Admission to the USC Thornton School of Music is a two-step process. Students must apply and be admitted to both the University of Southern California and the USC Thornton School of Music.

All required materials (that go to Thornton OR USC) must be received by October 1, 2009. Please note that this is NOT a postmark deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Undergraduate applications are not accepted for spring entrance, except when the applicant is a current USC student. Graduate applicants should carefully note that the following programs do not accept applications for spring semester entrance:

• Choral Music
• Composition
• Jazz Studies and Jazz Voice
• Sacred Music
• Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television

Step One: Apply to USC

• Complete the USC Undergraduate Application or the USC Graduate Application. (Current USC undergraduate students applying for a change of major do not need to complete the USC Undergraduate application; proceed directly to Step Two.)

Step Two: Apply to the Thornton School of Music

• Download, print, and complete the Thornton Supplementary Application (PDF).
• Determine the specific application requirements for your chosen program.

• IMPORTANT MAILING INSTRUCTIONS- Mail all required music-specific materials such as compositions or typed lyric sheets (if applicable) in one package directly to the Thornton Admission Office. Be sure that the contents of the package are clearly marked with your first and last name and date of birth to ensure the materials get matched up to the appropriate application. Please address the envelope as follows:

  ______________ Admission Review *
  USC Thornton School of Music
  Office of Admission
  927 West 35th Street - PIC 212
  Los Angeles, CA 90089-0021

* To ensure proper and timely processing of your application materials, please write the name of the program (Degree and Major) for which you are applying in the blank space of the address block above. If you are applying to a program which requires an audition, be sure to indicate the instrument and whether it is jazz or classical.

• If you are sending a recording to us, please label the body of the CD/DVD with the following information:

• First and Last Name
• Date of Birth
• USC ID#
• Program to which you are applying (i.e. BM Music Industry: Oboe)
• Year you are applying for (i.e. Fall 2010)
• Anticipated Class standing (Freshman, Transfer, or Grad)

If these mailing instructions are not followed properly, it cannot be guaranteed that your application materials will be received by the appropriate faculty in time for review.

• For materials that are to be sent to USC Admission please see the Application Requirements page and select your program to see specific instructions

Step Four: Perform an audition (if required) according to the specific audition requirements for your chosen program.

• Applicants for the spring semester of 2010 must make arrangements for an audition by directly contacting the department of their major. For contact information of various Thornton departments click here.

International students: visit our International Student Admission section for important information about applying as an international student.

QUESTIONS?

Feel free to contact us at uscmusic@usc.edu or (213) 740-8986 or (800) 872-2213.