Summer (May) 2021 Next Steps: Entirely Remote
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our community of creators and artists for the summer 2021 semester at Berklee College of Music. You have chosen the entirely remote academic model, which is conducted online. The online academic model offers a safe, flexible learning environment, allowing you to progress toward your personal, academic, and career goals without disruption.
Please review and complete the enrollment next steps that are required for you to join us online this summer. We will provide more detailed next steps as we get closer to the semester start, so please continue to check this page for updates.
Clear Your Berklee Account Restrictions and Check in on May 18
New student check-in is coming up, starting on May 18, 2021, which confirms your arrival at Berklee College of Music for the summer 2021 semester. To participate in check-in, ensure that your student account (my.berklee.edu) has no restrictions, such as outstanding tuition bills or missing emergency contact information. Follow the "Semester Check-in" link in the Check-in section.
Until you clear your restrictions and check in, the college does not consider you a student, and you are not allowed to attend classes.
On May 18, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET, we will have staff available over Zoom as a resource to help you clear any restrictions. Visit our website to learn more about the event and access resources to help you successfully check in.
If you have questions, contact us at 1-617-747-2222 or eo@berklee.edu.
Sign up for Ensemble Placement Audition ASAP
Before orientation, you will audition with your instrumental department for placement into an ensemble and for private instruction. Auditions for all instruments (with the exception of percussion, which took place on May 6) will be held virtually May 17–18, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET.
If you did not sign up by May 5, you have to contact your instrumental department directly to schedule your audition. Please use the information listed below to contact your instrumental department with questions:
- Bass: bass@berklee.edu
- Brass: Tanya Darby, department chair, tdarby@berklee.edu
- EDI: elpd@berklee.edu
- Guitar: guitar@berklee.edu
- Percussion: Yoron Israel, department chair, yisrael@berklee.edu
- Piano: Brian Rust, department assistant, brust@berklee.edu
- Strings: Chelsey Green, chair representative, cgreen3@berklee.edu
- Voice: voice@berklee.edu
- Woodwinds: Walter Smith, department chair, wsmith4@berklee.edu
To be as prepared as possible, take a moment to review the Placement Auditions and Assessments page to review preparation materials and an audition packet.
Contact enstaff@berklee.edu if you have any technical issues with signing up or need to cancel your scheduled audition.
Register for Virtual Orientation and Review Schedule of Events
Virtual New Student Orientation will start on May 21, 2021. All students must register for orientation. The schedule of events and other details are available on the orientation website.
Please contact the Office of New Student and Family Programs at nsfp@berklee.edu if you have any questions.
Confirm Your Summer 2021 Plan
The deadline for the summer 2021 plan form has passed. If your plans have changed, you may submit a request to change your selection by clicking on the "Summer 2021 Plan" link in my.berklee.edu.
Complete Your Entering Student Proficiency Assessment (ESPA)
As a new Berklee student, you are required to take the online Entering Student Proficiency Assessment (ESPA), which places you in core ear training, harmony, and arranging courses with other students who have similar experience levels. The ESPA has six total parts and is a critical component in developing your first semester schedule. Please complete the ESPA as soon as possible. The assessment is specifically used for placement into core classes; you cannot pass or fail it, and no grade will be assigned to it.
All students must attempt parts 1–3:
- Ear Training
- Harmony 1
- Writing Skills
If you wish to qualify for additional advanced placement, you should also attempt to complete parts 4–6:
- Harmony 2
- Arranging 1
- Harmony 3
You do not have to complete all of the sections at one time, but once you begin a section you have a time limit to complete that section. You must have your OnePass set up and use your Berklee.edu email address to access the exam.
We recommend that you have a quiet place and a secure internet connection before starting the exam. If you have any technical issues, the Technology Service Desk is available to help you Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET at 2238@berklee.edu or +1 617-747-2238.
To request testing accommodations based on a disability, please contact Accessibility Resources for Students at accessibilityresources@berklee.edu or +1 617-747-2387, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
Order Your Laptop and Technology Bundle
Learn about laptop and technology requirements for entering students. This includes an Apple MacBook Pro laptop, which you will need to purchase on your own, and a Core Software Package, which is automatically added to your tuition bill. We urge students to make purchases well in advance of check-in as shipping is delayed in many parts of the world.
Submit Your Transfer Student Discipline Record Release Form
Any student who is currently attending or has attended postsecondary school (college or university) within the last five years must submit this form prior to the beginning of orientation.
All entering undergraduate students must submit proof of high school/secondary school graduation prior to matriculation, even if transferring into Berklee from another college.
