Berklee College of Music
- Private
Berklee College of Music: international tuition 52,040 USD per year, one-year total cost 72,700 USD, acceptance rate 43.5%. Merit scholarships are open to international students. Need-based aid is not. Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 4, Duolingo 110.
International first-year students may pursue Berklee merit scholarships through admissions and auditions, but they cannot receive entering institutional need-based aid. The need-blind policy and any general first-year CSS Profile requirement are not stated.
Getting in. The school admits 43.5% of applicants. The SAT range of admitted students is not published. The school does not require the SAT or ACT. For English, the school asks for IELTS 6+, TOEFL iBT 4+ or Duolingo 110+.
Cost for a year. One year comes to 72,700 USD, before any scholarship. 1 scholarship comes with an amount, but none says international students can apply, so nothing is taken off yet.
Deadline and visa. The application deadline is 30/7. How long the visa takes is up to the consulate; see the country note.
Admissions checked 11/10/2026
What is the tuition at Berklee College of Music?
International tuition is 52,040 USD per year. The total cost for one year is 72,700 USD.
Does Berklee College of Music offer scholarships for international students?
Merit scholarships are open to international students. Need-based aid is not. International first-year students may pursue Berklee merit scholarships through admissions and auditions, but they cannot receive entering institutional need-based aid. The need-blind policy and any general first-year CSS Profile requirement are not stated.
What English scores does Berklee College of Music require?
Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6, TOEFL iBT 4, Duolingo 110.
What is the acceptance rate at Berklee College of Music?
The acceptance rate is 43.5%.
- Pay in fullYesPay in fullOnce admitted you can enrol straight away — no scholarship decision to wait for.Your family covers all tuition and living costs for every year of the degree.You will need: your application and proof that your family can pay — the school needs it to issue your visa documents.
- Aid with the offerUnclearAid with the offerThe school decides aid while reviewing your application, so any need-based or merit award arrives with the offer.The school has merit scholarships for international students, but does not say whether they are automatic or need their own application.
- Apply separately for scholarshipsUnclearApply separately for scholarshipsOn top of the admission application, you send a separate scholarship application or get nominated.The pages we read mention no scholarship with its own application. Not seeing one does not mean there is none — ask the school.
For Vietnamese students
Vietnamese community nearby
Students on campus lifeiPublic YouTube videos by students and the school, matched to this school's name; Vietnamese videos first. Each reflects its creator's own view.
- Have a Tea Night Podcast2026Vlog
- thy2024Vlog
- Cynthia Hau2025Vlog
Contact
Tuition and cost for a year
Compared with 727 private United States schools with published tuition in Duckling's data.
What a year costs
Non-resident tuition (College Scorecard); international students pay at least this, some schools add an international fee.
VND converted at Vietcombank's selling rate on 15/10/2026; indicative only — the real amount depends on the rate when you pay.
Scholarships and aid for international students
- Is merit considered automatically with the application?UnclearUnclear: the site says all entering students are automatically considered for merit, but no continuous passage explicitly connects that rule to international students.
- Is admission need-blind for international applicants?UnclearUnclear: the pages do not say whether an international student's ability to pay affects the admission decision.
- Is the CSS Profile or a school aid form required?UnclearUnclear: CSS Profile is encouraged for Thrive after the second semester and required for appeals, but no general first-year international requirement is stated.
Scholarships at this school
Division AwardsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.MeritMeritAwarded on achievement (grades, awards, activities), regardless of family finances.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
The page describes awards for Berklee College of Music students but does not explicitly mention international students.
Deadline: Generally decided in the spring semester
Entering Merit-Based ScholarshipsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.MeritMeritAwarded on achievement (grades, awards, activities), regardless of family finances.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
- Renewable in later years
Full-Tuition ScholarshipsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.MeritMeritAwarded on achievement (grades, awards, activities), regardless of family finances.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
- Renewable in later years
Institutional Need-Based GrantsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.Need-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Separate application requiredSchool page
Under Institutional Need-Based Grants, Berklee explicitly states that entering international students are not eligible for institutional need-based aid.
- Renewable in later years
Deadline: CSS Profile by the posted deadlines
Presidential ScholarshipIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.Full ride / hybridFull ride / hybridFull-ride or combined criteria (achievement and need); usually very competitive.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
The page does not explicitly say whether international students are eligible for this Presidential Scholarship based on audition and financial need.
- Renewable in later years
- Thrive ScholarshipIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.Need-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
Admission requirements
Compared with 349 United States schools that publish an application fee in Duckling's data.
English
Application requirements
- English proficiencyiApplicants whose first language is not English must submit an English test score to complete the application.Required
- High-school transcriptiSending the transcript is one of the three application steps.Required
- InterviewiBachelor of Music and BA Black Music and Culture require a live audition and interview; the BA in Music Industry Leadership and Innovation requires only an online interview, with no audition.Required
Minimum English scores vs other schools
Compared with 190 United States schools admitting 40–70% that publish it in Duckling's data.
Compared with 164 United States schools admitting 40–70% that publish it in Duckling's data.
Deadlines
This cycle's dates have passed; the school has not posted next cycle's dates yet.
AP credit by subject
Lowest score that earns credit or placement, as the college reported to College Board. This is not an admission requirement. One exam can have several rows: a higher score sometimes earns more credit. Policy page the college gave College Board
30 courses. Scroll inside the table to see all.
Programs
* U.S. median for this field — the school publishes no figure of its own.
Outcomes
Staying in United States after graduation
OPT: 12 months of work in your field after each degree level; degrees on the DHS STEM list can extend by 24 months (up to 36 months in total). Unemployment during OPT is capped at 90 days (150 days with the STEM extension). Note: on 8 October 2026 DHS published a PROPOSED rule charging USD 70,000 for initial OPT and USD 30,000 for later OPT; it is not in force, and comments close on 9 November 2026.
Climate
School & campus
Where the school is
Detailed map
Academics & housing
Why this school is listed: one of the 50 U.S. schools with the most international undergraduates (College Scorecard). Source
Updated 10/10/2026How Duckling sources data