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HOW TO APPLY > ENGLISH AND MUSIC THEORY REQUIREMENTS

English Requirements

Classes in YST and NUS are taught in English. In order to benefit from our programmes and the range of opportunities we offer, students are responsible for ensuring that they are competent in the English language to participate effectively in their studies and be able to communicate independently in English without translation, before enrolling for the programme.

English Requirements (BMus and MMus)

International candidates will be assessed on their English language abilities. The test will be administered on the day of the immersion.

English Requirements (MMusL)

Applicants whose native tongue or language of undergraduate instruction is not English must complete either:

  • TOEFL, with the minimum acceptable scores of at least 100 for the internet-based test and a minimum score of 22 for the writing section; OR
  • IELTS, with the minimum acceptable score of 7.0.

All successful applicants will also be required to sit for the Diagnostic English Test (administered by the NUS Centre for English Language Communication) before the start of their first semester.

Music Theory Requirements

Music Theory Requirements (BMus, MMus and YAP only)

While prospective applicants are not required to have enrolled in music-focused programmes in high school or attained graded music certifications in order to apply, it is essential for students to have sufficient music theory knowledge in order to manage the academic rigour of the programme. 

MUSIC APTITUDE TEST

Candidates will be assessed on basic music theory through a Music Aptitude Test. The test will include fundamental skills such as reading notation in treble and bass clefs, matching rhythms to time signatures, scales and intervals, melodic dictation and identifying the quality of triads in both written and ear training sections.

The test will be administered on the day of immersion.

Written fundamentals 

  • Staves (reading of single and double staves in treble and bass clefs) 
  • Recognise and identify key signatures for any major or minor key 
  • Write major and minor scales (natural, harmonic and melodic) using necessary accidentals rather than key signatures 
  • Identify and write major and minor (in root position, 1st and 2nd inversions) augmented and diminished triads  
  • Write and identify intervals (major, minor, diminished, augmented) through the octave 
  • Rhythm and meter – (simple and compound meters including the grouping of notes and rests within given meter)

Ear training 

  • Identify triad qualities (major, minor, augmented, and diminished) 
  • Identify intervals both melodic and harmonic (major, minor, diminished, augmented) through the perfect octave by ear  
  • Identify if a melody is in major or minor (natural or harmonic)
  • Melodic dictation of a 4-bar melody (either by letter names or numbers)

Candidates may refer to the following online resources to prepare for the test: