Non-Degree and Visiting Student Admissions

Photo of three friends stnding closely together

 

Incoming Visiting or Exchange students

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply as an exchange student to study at the Schulich School of Music if your home university has a direct exchange agreement with McGill University. Applicants must be enrolled in the same major program in order to pursue studies in the same discipline.

Not sure if your university has an exchange agreement with McGill? Search via the tool “Where Can I Go on Exchange” on this website.

There are two types of exchange agreements at McGill University: Faculty-Specific and General Exchanges.

Faculty-Specific Exchange:

McGill’s Schulich School of Music has Faculty-Specific Exchange Agreements with the following music conservatories:

The Hague Royal Conservatory, the Hague, the Netherlands
The Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway
The Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland
The Queensland Conservatorium, Brisbane, Australia
The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)
Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), Beijing, China

General Exchange:

If your university does not have a direct exchange agreement with McGill’s Schulich School of Music, you can still apply as an exchange student to pursue studies in music on the following conditions:
- Your university has an exchange agreement which is open to all faculties at McGill.
- You study in the same discipline in a music program.

Visiting Student:

If your university does not have an exchange agreement with McGill University, and you are interested in spending one term or a year pursuing music studies at the Schulich School of Music, you can apply as a Visiting Student. You must obtain official permission from your home university before you can apply as a Visiting Student.

Learning Agreement/Registration

You are required to provide a list of courses which you would like to pursue at McGill University on the online application form. In addition, you must upload a copy of an updated transcripts for review via the online form.

If you are interested in practical instruction (private instrumental or voice lessons), ensembles and/or performance courses, you must submit a video taped audition of 10 minutes duration which is recorded within the last three months. Types of repertoire for the voice/instrument you sing/play can be found on the Auditions page.

Course registrations are dependent on your academic background and enrollment limits.

Music exchange and visiting students should choose courses in the same discipline which they pursue at the home university. Aside from performance courses, our School offers courses in composition, theory, music education, musicology, music technology, etc. The majority of our music courses are not offered in multiple semesters. To view a list of courses available by semester, refer to the program website.

As an incoming exchange or visiting student, you are permitted to take up to one course outside of music per semester as long as you meet the program or prerequisite requirements. E.g. many arts courses at McGill are open to all students. As an incoming exchange or visiting at the music faculty, the majority of the courses you pursue here should focus on music.

Exchange and Visiting students can register up to a maximum of 15 credits (equivalent to 30 ECTS) in one semester, or 30 credits (equivalent to 60 ECTS credits) for the full academic year. We do not offer summer exchange programs.

Visit McGill’s undergraduate program website to explore the type of courses you can potentially take at McGill. Certain course restrictions apply. Contact the department which oversees the program to see if you are eligible to register for the course(s) which interest you.

Fees

Exchange students are exempt from regular tuition charges, but are responsible for paying for McGill’s international health insurance coverage, course materials, textbooks, etc. See the Incoming Exchange Fact Sheet for more information. Visiting students pay tuition and other compulsory university-related fees directly to McGill University.

If you will be registering for practical instruction, you may be charged private lesson fees as per the exchange agreement McGill has with your home university. This fee is payable to McGill University. A sample annual fee for a full-time student in an undergraduate music program can be found on the Student Accounts website.

Application

Consult the information on McGill Abroad website before you apply.

  • Application period for fall (September to December) or the full-year (September to April): February 1 to April 1
  • Application period for winter only (January to April): August 1 to October 1

We strongly recommend you to apply for the fall or full-year exchange if you are interested in pursuing performance studies at the Schulich School of Music. Ensemble auditions take place between late August and early September for ensemble and chamber group placements for the full year.

Ready to apply as an incoming exchange or visiting student at the Schulich School of Music? Follow the instructions on the McGill Abroad website.

Note 1: If you are interested in taking practical instruction (private instrumental or voice lessons), ensembles and/or performance courses, you must submit a recorded audition for review. See our Auditions webpage for details.

Note 2: If you wish to pursue composition classes, you are required to provide a composition portfolio consisting of 2 or 3 of your written scores for assessment. Email your composition portfolios to undergraduateadmissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Incoming%20Exchange%2FVisiting%20Application) (Undergraduate Music Admissions) under the subject line “Incoming Exchange/Visiting Application” after you have submitted an application.

