Here you can read about the entrance exam for studies in music performance. You will also find information regarding which day the various instruments will conduct the entrance exam as round 2. Applies to studies starting in Autumn 2025.
All applicants to our music performance studies must go through 2 rounds of auditions. The 1st round is carried out by submitting a self-produced video (the deadline was 15 January). The 2nd round takes place in week 10 in Stavanger on Campus Bjergsted, or as a digital interview if you live outside of Norway, Sweden or Denmark. Information about exact day of the entrance exam for each instrument, can be found further down on this page.
Round 1 - video
The deadline for submitting the video was January 15th.
All submitted video material is now being assessed by the committee. Results will be shared by e-mail at the end of January/beginning of Fabruary.
- Applicants who do not pass round 1 will receive an e-mail with the results during week 6. Rejections will also be posted in Søknadsweb, and formal rejection letters will be sent during March
- Applicants who pass round 1, will receive an email together with an invitation to round 2, no later than the end of week 6
Round 2 - Entrance exam at Campus Bjergsted in week 10
If you passed round 1, you will receive an invitation to round 2 in a separate email at the end of January/beginning of February. You accept the invitation by confirming via the link in the invitation e-mail. The deadline to accept the invitation for participation in round 2 is 10 February, 2025.
Round 2 consists of an entrance exam as an audition and an interview; applicants to the bachelor programme will also have a test in Music Theory and Aural Skills. The entrance exam will last approximately 30 minutes for each applicant, somewhat longer for conducting applicants. Be prepared to play the entire audition programme.
The commission that evaluates your entrance exam in Round 2 is the same one that evaluated your video for Round 1. Within the scheduled audition time, there will also be an interview where a representative from the study administration will participate. You will have the opportunity to explain your objectives and motivation for the study during the interview,, while also having the chance to ask questions to both the teacher and the study administration.
Interview part during the entrance exam:
You can receive questions about the following themes during the interview:
Musical experience | Motivation | Independence/work capacity | Why Stavanger? | Your auditions (round 1 and 2) | Your audition programme etc. Applicants for conducting will also be introduced to various conducting topics. Applicants for master's degrees will, together with the project manager, review the submitted plans for the desired master's project.
The commission will also tell you a little about everyday life at the university and what you can expect as a student at our faculty if you are offered a place of study.
Round 2 - Digital interview in week 10 (International applicants)
This only applies to applicants with resident outside of Norway, Sweden or Denmark.
If the commission finds that you have passed on your main instrument after the video assessment in round 1, you will be invited to round 2. Round 2 is a digital interview with the commission and a representative from the study administration.
The commission that assesses your audition in Round 2 is the same one that evaluated your video for Round 1. Within the scheduled audition time, there will also be an interview where a representative from the study administration will participate. During the interview, you will have the opportunity to explain your objectives and motivation for the study, while also having the chance to ask questions to both the teacher and the study administration.
You will receive an invitation to round 2 in a separate email at the end of January/beginning of February. The deadline to accept the invitation for participation in round 2 will be 10 February.
Entrance exam day – Campus Bjergsted week 10
If you have passed round 1, you will receive an invitation e-mail with information about which day your entrance exam find place. In the invitation you will find a final deadline for attendance registration. Remember that it can be a long day, so set the entire day aside.
Attendance registration will be organized in our main building at the front desk in the foyer.
If you accept the invitation to the enctrance exam in week 10, you will receive an email with a link to an online overview where you will find your exact audition time. The audition times are published at the end of week 9, but there are reservations for small changes right up until the entrance exam day, so you are responsible to keep yourself updated. Your audition time is shown next to your applicant number in the overview.
If you are unsure of your applicant number - see Søknadweb.
We have several available rooms for rehearsal on the first floor of the main building. Remember that the faculty provides its own accompanists/bands for all auditions in round 2, as long as sheet music is received by 15 January.
Several of our students will meet you in the foyer when you arrive, both for attendance registration and to have a chat with you if you wish. The students know the campus, the teachers, our studies, and the city, and they can support and guide you through the audition day.
A student representative will also be present during your entrance exam to ensure a smooth execusion of the audition. The student representative is there for you, but if you wish to conduct the interview/discussion after the audition without the student present, you are welcome to request that.
Music Theory and Aural Skills for applicants to Bachelor's degree
Applicants who are applying to our bachelor programme and have passed round 1, must take a test in music theory and aural skill in week 10 on the day of the entrance exam. The person responsible for the test will be in the foyer at the front desk in the main building and show where the test location is, in addition to assist the applicants during the test.
There will be two tests a day:
- 9:30 - 11:00
- 12:30 - 14:00
Remember to bring your own laptop with updated software, charging cable and headphones!
You are responsible for ensuring that your equipment is in good condition and ready for the test.
If you pass the music theory and aural skill test in another university/institution in week 8, 9 or 10, you do not need to take it again in Stavanger. However, if you have not taken the test elsewhere in spring 2025, it must be taken on your entrance exam day here at campus Bjergsted.
Read about the Music Theory and Aural Skill test here (only in Norwegian).
Timetables for entrance exam round 2 - week 10
Jazz:
Monday 3 March: Master applicants (all instruments)
Tuesday 4 March: Percussion
Wednesday 5 March: Piano + Brass and Woodwind/other
Thursday 6 March: Guitar + Vocal
Friday 7 March: Bass
Classical:
Monday 3 March: Organ + Woodwind + Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba
Tuesday 4 March: Percussion + Piano + Strings
Wednesday 5 March: Conducting + Trumpet and Horn
Thursday 6 March: Vocal
Friday 7 March: All master's- and PDM applicants (all instruments, except condcuting)
When will I receive an answer to my application?
After the entrance exam in week 10, the head of the departments (jazz and classical) and the dean make an overall assessment of the applicants. The applicants are then assessed as qualified/not qualified based on the professional commissions assessments and rankings, submitted video material, submitted application documents, and auditions and interview during week 10. Final admission is then approved by the dean.
You will find additional rules for admission in our admission regulations. The various regulations can be found in the article for the study programme to which you have applied for admission. Scroll down to 'How to apply…'.
Qualified applicants are then offered a study place to the extent that there are available places on the applied study. If the faculty has more qualified applicants than there are available study places, the applicants are put on a waiting list based on the commission's ranking list. Please note! We do not share information on waiting list placement.
The result of your application is published in SøknadsWeb continuously after decision meetings with the dean in week 11. Exceptions apply to applicants for Bachelor in performing music, who will not receive results to their application until Wednesday in week 12 (decided by FUM - Faculty Council for Performing Music Education in Norway).
Remember to respond to offers and/or waiting lists in SøknadsWeb within 1 April, so that your study place does not pass on to someone else.
Good luck with the entrance exam, and welcome to the Faculty of Performing Arts, University of Stavanger.
