Note on recommendations: Please let your recommenders know whether you have waived your right to view the recommendations should you enroll. Applicants should seek out recommenders who can address their academic qualifications and professional, personal, and religious character.
Application Procedures
You can inquire at any time during the year about admission to the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music of The Jewish Theological Seminary. Please contact our Admissions Office at csadmissions@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8818.
Prospective students have preliminary discussions with our director of admissions and the program director. We are happy to arrange campus visits, which include classes, daily minyan, and personal meetings with students and faculty. After visiting the school, a candidate may be encouraged to submit a formal application.
How to Apply
Contact the Admissions Office
Before beginning your application, we encourage you to have a preliminary discussion with the admissions office. You can reach us at csadmissions@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8818.
Submit online
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts from all postsecondary studies
- Three recommendation letters, at least one of which should be academic
- Videos of three vocal selections (an art song, a liturgical piece, and one piece of your choosing) that demonstrate your vocal capabilities
- Completed Hebrew and music theory placement exams (provided by the Office of Admissions)
- Digital photo
Required Exams and Score Reports
Important Update for Fall 2024 Admissions
GRE/MAT or other graduate-level testing results are requested, but if not available, an alternative metric may be offered by the director of Admissions. This shift in our testing policy allows applicants to prepare their application without fear of being disadvantaged in the process. Students who are unable or choose not to submit scores will not be penalized as applicants for fall 2024. Please note that current policies around “waiving” test scores are still in-place for fall 2024 admission.
If you have completed testing, we encourage submission of your scores as this information can be a valuable addition in our review. JTS has always practiced a holistic, individualized approach to reviewing our applicants and selecting individuals who are the best fit for our unique graduate programs. Consideration of an applicant includes many factors beyond test scores; we are confident our applicants will continue to demonstrate those qualities to us through their applications again this year.
- All applicants must submit official scores on the general test of the GRE (JTS GRE code is 2339) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Please note the above update to JTS’s testing policy.
- Official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Duolingo English Test for applicants whose native language is other than English and who have not been educated at a college where English is the language of instruction. These test scores are valid for two years from the date taken.
Testing may be waived for one of the following reasons and is at the discretion of the admissions director or dean:
- Applicant is a graduate of List College at JTS with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Applicant holds a relevant graduate degree from an accredited university and can provide an official transcript that indicates successful completion of all required course work.
- Applicant has completed non-degree courses at JTS with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
Deadline
Applications for the fall 2024 admission are due January 22, 2024. Contact us at csadmissions@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8818 to initiate a conversation.
Financial Aid
Please note that the application for need-based financial aid is separate from the application for admission. Learn more.
Audition and Interview
The final step in the application process occurs when the candidate is invited to meet with the Admissions Committee. Interviews are generally scheduled at JTS from February through April. The candidate presents two pieces in audition, one liturgical and one secular. The Admissions Committee then conducts an interview with the candidate.
