* Applicants will be able to schedule auditions past January 15. We will supply a request form to indicate preferred dates and times.
**Please note: Virtual auditions are only offered for RJAM, Composition, and TAC. Requests must be submitted in December and approved in order to attend a virtual audition. Virtual auditions are scheduled on different dates than the live auditions.

We anticipate the following areas to not accept Spring applications: Conducting, Opera Studies, Piano Artist Diploma, String and Piano Chamber Music, and all Voice degree programs. This list will be confirmed and updated on September 15.

In this section we will cover the following:

• Application Fee
• Application Fee Automatic Waivers & Waiver Requests
• Additional SFCM Fees

Application Fee

A $100 non-refundable application fee is required to officially submit your SFCM application, payable by credit/debit card only. 

Application Fee Waivers

Some applicants qualify for an automatic fee waiver or reduction based on their incoming status or through visits with SFCM staff or faculty. Applicants who do not qualify for an automatic fee waiver may request one from the Admissions Office using the methods under the "Application Fee Waiver Request" section. 

*Current and previous SFCM students must to include SFCM in the academic history section of their application for the fee to be waived automatically. If it’s not listed, the fee will not automatically be waived.

Automatic Fee Waiver/Reduction

Application Fee Waiver Requests

Applicants who do not qualify for an automatic fee waiver may request one through the Admissions Office using one of the methods below.

Additional SFCM Fees

A non-refundable $500 enrollment deposit is required of all students accepted to SFCM to secure their spot. This fee is credited toward the first semester bill. For those who may have concerns about affording the deposit, the Admissions team will be available to offer support and guidance after acceptance.

For a full list of fees for enrolled students, including the enrollment deposit due upon accepting admission, please visit the Tuition and Fees section of our Financial Aid and Affordability page.

Note: Tuition and fees for the 2025–2026 academic year will be updated by April 2026.

Degree Prerequisites

GPA Requirements

SFCM does not have an overall GPA minimum for acceptance. However, applicants with a GPA lower than our minimum listed below at their previous institution are offered admission to the Conservatory with Academic Probation status. In order to have the probation status removed, these students will need to maintain the minimum GPA requirements during their first year and receive additional advising/tutoring. 

In this section, we cover the following topics:

• Transcript deadlines and how to submit
• Transcripts required by degree
• Transcript Types: Unofficial, Final Official, and Mid-Year
• International Schools: Language Requirements and Transcript Evaluations
   

Deadlines and Submission

Requirements by Degree

Homeschool transcript/diploma policies are currently being reviewed for the 2026-2027 application cycle. Updated policies will be finalized by October 1, 2025.

Transcript Types

International Schools: Language & Evaluations

The following applies to all students who attended a school outside of the United States, including U.S. domestic students.

Summary

Recommenders

How to Submit Letters

We accept letters of recommendation only through our application-linked recommendation form. We do not accept recommendation letters via email, National Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment. Recommenders will receive a link to submit their letter once their applicant has entered their information within their SFCM application. 

Spring application letters are due by November 1, Fall application letters are due by January 15. Applicants are responsible for reminding their recommenders to submit their letters. 

*High school counselors may submit recommendation letters on behalf of their faculty through the application linked recommendation form. Please enter the counselor’s email address in place of the faculty member’s so your school counselor can receive the link to submit the recommendation letter.

In this section we will cover:

• Essays Prompts
• Additional Majors-Specific Writing Prompts
• TAC and Chamber Music Writing Prompts

Essays

Choose two (2) of the four (4) essay prompts to include in your application (300-500 words). All current or former SFCM students must complete the writing prompts!

Additional Optional Writing Prompts

The two prompts below are completely optional. Whether you choose to respond or not will have no impact on your application.

• At SFCM, we value diversity in all forms. Please describe what diversity means to you and how your lived experienced has shaped your path. (Max 500 words)
• Please use the text box below if you would like include any additional information you would like us to know. If not currently attending school, describe your activities since last enrolled at an institution if you have not yet included them elsewhere in the application. (No Word Limit)

TAC and Chamber Music Writing Prompts

Applicants for Technology and Applied Composition and the String and Piano Chamber Music program have additional writing prompts. Please visit the audition repertoire pages for more details. All current or former SFCM students applying to these areas must complete the writing prompts!

