If you are a Pakistani musician thinking about Berklee, the first thing to understand is how the money works. Berklee College of Music in Boston, and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, consider every entering international student for merit scholarships automatically. There is no separate scholarship form at entry. Your audition (or your interview and portfolio, if you are not a performance major) is the scholarship application. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide explains what that setup means for you in practice.
These awards are partial. The top one, the Presidential Scholarship, can include a tuition fee reduction, on-campus housing and a meal plan, but it is competitive and depends on the offer. Entering international students are generally not eligible for need-based institutional aid, so merit is the main way to bring the cost down in your first year. That makes this a good fit for strong performers, producers, composers and songwriters who can show real ability in an audition or portfolio. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs a guaranteed full ride to be able to go at all.
The short version in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Partial funding (merit-based) |
| Flagship award | Presidential Scholarship, awarded through audition or portfolio/interview |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, Diploma |
| Fields | Music performance, music production, film scoring, jazz, songwriting, music business |
| Deadline | Early admission/scholarship deadline typically December; regular deadline typically January-February |
| Country | United States (with campuses in Boston, Valencia in Spain, and Berklee NYC) |
| Provider | Berklee College of Music / Boston Conservatory at Berklee |
| Official site | berklee.edu/scholarships |
Why your audition decides the money
At most universities, admission and scholarships are two separate battles. At Berklee they are one. Admissions and the Scholarship Committee evaluate every applicant for merit awards as part of the normal process, and the scholarship offer arrives in the same notification package as the admission decision.
For performance majors, that means the live or recorded audition carries the weight. For non-performance majors (production, music business and similar programs), the interview and portfolio review take the place of the audition in scholarship evaluation. Applicants in these programs sometimes treat the interview as a formality. It is not. It is the thing that decides whether you get an award.
The upside is less paperwork: no extra scholarship essay at entry. The downside is that you get one shot. A weak, rushed recording does not just hurt your admission chances, it also takes you out of the running for the Presidential Scholarship.
What the Presidential Scholarship can and cannot cover
The Presidential Scholarship is the most prominent award. It is a partially funded merit scholarship, and the coverage can include:
- a reduction in tuition fees
- on-campus housing
- a meal plan
Notice the word "can". These elements are possible for especially strong auditioning applicants, and what you actually receive depends on your offer. The source information does not give a fixed amount or a percentage, so do not assume any particular figure. Read your offer letter carefully and work out the remaining cost yourself.
Other merit awards also exist, and consideration applies across the Boston, Valencia and Berklee NYC campuses. Cost of living and available scholarship pools can differ between campuses, so compare them before you decide where to apply.
The Thrive Scholarship and what happens after year one
Here is where Berklee differs from many US schools. Entering international students cannot access need-based aid, but continuing international undergraduates at the College and the Conservatory can apply for the Thrive Scholarship, a need-aware award for students who need continued support. You apply by submitting the CSS Profile using Berklee's school code, 3107.
The timing is described in slightly different ways (after the first year, after the second semester, after at least one semester of enrollment), so confirm with Berklee exactly when you become eligible and when the Thrive application window opens. Either way, it is not something you can count on for your first year.
Do not confuse the CSS Profile with the FAFSA. The FAFSA is a US federal aid form and is not required for international students. Pakistani applicants regularly waste time trying to fill it in. Skip it.
Eligibility for Pakistani applicants
The merit scholarships are open to all entering international students, which includes students from Pakistan. To be considered you need:
- admission to Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee as a degree-seeking student
- a completed live or recorded audition (performance majors) or interview/portfolio review (non-performance majors)
- strong academic transcripts, plus English proficiency test scores if you are not a native English speaker
- full-time enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program
For the Thrive Scholarship later on, you also need to have completed at least one semester of enrollment and submitted the CSS Profile.
Paperwork to prepare
The document list is short compared with many scholarships, which is one of the attractions here:
- The Berklee online application and your academic transcripts
- An audition recording or in-person audition, or portfolio/interview materials if you are a non-performance major
- English proficiency scores (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo) if applicable
- A copy of your passport, and after acceptance, the I-20 you will need for the F-1 student visa
- The CSS Profile (school code 3107), only later, for continuing-student need-based aid such as Thrive
Pakistani transcripts and certificates often need attestation before they are used abroad. Our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains that process, and it is sensible to start it early rather than in the same month as your deadline.
Applying, from submission to offer
- Submit the Berklee application by the relevant admissions/scholarship deadline.
- Complete the required audition (live or recorded), or the interview and portfolio review if you are a non-performance major.
- Admissions and the Scholarship Committee evaluate you automatically for merit-based awards. You do not need to do anything extra here.
- Receive your admission decision and any scholarship offer together.
- After enrolling, apply for the Thrive Scholarship through the CSS Profile in later years if you need further support.
When things happen through the year
The usual cycle looks like this, though you should confirm current dates on the official scholarships page:
- August: applications open
- December: early/priority deadline
- January-February: regular deadline
- March-April: admission and scholarship decisions
- After the second semester of enrollment: Thrive Scholarship for continuing students
Berklee's supplemental scholarship deadlines can differ from the general admissions deadline. Check both, and treat the earlier one as your real deadline.
Where applicants lose money they could have won
The most common mistake is aiming for the regular deadline. Presidential Scholarship funding is limited and awarded competitively, so getting your audition materials in well before the priority deadline matters. Waiting for January-February means competing for whatever is left.
The second is under-preparing the portfolio or interview as a non-performance major. If you are applying for production or music business, put the same effort into that review that a guitarist would put into an audition.
Third, students plan their budget around a scholarship they hope to get. Because entering students are not eligible for need-based aid, you should budget for the gap and look for outside scholarships from Pakistan as well. When it comes to the visa stage you will need to show you can cover the remaining costs, and our guide to bank statements and proof of funds explains what that usually involves.
Fourth, people do not ask questions. Berklee's One Stop Student Services (onestop@berklee.edu) can answer specific questions about international cost and aid. Write to them early, with clear questions, instead of guessing. The international student financial assistance page is also worth reading before you contact them.
Finally, if you are hoping for Thrive in year two, the work starts in year one. Keep your grades strong and prepare a solid CSS Profile submission.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate scholarship application for Berklee?
No. All entering international students are considered for merit scholarships automatically through the standard audition or interview admissions process.
Can Pakistani students get need-based aid at Berklee?
Not in the first year. Entering international students are generally not eligible for need-based institutional aid. Continuing students can apply for the need-aware Thrive Scholarship once they have been enrolled for the required period, so confirm the exact timing with Berklee.
Is the Presidential Scholarship a full scholarship?
No. It is a partial merit award. It can include a tuition fee reduction, on-campus housing and a meal plan, depending on the offer.
Do I need to file the FAFSA?
No. The FAFSA is for US federal aid and is not required for international students. Berklee uses the CSS Profile for the Thrive Scholarship instead.
Which English tests does Berklee accept?
The listed options are TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo, for applicants who are not native English speakers. Check the current score requirements with Berklee before you book a test.
Are scholarships available at the Valencia and New York campuses too?
Scholarship consideration applies across the Boston, Valencia and Berklee NYC campuses, but the cost of living and the scholarship pools can differ, so compare them before applying.
If you are weighing Berklee against other options, see all United States scholarships in one place.
Before you apply, check the latest deadlines and rules on the official Berklee scholarships website, and keep the full Berklee scholarship page handy for reference.