How to Apply
Instrument: Cello
Cello Audition Requirements
- We prefer to hear auditions without piano accompaniment.
- First movement of a standard concerto, including cadenza, memorized
- Two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach, memorized
- One short virtuosic piece, sonata movement, or etude (memorization optional)
- We request that candidates not perform any region/all-state etudes.
- We prefer to hear auditions without piano accompaniment.
- First movement of a standard concerto, including cadenza if applicable, memorized
- Two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach, memorized
- Single movement virtuosic work or etude
- Sonata movement of the candidate’s choice demonstrating stylistic contrast
Cello Audition Dates
Cello Audition Assistance
Decisions Timeline
| First-year and transfer School of Music admissions decisions (March) | Admissions decisions are sent via email and updated in GoBaylor accounts |
| School of Music Merit Scholarship offers (March) | Scholarship offers are send via email provided on School of Music application |
| First-year Decision Deadline (May 1) | Commit to Baylor by depositing at *website* |
coming soon ...
Scholarships, Assistantships, & Financial Aid
Scholarships
All undergraduate students who complete an Audition and both the Baylor University and the School of Music applications are considered for Music Merit Scholarships and Baylor University Scholarships.
- Outstanding applicants pursuing a music degree that will enroll as full-time students may be recommended for music scholarships based on their performance ability and the programmatic needs of the School of Music.
We HIGHLY recommend completing both the FAFSA and CSS Profile .
Financial Aid
To be considered for all possible scholarship and financial aid opportunities, undergraduates must complete both the FAFSA and CSS Profile. You may complete them before you get accepted or audition (the earlier you complete these applications, the better). We recommend completing before February 1 for those wanting to begin school in the Fall.
- Fill out FAFSA (Baylor school code = 003545): Incoming freshmen and transfer students can apply for financial aid including loans, grants, and scholarships for the upcoming academic year as soon as possible beginning October 1 at fafsa.gov.
- Fill out CSS Profile (Baylor school code = 6032): To be considered for any Baylor need-based financial aid, incoming freshman and transfer students should complete the CSS Profile beginning October 1 at cssprofile.collegeboard.org.
- Student Financial Services
- Student Employment
Baylor University maintains a student financial aid program including scholarships, grants, on-campus employment, and loans totaling approximately $60 million dollars annually. 92% of Baylor students receive financial aid.
Assistantships
Selection of Graduate Associates (graduate assistantships) is highly competitive and offered in a variety of fields. Applicants in Church Music, Collaborative Piano, Composition, Conducting, Instrumental Performance, Musicology, Music Theory, Organ Performance, Piano Performance, Piano Pedagogy, and Vocal Performance will be considered for Graduate Associate positions.
Graduate Associate positions are awarded to begin in the Fall semester, so if a Graduate Associate position is needed to be able to study in the graduate music program at Baylor, please apply to begin in the Fall semester. There are no new awards available for those wanting to begin graduate study during the Spring semester.
Graduate Associate positions include a full tuition scholarship for all required graduate coursework plus a stipend for working twelve hours per week in the School of Music.
To be considered for a Graduate Associate position students must:
- Apply to, be accepted, and be admitted to the School of Music
- Apply to, be accepted, and be admitted to the Graduate School
- Submit a C.V. or résumé as part of their Graduate School application materials
- The music faculty recommends that you include any teaching and/or applicable work experience on your C.V. or résumé.
Graduate Associate positions are awarded based on the recommendation of the faculty in the student's major area. Decisions typically begin to be made about April 1 (March 15 for Conducting positions) and may take up to two months to complete. Candidates will be notified of their status as soon as possible after this has been determined.
Students who are awarded Graduate Associate positions will be asked to sign and return a contract. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies of the School of Music will make the official notice of Graduate Associate awards in writing. Any discussion of Graduate Associate awards or assignments prior to that notice, or by any other persons, shall be considered preliminary and unofficial.
Graduate Associate positions are typically awarded one year at a time. For new students, the expectation is that the contract will be renewed for a second year. This renewal depends principally upon the student maintaining good overall academic standing, making adequate progress in the degree major, and performing the assigned duties satisfactorily.
The duties of Graduate Associates will vary depending upon the requirements of the area in which the position is awarded. Responsibilities may include classroom or private teaching of non-majors, tutoring, classroom or general assistance for faculty, accompanying, grading, staffing labs, office or recording studio work, etc.
In addition to Graduate Associate positions, a limited number of Graduate Tuition Awards may be available to highly qualified candidates in areas without an open assistantship position. Graduate Tuition Awards include a full tuition scholarship for all required graduate coursework, yet do not include a stipend or work duties. Graduate Tuition Awards are typically granted one year at a time. For new students, the expectation is that the scholarship will be renewed for a second year. This renewal depends principally upon the student maintaining good overall academic standing and making adequate progress in the degree major.
Students must maintain a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0 to retain graduate assistantships or scholarships awarded through the Graduate School. Only students with full graduate standing may be considered for assistantships. A student on probation is not entitled to apply for assistance or to continue receiving any financial aid awarded prior to the deficiency.
For information on the Council of Graduate Schools' Resolution regarding deadlines for acceptance of financial offers by Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants, see the following link: https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution.
