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Jazz Bachelor

Application period and entrance requirements

Application period

15 February – 15 March for the winter semester

 

Entrance requirements

• Exceptional artistic talent
• Sufficient knowledge of German (language certificate German A2 for application and language certificate German B2 for enrolment)

Duration of studies and Degree

• Standard period of study: 8 semesters, 240 credit points

• Degree: Bachelor of Music (B Mus)

Your application - step by step

All steps mentioned in the following must be taken within the application deadline of the respective study program. It is recommended that you apply as early as possible within the application deadline so that you can clarify any questions that may arise with our StudyGuide in good time.

  1. Register and verify your identity (if you have not already done so in the past) in the Campusmanagement-Portal of the UdK Berlin: https://my.udk-berlin.de.
  2. Log in to the Campus Management Portal (https://my.udk-berlin.de) and submit an application for admission to the desired degree program there within the application deadline and upload the following formal documents in a PDF file (max. 20 MB) to the application portal during the application process:
    ● Detailed CV in tabular form
    Bank statement as proof of payment of the fee of € 30 for processing the application (in case of transfer from abroad proof of payment) or turnover view (in case of online banking). Other proofs/receipts (such as transfer orders) are not accepted. For more information: see under 3.
    International applicants must also provide proof of their German language skills: language certificate German A2 for application and language certificate German B2 for enrolment.
    You can find more information here.
    Transfer students from other univercities must enclose proof of previous study and examination achievements. You can find more information here.

    Recordings
    The following artistic work samples must also be uploaded to the Bemus platform by the application deadline:
    Improvisations on two tracks from the general jazz repertoire (e.g. rehearsal recording, no studio quality required). At least one of the pieces is to be recorded with an accompanying band.
    An original composition is also desired (not compulsory).

    Possible file formats: PDF, MP3, MP4, MOV
    Each file max. 2 GB, in total not more than 5 GB, max. 6 files

    Please also upload the formal documents to be submitted in paper form as PDF file.
    The PDF file and the audio files should be named according to the following pattern: Surname_First_Name_Applicationn umber_ Course_Content

  3. Information on transferring the 30 €  for participation in the admission procedure to the following account:
    Kasse der UdK Berlin
    Berliner Volksbank
    IBAN: DE 72 1009 0000 8841 0150 46
    BIC: BEVO DE BB XXX
    Reason for payment: 35/01036, degree programme, name, application number

    Berliner Volksbank eG
    Budapester Straße 35
    10787 Berlin
    Germany


    For foreign bank transfers:
    Please make sure that you pay all applicable transfer fees (OUR - sender pays costs) when making the transfer.

     

Are you an applicant from the PR China, Vietnam or India?

Are there any formal documents missing from your application? Find out how to submit them here.

Admission procedure

What happens after the application?

The admissions procedure consists of the pre-selection on the basis of the submitted sound recordings and an entrance examination.
As a rule, the entrance examination takes place at the end of May/beginning of June.

Expected examination period for the winter semester 2025/26: 19 - 23 May 2025
This information is without guarantee!

The selected applicants will receive the invitation with further information and the dates by e-mail.

Pre-selection:
The admission’s board chooses candidates for the entrance exams based on the uploaded recordings.

Entrance exam:
Usually the exam consists of the following parts:
1. examination in the respective main subject (instrumental or vocal): playing with the provided rhythm section
- three stylistically different titles from the general jazz repertoire with improvisation
- if possible an own composition
- spontaneous task (e.g. improvisation / etude)
2. transcription: written presentation of a self-made solo transcription, playing of this transcription to the original recording
3. sight-reading / sight-singing
4. jazz piano (compulsory subject): performance of an easy to moderately difficult functional harmonic jazz piece, it should be a self-prepared arrangement, an improvisation is desired but not obligatory. Basic skills of playing jazz voicings must be recognizable (e.g. F13, Cm7b5, G7alt...).
For pianists: Performance of a "classical" work
5. colloquium (description of musical career to date, explanation of professional goals)
6. composition/aural training: after successful completion of the practical examination disciplines, a written examination must be completed. The following knowledge will be tested - partly with sound examples:
- Notation in treble and bass clef with determination of the octave ranges (rhythm, melody dictation)
- keys and their accidentals, modes (church keys) as well as other typical jazz scales
- Intervals (also larger than one octave)
- chords
- triads with inversions (major, minor, diminished,augmented, sus4)
- seventh chords
- Jazz chord symbol writing,
- Recognition of simple chord combinations or cadences using sound examples.
- Recognition of instruments by means of sound examples