Graduate Frequently Asked Questions

Each year we assemble a team of musicians based upon very specific ensemble needs. For orchestral instrumentalists, we populate two orchestras with a specific number of students for each section. For vocalists, we need specific voice types in our vocal program. Admission for instrumentalists, vocalists, composers and music history is also decided by reviewing studio attrition, and how vacant studio slots can best be filled.

The Shepherd School of Music welcomes you to visit. If you would like to meet with a Shepherd School admissions professional, please see the Visit page.

As the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest in Texas, Houston offers the diversity and richness found only in world-class urban centers. The city's population totals over 2 million, while the greater metropolitan area covers 8,778 square miles and has a population of over 7 million. Economic vitality spans the energy, healthcare, space, high-tech, and chemical industries. Houstonians support more than 500 cultural, visual, and performing arts organizations; 75 art galleries; five major museums; resident companies in opera, theater, symphony, and ballet; and four major league sports franchises. More than 90 languages are spoken in the Houston area.

The Shepherd School receives over 900 graduate applications annually, and our acceptance rate is typically around 10% - 15%.

Individual lessons are scheduled directly with faculty members and are subject to faculty availability.

Many of the professional ensembles throughout greater Houston frequently employ Shepherd School students. Churches, synagogues, museums, private parties, and weddings are just a few of the “gigging” opportunities.

Your application, prescreening submission, resume, and all other required documents are due December 1.

Yes, selecting a teacher preference in the area of strings, piano, and voice is very important. You will make this selection on your graduate application. Once your application has been submitted, changes to your teacher preference must be made in writing to the SSM admissions staff who manages your area. Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Organ, and Harp all have one faculty. Composition faculty are assigned students based on a rotating studio model. More information is found here.

Graduate applicants who wish to apply to more than one major or degree program must complete a separate application and follow the application/audition procedures for each. Please note that you will need to use a separate email address for each application.

Currently, enrolled Rice University Shepherd School of Music students who wish to reapply for a new degree program at the Shepherd School should contact Isabella Kruger-Seiler, Assistant Director of Music Admissions.

The GRE is optional for MM Musicology applicants only and not required for the Shepherd School of Music graduate admissions. The ETS school code for Rice University is 6609.

You are required to submit a TOEFL score if your previous degree is not from a U.S. institution, or your native language is not English. Performance diplomas or certificates do not suffice as a degree. If your previous degree is from an institution with English instruction, then you do not have to submit a TOEFL score. English-speaking countries are identified to be: Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (English-speaking provinces), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis, The Bahamas, Trinidad, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Indies, or Zimbabwe.  

The Shepherd School of Music requires the followings minimum scores for English proficiency tests: DMA applicants: a score of at least 100 on the iBT and 120 on the Duolingo test. MM and AD applicants: 90 on the iBT and 115 on the Duolingo test. For students who choose to take the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) in lieu of the TOEFL, the minimum score is 7.0. Please arrange to have your scores sent to the Shepherd School of Music using Rice Institution Code 6609.

For Fall 2025, the following tests will be accepted: iBT TOEFL, iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, and Duolingo. The TOELF ITP Plus is not accepted. Only the best composite TOEFL score is accepted; my Best scores are not accepted. More information can be found here.

Reference letters are very important. Your recommenders can receive the email link to submit their recommendation before you have completed your application. Recommendations are due by December 10. The Shepherd School cannot admit a student without the required number of reference letters in their file.

Both the Statement of Purpose (AD) and DMA Questions and paper are important to the prescreening and final decisions. The faculty review these documents along with the online prescreening submission to select the applicants they would like to hear for a live audition. These documents are also vital for admission decisions.

A copy of your student record or an unofficial transcript from your current school must be submitted with your graduate application.

The Shepherd School music admissions office needs your official transcripts for all of the post-secondary schools that you have attended by February 1. This includes all the colleges/universities/conservatories that you have attended since high school. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to our office via email (mm235@rice.edu) or mail (The address is listed on the Contact Us page). Official transcripts should NOT be sent the Office of Admission or Graduate Studies Office.

Official foreign transcripts submitted to the Shepherd School must include an English translation from either the issuing school or from an accredited translation service. Transcripts must also contain the list of classes with the grades/ evaluation marks earned in each course taken at that institution. Finally, if the degree and conferral date are not listed on the transcript, then a degree certification page indicating both must be included.

Resources for International transcripts:
Spantran: The Evaluation Company
World Education Services

An admission decision will not be made until official transcript(s) have been received.

For an applicant who must submit prescreening files on their application by December 1, the faculty will review and make decisions before the Winter break. The invitations to audition will be emailed with the link to schedule your audition. For harp and MM organ applicants, the music admissions office will schedule your audition before the school closes for Winter Break. Audition dates and requirements may be found here. IMPORTANT! Please set your email filter to accept rice.edu emails since this is the primary source of our communication with applicants. Applicants who use Gmail may need to check the Social or Promotions folders since our emails occasionally end up in those folders.

Our faculty members require a live audition before accepting someone into their studio. We do not conduct regional auditions in order to encourage serious applicants to visit the campus and experience our faculty, ensembles, and campus firsthand. If you have extreme circumstances that warrant a recorded audition, you must contact the SSM admissions staff who manages your area.

Rice University provides a map of local hotels.

Prior to your arrival on campus, you will receive an audition confirmation email listing the date, time, and room location of your scheduled audition. 

Most MM auditions are conducted without accompanists. A pianist is provided for voice, AD, and DMA auditions.

If there is a change in your audition repertoire, please bring multiple copies of your new list to your audition for the faculty.

Most auditions run from 10 – 15 minutes long, except for DMA auditions, which are 30 minutes long.

If Houston is experiencing challenging weather, we will post a notice on the home page. If your travel is affected by difficult weather, please call us as soon as you are aware of this so we can re-schedule your audition for later in the day or on another audition day. We count on you to let us know so we can notify the faculty and their schedules can be adjusted.

The Shepherd School of Music will notify applicants of their admission status by April 1.

Financial aid in the form of scholarship and fellowships for Shepherd School Financial Assistance Application is administered entirely by the Shepherd School. The submission of the Shepherd School Financial Assistance Application is required for consideration of scholarship and assistantship offered by the Shepherd School of Music. After you have been accepted, and if you are a U.S. citizen, you may also apply for student loans to cover any portion of your tuition that is not covered by scholarship, plus living expenses. Please visit our Costs and Financial Aid page for more information.

No special international scholarships are offered. Merit award considerations apply to all applicants (including international), but international applicants do not qualify for any U.S. need-based financial aid.