Submit a copy of either your official high school/secondary school diploma or final transcript that includes a graduation date and an official signature and seal. Students who did not submit proof of secondary school completion as part of their application must submit a general report of their credential evaluation through a certified credential evaluation service. Information on how to submit proof of graduation is available on the Submit Proof of Graduation/Transcripts page. Submit Proof of High School/Secondary School Graduation
Students seeking transfer credit must submit their most recent college transcript to update their transfer credit records. Some documents may already have been submitted during the application process. Students who are seeking transfer credit via CLEP or AP should submit their official score report or reports to the Office of Admissions. Information on how to submit an official transcript to the Office of Admissions is available on the Transcript and Other Support Materials page.Submit Final Transcripts
Complete Your Student Acknowledgement of Financial and Other Obligations (SAFO) Form
All students are required to submit this electronic agreement acknowledging their financial obligations before they will be allowed to check in for the semester. You can find the link to the SAFO form in the Check-In section of my.berklee.edu. Scroll to the bottom of the page, check off the box to indicate that you have read and agreed with the three disclosures, then click "Submit."
Complete Your Liberal Arts Engaging Seminar (LENS) Placement Exam
All entering undergraduate students are required to take Berklee's first-semester Liberal Arts Engaging Seminar (LENS) placement exam. This will help you navigate your Berklee education, build your foundation as a student and an artist, and foster your creative community. There are four LENS categories available to you. While we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in your first choice, we invite you to rank your preferences.
Review Your Financial Aid
View your financial aid award by visiting the financial aid portal. Manage your financial aid by logging in to my.berklee.edu to check your award status.
Review Important Health Insurance Information
All registered students taking credit hours—regardless of where they are—are automatically enrolled in and billed for the Berklee Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
Entering students: Due to the pandemic, you may be able to waive the SHIP with insurance that is otherwise not comparable, depending on where you will be physically located. If you do not want the SHIP, you must take action by June 7.
If You Will Be in Massachusetts for the Summer 2021 Semester
If you will be in Massachusetts for the summer 2021 semester, you will need to demonstrate that your own insurance plan is comparable to the SHIP, regardless of your citizenship. Please note that out-of-state HMOs, out-of-state Medicaid plans, and all international health plans are not comparable, and your request to waive the SHIP will be declined.
If You Will Not Be in Massachusetts, but Will Be in the United States for the Summer 2021 Semester
- U.S. citizens: You may be able to waive the SHIP with a plan that is not typically considered to be a comparable plan with the SHIP. These include out-of-state HMOs and out-of-state Medicaid plans. However, you will still need to demonstrate proof of coverage wherever you are located in order to request a waiver for the SHIP.
- Non-U.S. citizens: All international health plans are not comparable, and your request to waive the SHIP will be declined.
If You Will Not Be in the United States for the Summer 2021 Semester
- U.S. citizens: You may be able to waive the SHIP with a plan that is not typically considered to be a comparable plan with the SHIP. These include out-of-state HMOs and out-of-state Medicaid plans. However, you will still need to demonstrate proof of coverage wherever you are located in order to request a waiver for the SHIP.
- Non-U.S. citizens: You may be able to waive the SHIP with a plan that is not typically considered to be a comparable plan with the SHIP, such as international health plans or a government-sponsored health plan in your home country. However, you will still need to demonstrate proof of coverage wherever you are located in order to request a waiver for the SHIP.
If your request to waive the SHIP is approved, your Berklee bill will be updated.
Please note that Berklee Online students are not enrolled in or eligible for the SHIP.
If you are having difficulty logging in to gallagherstudent.com/berklee, please contact Gallagher Student Health and Special Risk Customer Service.
Review Transfer Credit
Admitted students who submitted college transcripts, official AP credit, or CLEP scores through the admissions process will be able to view their transfer credit within my.berklee.edu under the Student Services section.
Pay Your Bill by May 5
Tuition bills are due by May 5. You will not be able to check in for the semester if you have an outstanding balance. Log in to my.berklee.edu to check your balance, pay your bill, and secure your spot.
Submit Your Immunizations
You will receive an email from Magnus Health, Berklee’s provider for collecting, managing, and tracking immunization information, with details on how to access your Magnus Health account. This email will be sent to the email address that you used in your application to Berklee. Please note that it may take up to a week from your acceptance to Berklee for your Magnus Health account to be active. Once you receive your login credentials from Magnus Health, you must submit a completed Berklee Entering Student Immunization Form.
More information is available on the Immunization Requirements page. Submit your immunizations as soon as possible.
Please contact Health and Wellness at healthandwellness@berklee.edu if you have any questions.
Please contact your enrollment officer at eo@berklee.edu if you have any questions.