Financial Aid
To be considered for all possible scholarship and financial aid opportunities, U.S. citizen graduate students must complete the following application. You may complete it before you get accepted or audition (the earlier you complete this application, the better). We recommend completing before February 1 for those wanting to begin school in the Fall.
- We HIGHLY recommend U.S. citizens complete the FAFSA (Baylor school code = 003545): Incoming graduate students can apply for financial aid including loans, grants, and scholarships for the upcoming academic year. FAFSA applications do not open until late December or early January. Fill out at fafsa.gov.
- Student Financial Services
- Student Employment
Baylor University maintains a student financial aid program including scholarships, grants, on-campus employment, and loans totaling approximately $60 million dollars annually. 92% of Baylor students receive financial aid.
The School of Music is committed to ensuring that students have a clear and accessible way to request additional financial consideration. The scholarship appeal process allows students to share new information that may affect their ability to enroll or continue their studies.
How to Submit an Appeal
All students—prospective and returning—will use this online appeal form.
To be considered, students must also ensure that all required university financial aid documents (such as the FAFSA or CSS Profile) are on file with One Stop.
Appeal Windows
Prospective Students
- Appeal Window: March 23 – April 24, 2026
Returning Students
- The appeal window opens when financial aid packages are released (typically early summer).
- The deadline is one week after the first bill due date.
- All students are required to submit appeals to One-Stop prior to the SoM appeals process. Students must have received a full financial aid package prior to School of Music appeal consideration.
What to Expect
- All appeals are reviewed by the School of Music Scholarship Committee.
- Students will be notified within a week once a decision has been made.
Need Help?
If you have questions about whether an appeal is appropriate for your situation, or how to prepare your request, you are encouraged to contact the Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Student Success at music_admissions@baylor.edu.
Admissions FAQs
Contact Patricia Christmas, Admissions and Recruiting Specialist.
No. Getting into the School of Music is a dual-acceptance process. In order to gain admission to the School of Music, undergraduates must also be accepted by Baylor University and graduates by the Graduate School; acceptance for one does not guarantee acceptance for the other. Those applying for the Church Music Dual Degree (MDiv/MM) must ALSO Apply to Truett Seminary.
The audition in your major performance area is the most important factor in determining whether or not you will be accepted as a music major. Please be sure to dress properly for your audition (“business casual" is a generally a good place to start).
Students who are unable to attend an on-campus audition day must contact the appropriate instrument/voice professor via email and request permission to be considered using an alternate audition. If permission is granted, applicants can upload the material to the application on Acceptd.
No. School of Music auditions are not required if your only desire is to perform in the bands, orchestras, or choirs. However, the band, orchestra, and choir directors do audition students for placement into those ensembles. These placement auditions often occur the summer before freshman year. For more information, see Ensemble Audition Information.
- The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is designed in the liberal arts tradition and is a good fit for students who want a music degree and who want to take additional courses outside of their major course of study.
- The Bachelor of Music (BM) degree is designed within the School of Music to provide students with an in depth curriculum in their area of focus. While a student pursing a BM degree will still take some courses outside their major course of study, the degree has been shaped in a way that puts extra emphasis on the major area.
See the Double Major in Music page for more information.
Students receive notification of their financial aid status from the University. If a student is selected to receive a music scholarship, they will receive a separate notification from the School of Music via email and will be asked to respond to verify acceptance of the scholarship. No notification letters are sent in the event that a student does not qualify for a music scholarship.
Graduate Associate positions (graduate assistantships) are awarded based on the recommendation of the faculty in the student's major area. Decisions typically begin to be made about March 1 and may take up to two months to complete. Candidates will be notified of their status by email as soon as possible after this has been determined.
Students who are awarded Graduate Associate positions will be asked to sign and return a contract. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies of the School of Music will make the official notice of Graduate Associate position awards in writing. Any discussion of Graduate Associate position awards or assignments prior to that notice, or by any other persons, shall be considered preliminary and unofficial.
Other resources for funding include: work study programs, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, outside scholarships, GradPlus loans, and alternative loans. For more information, please contact the Student Financial Aid Office.
See our resource for Incoming Students.
International graduate applicants must demonstrate English-language proficiency by submitting either TOEFL or IELTS scores. Baylor's Institution Code: 6032.
Minimum TOEFL scores for master's degrees are: 550 paper, 213 computer-based, 80 internet-based. The minimum IELTS score for master's degrees is 6.5. Minimum DuoLingo score is 125.
Minimum TOEFL scores for doctoral degrees are: 600 paper, 250 computer-based, 100 internet-based. Comparable scores on the IELTS or PTE exams may also be submitted for doctoral degrees.
International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement under the following circumstances:
- You have a conferred degree from an institution in the United States
- Your degree was issued from an institution where the medium of instruction is English.
No one will be admitted who does not meet these minimum standards because we want students to be successful academically as well as in a performance area.
During the week preceding the semester in which a graduate student enrolls he/she will take music theory and music history diagnostic exams. Appropriate remedial course work may be required as a result of the exams. In addition, graduate students with majors in vocal performance, collaborative piano, and church music with vocal performance emphasis will be tested over their knowledge of Italian, German, and French lyric diction. If the student is deficient in any of these languages he/she will be expected to enroll in an appropriate diction course. See the Graduate Music Handbook for more information on the exams and how to prepare for them.