The Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College is for students of elementary through high-school age who exhibit the talent, potential, and accomplishment to pursue serious, conservatory-style music studies.

Applicants should be 8-18 years-old at the time of entrance. If you are applying for Pre-College admission during your final year of high school and plan to attend a full-time collegiate program after graduation, you are ineligible to apply. Students applying in their final year of high school who have decided to take a “gap-year” between high school graduation and entrance into a full-time college may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis (a student in this “gap-year” situation may be 18-19 years old during enrollment. Please note, incoming gap year students will not receive a Certificate of Graduation but a Certificate of Attendance from the Pre-College). 

Voice applicants must turn 14 by the end of the fall semester after matriculation.

In rare instances of exceptionally talented students under 8 years old, we may consider admission on a case-by-case basis. 

Please visit the Pre-College page for program details.

• Exceptional talent as a performer, and the potential to meet Tianjin Juilliard's technical standards
• A high level and quality of musicianship
• A capacity for sustained, disciplined practice
• Curiosity and a desire to develop your musical voice

The deadline to submit your application is February 15, 2025. To begin, create your Tianjin Juilliard Admissions Account, gather the required application materials, and follow the instructions to complete your application.

Please remember your Juilliard Admissions Account username and password as you will need it to log in throughout the entirety of the admissions process. All admissions communication will be conducted through your Juilliard Admissions Account and the email address used for registration.

Start your application here for fall 2025 matriculation!

The 770 RMB application fee is nonrefundable and must be paid through your application status page upon submission of your application.

All applicants must submit pre-screening videos with their application. These recordings are reviewed by the Admissions Committee to determine which applicants will be invited to a live audition.

Learn more about pre-screening requirements

Applicants who successfully pass the pre-screening portion of the application process will be notified by March 15 whether they will be invited to register for an audition. Auditions will be held at the new Tianjin campus next spring. 

Learn more about audition requirements

Consultative lessons give prospective students the opportunity to meet and work with Tianjin Juilliard faculty during the admissions process. Consultative lessons should be viewed as a way for students to learn about a teacher’s style and pedagogical approach; they are not mandatory, and do not influence admission.

The Tianjin Juilliard School offers consultative lessons based on faculty availability and other factors. Consultative lessons will generally take place on our new Tianjin campus. It may be possible to take an online lesson. The fee for a 60-minute lesson is 1800 RMB. To request a consultative lesson, please fill out a form here.

Read the 2024-25 Pre-College Viewbook to learn more.

The Graduate Studies program is currently still accepting applications for select instruments. Contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@tianjinjuilliard.edu.cn for more information. Click here to apply!

Tianjin Juilliard seeks exceptionally talented and disciplined students who meet Juilliard's artistic standards. You should possess the maturity and generosity of spirit that is essential to ensemble work, a broad curiosity for the historical traditions and contemporary trends of music, and a clear dedication to artistic excellence and leadership.

View the Tianjin Juilliard Graduate Studies Brochure to learn more about our program!

• A bachelor's degree or its equivalent by the time you matriculate (generally including at least 24 credits in liberal arts subjects)
• Musical training at a high level
• English language proficiency that meets our outlined requirements
• Tianjin Juilliard offers master of music degrees in Instrumental and Orchestral Studies, Instrumental and Chamber Music, and Collaborative Piano. If you already have a master of music degree in one of these majors, you are not eligible to apply for that same major. However, you may apply for a different major. (For example, if you already have a master of music degree in violin, you are eligible to apply either our chamber or instrumental and orchestral studies programs.)
• If you apply to this degree program and are denied admission, you can apply again in a future application cycle. After three unsuccessful attempts applying to the same major, you are no longer eligible to apply.

Please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@tianjinjuilliard.edu.cn if you are unsure about your eligibility.

_{*Most Recent Official English Language Test Score: This test score must be delivered to us directly from the testing company but does not need to be passing: It will serve to indicate your most recent level of English language proficiency.}

The following items are only required if you are invited to a live audition:

<sub>*In order to be considered for institutional aid, you must fill out the CSS Profile with the institutional code 2356, found on the College Board website. Only those who pass pre-screening will be required to complete the CSS Profile, which must be completed by March 1, 2025. Please see the Scholarship page for more information.

**Final Official English Language Test Score: This test score must be delivered to us directly from the testing company and should meet our test score standards.</sub>

Online Application

To begin, create your Tianjin Juilliard admissions account, gather the required application materials, and follow the instructions to complete your application.

Application Fee 

The 770 RMB* application fee is non-refundable and must be paid through your application status page upon submission of your application. Your application is not considered complete until the fee has been received.

_{*When paying with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or PayPal, the amount will be approximately $110 USD assuming an exchange rate of 7 RMB to $1 USD. The actual amount charged to your account may vary slightly due to fluctuations in the exchange rate.}

Essays

Tianjin Juilliard's Admissions Committee uses your essays to learn more about you as an individual and gain a sense of who you are beyond your application, transcript, and audition. They are also used to confirm that you have the scholastic competence necessary to succeed in graduate-level coursework. Essays should be double-spaced, in a 12-point font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Please note that essays must be written in English (not translated from another language) and be your own original work.

Essay #1 | Choose one of the following prompts:

• Many artists experience a moment that defines their career goals. Describe what that moment was for you. Be specific and tell us how that moment continues to influence your artistic and academic work.

OR

• The Tianjin Juilliard School emphasizes collaborative and ensemble playing at the highest artistic level. Please describe what specifically attracts you to collaborating with other musicians. Please draw upon examples from your past collaborative experience.

Please write approximately 500-650 words on the prompt of your choice.

Essay #2:

• What has inspired you to apply specifically to The Tianjin Juilliard School? Please include any relevant personal and professional context.

Please write approximately 300-400 words on this prompt.

Essay #3 | Required only for those who are not currently enrolled in an academic program:

• Please tell us about the period since you graduated from your last academic program. Please include any professional activities you have been engaged in since graduating.

Please write approximately 300-400 words on this prompt.
 

Artistic Résumé

Your Artistic Résumé should follow a general résumé format. The résumé should be 1-2 pages, and include the following information:

• Your educational background (including private teachers with whom you have studied)
• Significant performance experiences
• Professional orchestra and ensemble experiences (include chair/seating)
• Summer programs/festivals (include year(s) of attendance)
• Competitions, prizes and awards
• Any other information you would like to share with the Admissions Committee 

Transcripts

Transcripts are an important part of the decision process and help us determine if you are prepared to succeed in coursework at the graduate level. Transcripts for all post-secondary coursework, including all grades earned and courses in progress must be received by December 15, 2024. If you are currently enrolled in a program, this transcript should include your fall semester grades. The transcript may be an official copy sent directly by your institution. It can also be either a scanned copy of your transcript as provided to you by your school’s registrar or downloaded from your online student account. Please do not send screenshots. If you are choosing to upload scanned copies, they can be uploaded directly to your application status page after you submit your application. If your transcript is not in English, we require the transcript in its original language as well as a translation.

Final Official Transcript

If you are admitted and decide to enroll, you will then be required to submit final official transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended. These final official transcripts will be due July 1, in the summer prior to matriculation. Matriculation to the MM degree program is contingent upon Tianjin Juilliard receiving your final official transcripts before the stated deadline. This final transcript must be sent to the Office of Admissions and must state the degree earned, the date it was awarded, and the list of courses taken and grades earned throughout the course of study. If your transcript is not in English, we require the transcript in its original language as well as a certified translation. If the degree earned is not listed on your transcript, we require an official copy of your degree diploma. If your degree diploma is not in English, you need also to provide a certified translation. 

Definition of an Official Transcript

• An electronic record of your academic progress, including grades earned, sent by a secure service (such as Naviance, eSCRIP-SAFE, or other system). Scanned, emailed, or uploaded copies are not considered official.

OR

• A paper record of your academic progress, including grades earned. Official transcripts must arrive in an envelope sealed and stamped by the issuing institution.

Final official transcripts should be mailed to the Tianjin Juilliard Office of Admissions. Mailing address for final transcripts will be provided on your admission letter.

Your official transcript(s) must show all prior and current coursework equivalent or similar to a U.S. bachelor's degree (generally including at least 24 credits in liberal arts subjects).

• If your transcript is not in English, we require the transcript in its original language as well as a certified translation.
• You will be notified if an official evaluation of your transcript is required to verify your academic level. Companies such as SpanTran, WES, or ECE can provide this service for a fee.

Recommendations

In your application you will be required to identify two individuals who will provide your recommendations. These recommendations should:

• Be from a teacher, conductor, coach, or artistic mentor
• Address your talent and accomplishments
• Discuss the following individual characteristics that indicate potential for success in the field: perseverance, dedication, collegiality, and leadership

The recommendations are due February 15, 2025. Your recommenders will receive an email with a link to securely upload their recommendations to our application system. We will only accept recommendations received through our application system.

Final auditions will take place in Tianjin and at select regional locations. Applicants unable to travel to a live audition location must contact the Office of Admission at admissions@tianjinjuilliard.edu.cn to discuss the circumstances and reasons they cannot audition live, and to request approval of an alternative audition modality.

To satisfy the musical requirements of an application to The Tianjin Juilliard School, you must:

1. Submit pre-screening recordings to your application (all applicants)
2. Audition live (invitation only)

Applicants who pass the pre-screening round will be invited to register for a final audition.

