- String instruments
- viola, violoncello, double bass, guitar, harp
- Wind and other orchestral instruments
- oboe, bassoon, saxophone, horn/whale horn, trombone, tuba, percussion instruments
- Historical instruments
- Historical cello, historical bassoon, historical oboe, historical viola, historical violin, recorder, lute/theorbo, transverse flute, viola da gamba, historical double bass/violone
Orchestral Instruments Bachelor
General information
Application deadline
20 September till 20 October for the summer semester
15 March till 15 April for the winter semester
Please note: Applications for flute, clarinet, trumpet and violin are not possible for the 2026 summer semester!
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- special musical talent
- german language skills B2 according to CEFR
- Proof can be submitted until matriculation
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- Standard period of study: 8 semesters, 240 credit points
- Degree: Bachelor of Music (B Mus)
Your application – step by step
All of the steps listed below must be completed within the application period for the respective study programme. We recommend that you submit your application as early as possible within the application period so that you can clarify any questions that may arise with our StudyGuide in good time.
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Register and verify your identity (if you have not already done so) on the UdK Berlin application portal: https://my.udk-berlin.de
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Fee per application: EUR 50.00 (plus fees for international transfers)
Proof of payment: bank statement or transfer confirmation with value date
Universität der Künste Berlin
IBAN: DE 72 1009 0000 8841 0150 46
BIC: BEVO DE BB XXX
Payment reference: 35/01036, study programme, name, application number
Berliner Volksbank eG
Budapester Straße 35
10787 Berlin
Germany
For international transfers:
Please ensure that you cover all transfer fees incurred (OUR – sender pays costs) when making the transfer. -
During the application process, you will be asked to submit formal documents. Please prepare these as individual PDF files (max. 5 MB each).
Formal documents:
- Curriculum vitae with details of musical training
- School leaving certificate
- Transcript of records, if applicable (Application for a higher semester)
- Proof of German language proficiency at B2 level according to CEFR for international applicants (see FAQs)
- Proof can be submitted until matriculation
- Proof of payment of application fees
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Log in to the application portal (https://my.udk-berlin.de) and submit an application for admission to your desired study programme within the application period and upload the formal documents.
FAQs and Tutorials
Submitting application documents at a later date
Changing universities / Applying for a higher semester
Recognition of international educational qualifications (VPD and APS)
Language certificates (requirements and accepted certificates)
Help and tutorials for the my.udk application portal
Help and tutorials for the Bemus upload portal
Admission procedure
What happens after I apply?
The admission procedure consists of the pre-selection and the entrance examination.
Detailed information on the content and the admission procedure can be found in the implementation regulations (only in German).
A. Pre-selection - audition or submission of a digital portfolio via the UdK portal Bemus (depending on the instrument selected)
The pre-selection is based on the repertoire required for the entrance examination. The admissions committee will listen to an excerpt of approx. five minutes from the prepared performance.
Pre-selection in person for the following instruments:
- flute, horn, trumpet, and tuba
- "historical instruments" (e.g., recorder, historical cello, historical bassoon, historical oboe, historical viola, historical violin, lute/theorbo, historical double bass/violone)
Digital pre-selection for the following instruments:
- bassoon, guitar, harp, clarinet, double bass, oboe, saxophone, trombone, viola, violin, violoncello and percussion instruments
The videos can be recorded with or without piano accompaniment. They should be recorded unedited in one take, but can be separated by movement/work.
UdK-Uploadportal Bemus https://bemus.udk-berlin.de/
Further information, e.g. on the file formats, can be found in the implementation regulations
B. Entrance examination
Those who have passed the pre-selection will be admitted to the entrance examination.
This examination consists of several parts:
● Performance of three works of different styles, which must be fully prepared; first-year students can also prepare individual movements;
● sight-reading (work sample);
● Music theory (composition and ear training); duration: about one hour; written: recognizing and determining intervals, triads, seventh chords and their inversions, cadences as well as melodies and free tone sequences; knowledge of general music theory is required;
● Piano; duration: approx. 10 minutes; pieces of easy difficulty, such as J.S. Bach “Notenbüchlein für Anna Magdalena” or R. Schumann “Album für die Jugend”, and
● a short technical discussion.
Sample exams for the music theory exam can be found here.
The entrance examinations usually take place in person in January/February for the summer semester and June/July for the winter semester.
You can find the planned dates for the winter semester 2025/26 on the website of the College of Music here. This information is without guarantee!
The requirements for the entrance examination regarding each instrument can be found in the next section.
Invitations to the entrance examination are expected to be sent out in the first week of December.
Orientation to the level of difficulty in the main instrument
Recommendations for the degree of difficulty (main instrument)
• Wind instruments and other orchestral instruments including percussion
Flute: One of the three completely prepared pieces has tobe a concerto (e.g. by Mozart, Stamitz, Reinecke).
Recorder: Preparation of three pieces of different styles (early Baroque, High Baroque and Avant-garde).
Oboe: One of the three chosen pieces has to be a concerto (e.g. Mozart, Lebrun or others).
Clarinet: One of the three chosen pieces has to be aconcerto (e.g. Mozart, Weber or others).
Bassoon: One of the three chosen pieces has to be aconcerto (e.g. Mozart, Weber or others).
Trumpet: Among the chosen pieces one has to be of thedegree of difficulty of a concerto by H.F. Hummel or a sonata by Hindemith.
Trombone: One of the chosen pieces has to be a concertowith piano accompaniment, e.g. Concertino in B-flat major by E. Sachse, Concerto in B-flat major by F. Gräfe or Aria-Andante, Allegro, Moderato by E. Paudert.
Saxophone: One of the chosen pieces has to be a concerto (e.g. Glasunow, Milhand).
French horn: Among the pieces prepared one has to be taken from the First Viennese School (Mozart, Haydn) or one of the two horn concertos by R. Strauss.
Tuba: Presentation of two pieces of the candidate’s own choice.
Percussion instruments: the level of education onthe kettledrum, side-drum and one of the Mallet instruments (vibraphone, xylophone, marimbaphone) is tested.
• Strings
Violin: Presentation of four pieces of different styles; one of the pieces has to be a first movement (“Kopfsatz”) of a concerto and one etude or a capriccio. Transfer students who have already studied 4 semesters have to prepare the complete works including all the movements.
Viola: 1. One concerto (first movement)
2. Three movements of a Bach suite, BWV 1007-1012 or something similar
3. One etude
4. One piece of the candidate’s own choice
The examination program has to include a slow movement.
Cello: Among the chosen pieces have to be 3 movements of a solo suite by J. S. Bach, one concerto or one sonata of the degree of difficulty of Boccerini, Saint-Saens, or Lalo, one etude by Duport or Popper.
Double Bass: One of the chosen pieces has to be a sonata by De Fesch or another work of similar degree of difficulty.
Guitar: Among the chosen pieces has to be a larger work of the candidate’s own choice of the 19th or 20th century as well as one or several movements of a Suite by J.S. Bach, one technically demanding etude (e.g. Villa-Lobos, Dodgson, Coste, op. 38, or Sor).
Harp: the recommended programme is C.P.E. Bach: Sonata in G
Spohr: Fantasia
Hindemith: Sonata
and another piece of the applicants choice
All pieces have to be performed by heart.