Western University Don Wright Faculty of Music admission requirements: ENG4U, low 80s, audition or interview

Western's music page lists ENG4U as the only named course for the BMus (EM) and the BA (EMA). Music Administrative Studies (EMS) also needs one of Advanced Functions (MHF4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) or Math of Data Management (MDM4U). The program mixes music with management courses such as MOS 1023A/B Introduction to Accounting and Finance.

Western bases its averages on Ontario high school students. Students from other provinces can find their own course list from the same page. Build your Grade 12 plan in our course planner.

Western gives an admission average guideline of low 80s for the BMus and the BA, and mid 80s for Music Administrative Studies. The program page header gives the overall range as low to mid 80s. Western says these are guidelines only, and reaching them does not guarantee admission.

Western does not publish an acceptance rate for music. It lists a first-year class size of 100. Check your average with our Top 6 average calculator.

After you apply on OUAC and get your Western student number, you register for an audition or interview and pay a fee. Then you send a questionnaire for each program you chose, and any video if your program needs one.

BMus applicants are expected to audition in person. If you live more than 250 km from London, Ontario, or have special permission, you may send a recording and do the interview on Zoom. Most instruments play two contrasting pieces, and memorization isn't required. Percussion plays three pieces, and voice sings three contrasting songs with at least one not in English. Musical theatre and contemporary commercial music are welcome for voice.

BA in Music applicants only need an interview and questionnaire. Popular Music Studies applicants send two popular music tracks, which may be covers or original material. Songwriters and producers send two recordings that show songwriting or desktop production. Music Administrative Studies applicants send two pieces, classical or popular.

Western says conservatory certificates aren't required, and there's no music theory assessment to get in. It does expect you to know basic music theory and read music when you start.

Western's deadline page lists January 15, 2027 as the OUAC deadline for equal consideration. The Music Audition and Interview registration deadline is February 1, 2027.

Western's music pages don't post audition dates or the fee amount publicly. You see them when you register. Compare all your dates on our Ontario deadlines page.

All BA and BMus music students share first-year core courses in music history, music theory and musicianship. Western's sample first-year courses include Music 1649A/B Studies in Theory and Music 1750F/G Music History: c.900 to c.1750. BMus students also take 1802A/B Teaching and Learning Music, and Popular Music Studies students take 1730A/B Introduction to Popular Music and Culture.

Applied studio lessons are part of every BMus program. BA students can take them as electives for an extra fee. BMus honours options include Composition, Music Education, Music Research and Performance. There's also a combined BMus and Ivey HBA.

Western lists a study length of 3 to 5 years, depending on the degree. BMus upper-year samples include 2701A/B Musical Theatre, 2903 Symphonic Band, 3901 Orchestra and 4921 Applied Study IV (Performance). Western says BMus students can take part in opera production, compose for chamber groups, and join community partnerships with London Symphonia and Music Education community placements.

Popular Music Studies moves into production and songwriting. Upper-year samples include 2736A/B Introduction to Desktop Music Production, 3735A/B Popular Music Songwriting and 4740A/B/Y Advanced Project in Popular Music Production. The BA in Music leans academic, with courses such as 2671F/G Music Across Cultures and 4671A/B/Y Introduction to Music Research.

Western also says Symphonic Band admission is by audition, and any Western student can try out. So music can stay part of your life even if you pick a non-music degree.

Western's music page shows "Co-op / Internship: Available". The options it lists for every music program are a for-credit internship, community engaged learning, study abroad and performance opportunities. It doesn't describe a separate co-op stream for music, so ask the faculty if co-op matters to you.

Western's 2026-27 fee schedule groups Music with Health Science and Kinesiology. For Year 1, Ontario residents pay $6,171.00 tuition, or $8,247.46 total with ancillary fees. Out-of-province Canadians pay $7,719.00 tuition, or $9,795.46 total.

International students in Year 1 pay $47,493.00 tuition, or $50,517.46 total. Western marks the 2026-27 schedule as a draft that can change. First-time students also pay a $50.00 Western ONE Card fee.

Western's automatic admission scholarships need no application. A final average of 90.0% to 91.9% earns $2,500 and 92.0% to 100.0% earns $3,500, including money for optional study abroad. Western says the Don Wright Faculty of Music selects the Western Scholarship of Excellence winners ($8,000) for music applicants.

The National Scholarship application is due February 14, 2027. The faculty also gives more than 75 donor scholarships to continuing students. See our scholarship finder for more.

Pick the BMus (EM) if you want studio lessons, ensembles and an audition-based path into performance, education or composition. Pick the BA in Music (EMA) if you want academic music study with no audition. Pick Popular Music Studies if you write, produce or play popular music.

Music Administrative Studies (EMS) is for the business side of music. It asks for a math course and the highest average guideline of the group.

If you live within 250 km of London, plan for an in-person audition or interview. The February 1 sign-up date is easy to miss because it comes after the OUAC deadline.

Music tuition at Western is close to arts tuition for Ontario students. Read our Western guide for residence and campus context.