Learn more about repertoire requirements, audition dates and locations

English Language Proficiency (ELP)

The ability to communicate in English fluently, especially with a high degree of skill in speaking, listening, and reading, is an important factor in admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate English language proficiency if English is not your native language. The Tianjin Juilliard School defines native language as the language first spoken as a child and the primary language spoken at home.

ELP Assessment
We assess your English language abilities using the following criteria:

• The results of a standardized English language proficiency test (hereinafter “official test score”)
•  An interview with a member of the English faculty in The Tianjin Juilliard School¹
• Your previous academic record

¹Only applicants who have been invited to a live audition whose native language is not English will be scheduled for an interview. Interviews will take place in February or March 2025.

ELP Official Test Scores²
Applicants must submit an official test score from one of the following test types to demonstrate ELP:

• Cambridge English
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 

²Note that your official test score alone is not sufficient for admission (assuming your audition meets our standard). Depending on the results of the full ELP Assessment, applicants who are admissible artistically may be admitted to the following programs:

• Master of Music (MM) degree – This accredited degree program requires academic work, including in music theory and music history. Applicants with an official test score of 89 TOEFL/6.5 IELTS/C1 Cambridge English or above, together with a successful interview assessment, may be admitted directly into the MM program.
• MM degree with Academic Communication and English (ACE)– Applicants with an official test score of between 80-89 TOEFL/6.0-6.5 IELTS who are being considered for admission are required to complete Academic Communication and English during their first year at The Tianjin Juilliard School and the summer prior to matriculation. Successful completion of ACE will meet the ELP entrance requirement for the Master of Music degree.
• Enrichment for Practicing Musicians  (EPM)³– Applicants whose ELP falls below the threshold for admission to the MM degree or the MM degree with ACE may be offered a place in our EPM program. This program provides intensive instruction in English, plus applied music lessons, and opportunities for participation in ensembles.

³Official Test Scores Below the MM/ACE threshold – Applicants whose official test score falls between 31-80 TOEFL or 4.0-6.0 IELTS will be considered for admission to EPM on a case-by-case basis, using the criteria listed above. An interview with the Director of English Language Studies may be required in certain circumstances.

Submitting Official Test Scores
The official test scores must be sent electronically directly from the testing company and received by the Office of Admissions at The Tianjin Juilliard School by the appropriate deadlines listed below. Please note that when requesting official test scores from the testing company, you should search for “Tianjin Juilliard” in the school list for score delivery. For TOEFL, you can also find us using the institution code C513. 

⁴Most recent official test score: This test score must be sent to The Tianjin Juilliard School directly from the testing company but does not need to be passing. It will serve to indicate your most recent level of ELP.

⁵Final official test score: This test score must be delivered to Tianjin Juilliard directly from the testing company and should meet our test score requirements.

Exemption and Waiver
A. An exemption to provide an official test score as proof of ELP is granted automatically if the language of instruction at the applicant’s high school AND undergraduate school was English. Applicants who are granted an exemption do not require an interview.

• Note that this exemption requires a TOTAL of 8 years of academic instruction in English: 4 years of high school + 4 years of bachelor’s degree study.

B. A waiver of the requirement to provide an official test score as proof of ELP may be granted at the school’s discretion if the following criteria are met:

• The applicant has earned (or will have earned by the time of matriculation) a 4-year undergraduate degree from a school where the language of instruction is English
• AND if the applicant submits 2 academic papers written in English, for review by our Director of English Language Studies. The papers must have been written in the final year of the applicant’s current or most recent program of study. Each paper must be a minimum of 1200 words in length
• AND the applicant submits an unofficial transcript for review.
• To request consideration for a waiver, follow the instructions on the application form.
• An interview with a member of the English faculty in The Tianjin Juilliard School is required of applicants whose official test score requirement is waived. 

Currently enrolled students in the Juilliard Collegiate Division will be exempt from the requirements for pre-screening and proof of English language proficiency. Additionally, Juilliard students' application fee will be waived as long the application is submitted by the deadline.

Master's students enrolled in year 1 and year 2 at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music are eligible to apply to the Dual-Degree Program, a collaboration between The Tianjin Juilliard School and the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. This unique opportunity consists of study at Tianjin Conservatory and two years of study at Tianjin Juilliard. Students who successfully complete the program earn a Master's degree from The Juilliard School in New York and the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. 

While enrolled at Tianjin Conservatory, students pay the tuition for Tianjin Conservatory. While enrolled at Tianjin Juilliard for the final two years, students pay the dual-degree tuition rate for Tianjin Juilliard. The dual-degree tuition for Tianjin Juilliard is 200,000 RMB per academic year. Scholarship opportunities exist from Tianjin Juilliard while enrolled for the two years at Tianjin Juilliard. 

