants as to a specific course of action they should follow, but rather to provide the information needed for applicants to make their own choice with respect to the alternatives available. The following points require special attention:

1. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their plans with all who can usefully advise them, but they should be aware that second and third hand information about admission policies may not be accurate.
2. No official at the university can guarantee the admission of any applicant. Admission is determined by the Committee on the basis of an annual competition.
3. All applicants are advised to supplement any personal enquiries with a written request so that an official written response can be made. It is only these written responses which will be considered as evidence of any advice given (see Section 8: Contact Information).

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. If you are a student with a diagnosed disability (permanent, chronic, or temporary) who may require academic accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services at 204-474-7423 or by email at student_accessibility@umanitoba.ca to learn more about the confidential supports that are available.

The following other contacts may also be useful.