Application and admission process for the four-year Bachelor’s Programme in Music Performance

Admission to the Bachelor’s Programme in Music Performance requires general university admissions certification (generell studiekompetanse). In Norway, this is normally obtained by successfully completing upper secondary education.

International Applicants

Applicants who have completed upper secondary education outside Norway must document qualifications equivalent to Norwegian upper secondary education.

The GSU List provides information about the educational qualifications required for admission to Norwegian universities and university colleges. In addition, applicants must document sufficient proficiency in English. The GSU List specifies the English language requirements for applicants from different countries.

Applicants from countries outside the Nordic region must also document Norwegian language proficiency at minimum level B2 for admission to the Bachelor’s Programme in Music Performance. Please see the section Language Requirements below.

Exemptions

For applicants who do not meet the general admission requirements at the time of application, Section 6 – Conditional Admission of The Barratt Due Academy’s Regulations applies.

Applicants who are 23 years of age or older and do not hold general university admissions certification may apply for admission based on prior learning and relevant experience (recognition of prior learning).

Please note: Applicants seeking admission under the exemption provisions must indicate this in their application.

Admission is otherwise governed by the current Regulations for Admission to Higher Education.

Language Requirements

Applicants from countries outside the Nordic region must document proficiency in Norwegian by meeting one of the following requirements:

• Successful completion of 393 hours of Norwegian in Norwegian upper secondary education.
• Successful completion of Level 3 Norwegian for International Students at a Norwegian university.
• Successful completion of the one-year university college programme in Norwegian Language and Society for International Students.
• A passing result on the Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level (Bergenstesten), with a minimum score of 450 points, or Pass under the assessment scheme introduced in autumn 2009.
• The Norwegian Language Test (Norskprøven) with a minimum of B2 in all four language skills.

The deadline for submitting documentation of Norwegian language proficiency is 1 February.

Part 1 – Søknadsweb

Please upload the following documents:

• Diploma/transcripts documenting your general university admissions certification (scanned in colour).
• Transcript or confirmation of enrolment for any ongoing studies (scanned in colour).
• A motivation letter (PDF format) addressing the following questions:
  1. What is your motivation for studying music performance?
  2. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
  3. Why is The Barratt Due Academy the right place for your studies?
• A photograph of yourself.
• Documentation of Norwegian language proficiency at B2 level (required for applicants from countries outside the Nordic region).

Part 2 – Supplementary Application Form

Please provide:

• Your audition repertoire, including sheet music for the accompanist.
• Applicants applying to an additional department must indicate this in the form.

Please note: Make sure you have all required documentation ready before you begin the application process. Applications that do not include all required documentation will not be considered.

First Round

• 15 December 2026: Application deadline via Søknadsweb.
• 15 January 2027 (23:59): Deadline for uploading your audition video.

The video recording must be submitted using the designated submission form.

You will find the link to the form in the confirmation email you receive after submitting your application through Søknadsweb.

Only part of the required audition repertoire should be included in the first-round video. Please see the sections Audition Repertoire and Video Recording Requirements further down the page.

Applicants who qualify for the second round will receive an email with the date and time of their in-person audition, as well as an invitation to complete the online Music Theory and Ear Training Assessment. Please see the section Music Theory and Ear Training Assessment for further information.

Second Round

• 7 March and 12–14 March 2027: In-person auditions.

The auditions will take place at The Barratt Due Academy (Lyder Sagens gate 2, Oslo).

Depending on your main instrument, the audition may include sight-reading, a preparation task, and the performance of your audition repertoire.

Please note that you must be prepared to perform your entire audition programme during the second round, including the repertoire submitted in your first-round video.

Applicants for the Vocal programme must also complete a piano assessment consisting of a sight-reading exercise and one prepared piano piece.

Following the audition, applicants will have an interview with the admissions panel.

Audition Repertoire

• Audition Repertoire – Strings
• Audition Repertoire – Woodwind and Brass
• Audition Repertoire – Piano
• Audition Repertoire – Vocal

Video Recording Requirements

• Video recordings must be submitted as links via video-sharing platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.
• The video links must be publicly accessible (not password-protected) and remain available throughout the admissions period until 1 July 2027.

• Information on how to submit your video recordings will be sent to your email address after the application deadline.

• The repertoire does not need to be recorded in a single session, and you may submit one or several video links. However, each movement or piece must be recorded in a single, unedited take without cuts.

• There are no specific requirements regarding audio or video quality. Recordings made using a standard mobile phone are sufficient.

• We recommend that parts of the programme be performed with a pianist, although this is not a requirement.

   

• You must state when each recording was made. Recordings may have been made at different times and in different locations.

All applicants are required to complete a mandatory Music Theory and Ear Training Assessment.

The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that applicants possess the knowledge and skills required for the Bachelor’s Programme in Music Performance.

Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours.

Applicants who have successfully completed an equivalent ear training assessment at another institution within the past year are exempt from taking the assessment again.

Sample Music Theory and Ear Training Assessment: Click here.

Recommended Literature

• Ingunn Fanavoll Øye: Harmonisk lytting – Digital textbook (Unipub, 2009; revised by NMH Publications, 2019).
• Finn Benestad: Musikklære (Universitetsforlaget, 2009).
• Nils E. Bjerkestrand & Elef Nesheim: Grunnbok i musikklære (Norsk Musikforlag, 1986).
• Nils E. Bjerkestrand & Elef Nesheim: Kreativ sats og analyse (Norsk Musikforlag, 1995).
• Niels Eskild Johansen: Hørelære – med på notene (Norsk Musikforlag, 2006).
• Niels Eskild Johansen: Hørelære – rytmelesing (Norsk Musikforlag, 2000).
• klassisk-harmoni.no
• Inger Elise Reitan: Akkordrekker på gehør (Unipub, 2010).

When submitting your application, you are required to pay a non-refundable audition fee of NOK 560.

To make the payment, please click here.

Would you like to book a trial lesson with one of our teachers?

Please contact us at opptak@bdm.no.