Video Essay (3 min max)

Please upload a video essay for the area faculty and Admissions to learn more about you. Video submissions do not affect admission decisions and will not be judged on artistic merit, creativity, production quality, or similar criteria. We ask that you introduce yourself clearly, but everything else is up to you! Past applicants have shared why they want to study music, why they chose SFCM, music they are currently working on, where they are from, their hobbies, other musical interests, and more. You’re welcome to include anything that gives faculty a fuller picture of who you are and what inspires you—both musically and beyond.

For current or former SFCM students - please include why this next degree, certificate, or diploma is meaningful to you, what new goals you hope to achieve, and anything the faculty may not already know about your background or interests.

Test Scores

SAT/ACT

We only require SAT or ACT scores from homeschooled Bachelor of Music applicants. The Conservatory's school code for SAT is 4744; the code for the ACT is 0403. We require the ACT-Science portion of the ACT. If you have questions about this requirement, please connect with us at nccyl@fspz.rqhude.mcfs@ylppa .

AP/IB Scores

Students must order scores from College Board and have them sent directly to the Office of Admissions to be considered for transfer credit. Please visit the Transfer Credit page for more details.

English Proficiency Scores

International students whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores for admissions, unless they qualify for a waiver. Visit the International Applicants page for full details. 

Transfer credit policies are currently being reviewed for the 2026-2027 application cycle. Updated policies will be finalized by October 1, 2025.

Undergraduate 

Transfer applicants should review the full transfer credit and transfer applicant policies here to understand how credits transfer to SFCM. 

Please note, the class level of an undergraduate transfer student is determined by the Office of Academic Affairs at the time of acceptance into SFCM. The musical level of a transfer student is determined by the faculty at the time of the student's audition (e.g., sophomore, junior, etc.). The academic level is determined by the Office of Academic Affairs based on transfer credits and placement exam results. The student’s expected graduation date is determined by the lower of the two class levels.

Graduate/Postgraduate

SFCM does not accept transfer credit for, or from, post-baccalaureate programs (e.g., M.M., etc.). Credit from completed Bachelor's degrees cannot be applied towards the SFCM undergraduate credit load. Transcripts from all colleges attended are still required to determine academic standing and for accreditation purposes. 
 

All applicants must complete an audition and/or submit a portfolio to be considered for admission to SFCM. 

Some areas require a prescreening round to be invited to a final audition. The prescreening round will consist of uploading audition videos to the application for performance majors, and a portfolio of work for Composition and TAC (Technology and Applied Composition) degree programs. Students will be denied at the prescreening round or invited to a final audition.

See the Auditions section of this page to review which areas require a prescreening round.

Prescreening

Applicants to SFCM will fall into either a prescreened or non-prescreened category based on their area of study. Review the table below regarding categories and then the instructions below as appropriate 

Non-Prescreened Areas

Applicants in non-prescreened areas are not required to upload audition materials with their application. Instead, they should only submit the items listed under the Application Materials section. Final audition scheduling will open once the audition module is available — typically in mid-December for Fall applicants. Spring applicants will have auditions arranged on an individual basis.

Returning SFCM students are not required to complete prescreening unless applying to an Artist Diploma program. 

Prescreened Areas

Applicants in prescreened areas must upload prescreening materials as part of their application, in addition to the items listed under the Application Materials section. After review, applicants will either be invited to a final audition or not advanced beyond the prescreening round. See the recording policies in the next drop down.

Final Auditions

All applicants must complete a final audition to be admitted to SFCM. Those within prescreened areas will either be invited to a final audition or not advanced beyond the prescreening round. 

Live Auditions

We will offer live auditions for all areas on campus in San Francisco, CA. All Artist Diploma applicants, Conducting, and Strings & Piano Chamber Music applicants must audition live in San Francisco. The final "audition" for Composition and TAC (Technology and Applied Composition) will contain an interview and piano proficiency portions. 

All Artist Diploma applicants (all areas) and Strings & Piano Chamber music applicants must attend live on-campus final auditions in San Francisco and we will likely offer only one date for these areas.

All piano applicants who advance to the final round are required to audition in person. Applicants unable to attend a live audition may request an alternative format, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis for all programs except the Artist Diploma.

Alternative Audition

If you cannot attend a live audition, please see the Alternative Audition Request section. 

Audition Dates

Auditions are held in late January and February each year, with dates posted in early November. All live auditions are held on our campus in San Francisco, CA. 

Live auditions are required for all Artist Diploma programs, as well as Piano and Strings Chamber Music. 

Scheduling Details

All scheduled audition times are tentative. Final time slots will be confirmed two weeks before your audition date. While your selected audition date is guaranteed, times may shift by up to two hours earlier or later than the tentative time.

• Self-Schedule Period (Mid-December – January 15): Applicants can select their audition date and tentative time slot during the self-scheduling period. The period opens on December 16 for non-prescreened areas and on a rolling basis for prescreened areas between December 16–19 as decisions are released. The self-scheduling period ends on January 15 at 11:59 PM PT. 

• How to Self Schedule: Scheduling will take place through the Auditions tab in the Application Status Portal once the module opens in mid-December. Please note, the final confirmed time slot may change up to 2 hours before or after the tentative time slot. Applicants will need to arrive at SFCM a minimum of 1.5 hours prior to this time to check in, access practice rooms, and for transition time.

• How to Schedule after Self Schedule Period: After the self-schedule period ends, a form will be provided to request an audition date and time.

• How to Reschedule: During the self-schedule period, applicants may reschedule their audition through a reschedule link in their portal. After the self-schedule period ends, a form will be provided to request changes.

• Tentative Time Slot  > Confirmations: Two weeks before your audition, you will receive a confirmation email with your final audition time. The confirmed time may be up to 2 hours before or after the tentative time slot.

Booking Travel

• When to Book Travel: Only book travel after scheduling your audition—either during the self-schedule period or by submitting a request form afterward. Do not book travel to San Francisco before your audition is scheduled.
• When to Arrive: Applicants should be prepared to arrive at SFCM a minimum of 1.5 hours before their confirmed audition time to sign in at their assigned check in time and access a practice room.
• Traveling to SFCM - Same Day (not recommended): Due to potential travel delays and limited rescheduling options, same-day travel is strongly discouraged. If necessary, applicants are encouraged to be in San Francisco a minimum of four hours before your tentative audition time to accommodate the final audition confirmation time.
• Departure Time Warning: Avoid booking departures within four hours after your original tentative audition time to allow for possible confirmation time changes, audition delays, and San Francisco transit.

Spring auditions are scheduled individually with each applicant. We anticipate live auditions for Spring 2026 taking place between November 10-14, 2025.

Alternative Auditions

Prescreening

All prescreening requirements are pre-recorded and do not require a request. Applicants must record materials in advance and upload them directly into the application. 

Final Auditions

We offer live auditions for all areas. For those unable to attend, requests for alternative formats will be accepted according to the guidelines below, unless applying to the Artist Diploma program or the Strings & Piano Chamber Music program.

For Fall applicants, requests for alternative auditions will be accepted December 16–19 for each area, as prescreening decisions are released and the scheduling module becomes available through the Admitted Student Portal.

For Spring applicants, requests for entry in the Spring semester, audition options are arranged individually via email.

• TAC, Composition, RJAM: Applicants who cannot attend a live audition may request an alternative format, unless applying to the Artist Diploma or Strings & Piano Chamber Music program. Performance applicants in these areas will likely be offered a video audition only. Applicants in TAC, RJAM, and Composition must be available to attend a scheduled Zoom session.

• Performance: Applicants in brass, collaborative piano, conducting, guitar, historical performance, percussion, strings, voice, and woodwinds may request to submit a final video recording if unable to attend a live audition.

• Performance (Piano): Applicants in piano who cannot attend in person may request an alternative format, considered on a case-by-case basis for all programs except the Artist Diploma. If approved, students must submit final audition recordings of all required repertoire and complete a live Zoom audition with faculty.