In order to apply, applicants should complete the online Tianjin Juilliard application, indicating that they are currently enrolled at Tianjin Conservatory and will be applying to the Dual-Degree Program. Applications must include a pre-screen video recording, uploaded to the application. The Admissions Office at Tianjin Juilliard will notify an applicant if they have been invited for a live audition. View complete audition requirements here. Admission decisions for the Dual-Degree program are made by the Tianjin Juilliard Admission Committee, which includes senior administration from Tianjin and New York.  

Consultative lessons give you the opportunity to meet and work with Tianjin Juilliard faculty during the admissions process. Consultative lessons should be viewed as a way for you to learn about a teacher’s style and pedagogical approach; they are not mandatory, and do not influence admission.

The Tianjin Juilliard School offers consultative lessons based on faculty availability and other factors. Consultative lessons will generally take place on our new Tianjin campus. It may be possible to take an online lesson. The fee for a 60-minute lesson is 1800 RMB. To request a consultative lesson, please fill out a form here.

The Tianjin Juilliard School seeks to facilitate the full participation of applicants with disabilities in the audition process. The School makes reasonable accommodations or adjustments for qualified individuals with known disabilities in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

The School will not make pre-admissions inquiries as to whether or not a student has a disability; however, applicants with documented disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to participate in the audition process must notify the Office of Academic Support and Disability Services (OASDS) in writing by December 15. Please notify the office by emailing them at oasds@juilliard.edu .

You will be required to submit documentation of your disability to OASDS; this information will be kept strictly confidential. You must complete the following forms in order for the school to accommodate your specific needs:

• Applicant Release of Disability Related Information Form
• Audition Accommodation Request Form

All documented disability requests will be managed by The Juilliard School in New York.

The Tianjin Juilliard School Pre-College opened in the fall of 2019 and offers a comprehensive conservatory-style music program, on Saturdays from September to May, for advanced Pre-College students ages 8-18 who exhibit the talent, potential, and ambition to pursue serious music study at the college level. Pre-College students are mentored by an international roster of faculty and given many opportunities to perform in solo, chamber, and orchestral concerts. Members of the Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College faculty are distinguished artist-teachers, many of whom are members of Tianjin Juilliard School’s graduate school faculty. The faculty serves as teachers, role models, and mentors guiding students as they develop technical proficiency while fostering creativity and intellectual curiosity. Recognizing the importance of early development and discipline in the music field, the school will offer an atmosphere where artistic gifts and technical skills can flourish. Here at Tianjin Juilliard School, you will:

• Refine your technical playing and develop a unique musical voice through lessons and classes with a world-class faculty.
• Be part of an internationally-minded community to help prepare you for future studies at conservatories, colleges, and universities around the world.
• Receive your training at the only American-style pre-college music program taught bilingually in English and Chinese, anywhere in China.
• Engage in the authentic Juilliard experience and in a program completely aligned with its New York counterpart, designed to develop the next generation of musicians, leaders, and global citizens.
• Study at the weekday academic school of your choice while pursuing rigorous music studies on Saturdays at The Tianjin Juilliard School.
• Receive a certificate upon graduation from the Pre-College to acknowledge your participation and artistic progress.

A Juilliard education empowers students to discover their full potential as musicians, curious, intellectuals, responsible global citizens, and leaders of their generation.

The Pre-College offers a complete curriculum that includes weekly private lesson, chamber music, studio class, music theory, ear training, chorus, English for Musical Purposes, string orchestra, wind ensemble and piano performance forum, as well as elective courses. Students are given ample opportunities to perform in solo, chamber, chorus and orchestral concerts.

Pre-College student schedules are highly individualized and tailored to their specific level of development. Students should be prepared to attend classes between 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM on Saturdays during the academic year. All classes are scheduled in one-hour blocks, with the exception of ensemble rehearsals which are longer.

Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College is a non-degree granting program and is intended as a supplement to our students’ full-time, Monday-Friday academic education. Many Pre-College students commute each weekend, from near or far, while staying enrolled in their current weekday school.

Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College accepts Chinese nationals as well as international students. The Pre-College does not grant visas to international students or provide study registration to domestic students since the program is non-degree granting. Those who are planning on relocating in order to attend the Pre-College should arrange their own weekday full-time study and visa if necessary.

Located in the district of Binhai, Tianjin, the 450,000 square-foot Tianjin Juilliard campus is designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the firm that oversaw the 2009 expansion of Juilliard’s Lincoln Center campus as well as major cultural venues around the globe. The central lobby of the new school is an extension of the surrounding public park and is accessible year-round as a gathering place for students, faculty, and visitors. The cutting-edge architectural design includes the building’s performance halls, teaching studios, practice rooms, and acoustical details that are the first of their kind in China. The campus is a five-minute walk from the Binhai high-speed rail station. By train, downtown Tianjin is a 25-minute ride from the school, with Beijing just one hour away.