You are accepted! Here's how to register

The Music Student Affairs Office will provide you more information about registration once you are accepted as an exchange or visiting student.

Registration opening dates for exchange and visiting students are listed here.

You will be assigned a McGill Student ID and a McGill email address when you are accepted as an exchange or visiting student. With your McGill ID number or username (i.e. your McGill email address), you will use Minerva to register. See Instructional Video on using Minerva to register.

For more information about registration, email adelina.lameiras [at] mcgill.ca (Ms. Adelina Lameiras)


 

Inter-university transfer students (IUT)

If you are studying at another Quebec university and want to take courses at McGill using the Quebec Inter-University Transfer (IUT) agreement, you must:

  • initiate an online application to request the required authorizations
  • refer to home university website for regulations on the number of credits allowed, as well as the policies for transferring the credits

Most Quebec conservatories are not part of the agreement and students must apply as visiting students.


Research trainees

Undergraduate students from other Canadian and international universities (and exceptionally, local CEGEP or high-school students) who conduct research at the Schulich School of Music must register at McGill University as undergraduate research trainees.

As an undergraduate research trainee, you will experience life at McGill, gain scientific training from cutting-edge researchers and network with a broad range of potential supervisors, faculty, students and staff.

Application and Registration

  • The application form and supporting documentation must be submitted to patrick.oneill [at] mcgill.ca (Mr. Patrick O'Neill).

Visit McGill Student Records for comprehensive information about undergraduate research trainee application requirements, preparation, application form, health information for non-Canadians, etc.

Visiting students

Visiting Students can take courses at McGill University for credit towards a degree program at another university. To become a Visiting Student, you must obtain written permission from your university.

If you are studying at another university in Quebec, and would like to become a Visiting Student at McGill, you are eligible for a transfer of credit. However, you are only eligible for a transfer of credit if the required permission is obtained on Quebec Inter-University Transfer (IUT) forms. These forms are available on the Transfer Credits and Advanced Standing webpage.

Exchange students

Each year, we welcome numerous Exchange Students to graduate studies at McGill. As an exchange student, you will be able to share your wealth of knowledge and experience with other top students from Canada and throughout the world. Your peers and our internationally recognized professors will enrich what you learn in the classroom and the laboratory.

How to become an exchange studentConductor with Schulich School of Music student musicians

If you would like to come to McGill on exchange, you should first contact the International Studies or Study Abroad Office at your home university. They will be able to answer your questions, and determine your eligibility for exchange to McGill. They will also provide you with pertinent information such as application requirements.

We work with several exchange partner universities throughout Canada and the World. Contact your home university to inquire if there is an exchange partnership with McGill. Please note that we only review exchange applications that are formally submitted by the exchange coordinators of our exchange partner universities.

If your home university does not have an exchange agreement with McGill, you may want to apply as a Visiting Student.

Special students

As a Special Student you can take one, or two at most, graduate-level courses per term (6 credits), without the intention of obtaining a graduate degree or diploma. Special Students, like all graduate applicants, must meet the minimum graduate-level entrance requirements. The deadline to apply as a Special Student varies depending on the academic unit (department, school or institute) concerned. Not all units offer Special Student admission. Please refer to program page to determine the Special Student deadline.

Special students:

  • may not continue as Special Students after the completion of a maximum of 12 credits
  • must apply and pay the application fee every academic year (i.e. for the Fall term)
  • may receive academic credit for relevant graduate courses taken as Special Students, if they choose to obtain a graduate degree or diploma
  • who wish to take undergraduate courses only (500 level or lower) must apply as a Special Student in the undergraduate faculty concerned, even if they already hold a degree

Graduate research trainees

If you are enrolled in a graduate program at another university and would like to attend McGill for a limited period of time (up to a maximum of 12 months) to conduct research only, you must apply as a Graduate Research Trainee. This category of registration is for students registered in graduate programs in other universities to conduct PART of their thesis research at McGill under the supervision of a McGill professor. The category of Graduate Research Trainee cannot be used to conduct the majority of thesis research at McGill under the supervision of a McGill professor.

Please visit McGill's Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for comprehensive eligibility, application and tax information details.

Admissions documents:

Your completed Graduate_Research_Trainee_registration form and required documents must be emailed to:

graduateadmissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (Ms Mary Di Stefano) (Schulich School of Music - Graduate Admissions).

The original letter of permission must be submitted upon your arrival to McGill University for completion of your file.

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