• Artist Diploma (All Areas), Conducting, and Strings & Piano Chamber Music: All Artist Diploma applicants (all areas) and all Strings & Piano Chamber Music applicants must attend live, on-campus final auditions in San Francisco. Please note that only one audition date will likely be offered for these areas.

Recording Policies

TAC Program Prescreening

Those applying to the applying to the Technology and Applied Composition program may edit or produce their submissions due to the nature of the program.

Audition Panel 

Students will perform for a panel of faculty from their area of study, which may not include the "faculty preference" selected in their application. However, if your preferred faculty member is unavailable to hear you live, they will review your recording. 

SFCM Recording 

All final auditions are recorded by SFCM for review purposes, as needed. Recordings are not shared with applicants or any offices outside of Admissions and the relevant department.

Assigned Practice Room Times

All applicants are assigned practice room slots after their assigned check-in times. All students must arrive for their assigned check-in time to audition, even if they do not plan to use the entire practice room slot.

All applicants will receive a minimum of 45 minutes of time in a practice room, with transition time built in between check-in and movement to the audition backstage. 

Practice Rooms Before Audition

Applicants cannot use practice rooms prior to their audition day or earlier than their assigned warm up time. Current SFCM students must also warm up during their assigned warm up time. We suggest looking into companies or churches within San Francisco if you need access to a room beforehand. The following businesses may offer general practice rooms: Union Music, SF Community Music Center, Music City Rehearsal, Lennon Studios, Little Mission Studio, and Secret Studios.

FAQ's

1. I am arriving ___ before auditions - can I use a practice room? Applicants may only use practice rooms on their audition day during their assigned practice room time. Unfortunately, access cannot be provided earlier. If you need a room beforehand, we recommend contacting churches or companies in San Francisco. The following businesses may offer practice general space: Union Music, SF Community Music Center, Music City Rehearsal, Lennon Studios, Little Mission Studio, and Secret Studios.
2. Can I bring my own accompanist? No. All instrumental auditions are to be played unaccompanied. All vocal auditions will be performed with our collaborative pianist staff who will meet with applicants for 10-15 minutes prior to their audition time to go over tempos and rehearse.
3. I don't need my practice room time, do I still need to arrive at the designated check-in time? All applicants are expected to arrive at their assigned check-in time. The check-in time ensures you have sufficient time to complete check-in, receive instructions, and transition to the audition space. If you choose not to use your practice room time, a form will be provided to opt out, and an adjusted check-in time will be sent. This form will close one week prior to each audition day. Please note that if you opt out, you will not be able to opt back in.
4. I want to arrive the same day as my audition, is this possible? We strongly discourage applicants from traveling to SFCM on the same day as their audition. Due to potential travel delays and limited rescheduling options, same-day travel is not recommended. If same-day travel is unavoidable, applicants should plan to arrive in San Francisco at least four hours before their tentative audition time to accommodate the final audition confirmation. Please note that if you miss your audition, we cannot guarantee you will be heard that day.
5. Which is the best airport to fly into? The closest and easiest route is to fly into SFO. See more information on the SFCM Getting Here page.
6. Do you have any hotel discounts? We have a 15% discount with Hotel Enso in Japantown, located about a 10–20 minute taxi or ride-share trip from campus. More information is available on the SFCM Getting Here page.
7. Where do you recommend we stay in town? In addition to Hotel Enso in Japan town, past applicants have had success with the Inn at the Opera, Inn on Gough, Hayes Valley Inn, or short-term rentals (such as Airbnb) in the Hayes Valley area. We also encourage applicants to consider accommodations in Haight-Ashbury, Japantown, and Pacific Heights neighborhoods. While San Francisco has excellent public transportation, we recommend using taxis or ride-share apps for a quicker, more direct route on audition days!
8. Do you have on-campus housing accommodations? We may have a few rooms available for live audition attendance for a fee (under $100 total). More details about the exact fee and requests will be poste in December. Requests will open on January 15 and are not guaranteed. Attendees must have a refundable option booked.