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Dance Admissions

BFA, BA, Minor Application Information

HOW TO APPLY

Bachelor of Fine Arts: First-Year Applicants

Fall Admission Only

Rutgers University Application: December 1
Mason Gross Supplemental Application: January 15

Bachelor of Fine Arts: Transfer Applicants

Fall Semester Start

Rutgers University Application: February 1
Mason Gross Supplemental Application: February 10

Spring Semester Start

Rutgers University Application: November 15
Mason Gross Supplemental Application: December 1

Bachelor of Fine Arts: School-to-School Transfer and Re-Enrollment

Fall Semester Start

Email admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu: January 1
Mason Gross Supplemental Application: January 15
Artistic Decision: May 15
Decision posted by: June 30

Spring Semester Start

Email admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu: November 15
Mason Gross Supplemental Application: December 1
Artistic Decision: December 15
Decision Posted: January 15

Application Process

Current or former Rutgers students interested in the bachelor of fine arts in dance should start the process by emailing admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu. In your email include your full name, RUID, current or former school enrolled, year, and program you are interested in. To be considered for admission, applicants are reviewed both artistically and academically. After contacting admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu, applicants will be emailed the Mason Gross supplemental application.

If recommended artistically by the Dance Department faculty, applicants will be granted access via RUID to the Rutgers School to School Transfer Application or the Rutgers Re-Enrollment Application. The appropriate university application will be reviewed by the Mason Gross Dean of Students academically.

Admission Requirements

From another Rutgers–New Brunswick school:

  • 12 graded degree credits, excluding remedial courses
  • A Rutgers cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.000
  • Expository Writing (01:355:101) or an acceptable equivalent course with a grade of C or better

From another Rutgers–Camden or Rutgers–Newark school:

  • At least two semesters, including the current semester, as a student in your present school or college at Rutgers University, also including at least 12 graded degree credits, excluding remedial courses
  • A Rutgers cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.000
  • English Composition I and II (Camden 50:350:101 and 50:350:102), (Newark 21:355:101 and 21:355:102) with grades of C or better

Guidelines for Re-Auditioning

Please note that any opportunity to re-audition is contingent on the Dance Department not having reached enrollment capacity.

  • Current BA dance students wishing to transfer to the BFA may audition a maximum of two times prior to their junior year.
  • Students may only audition once per intended enrollment semester.
  • BFA dance majors who have not followed the BFA curriculum for two or more consecutive semesters, must successfully re-audition before being allowed to resume BFA studies.
Bachelor of Arts and Minor in Dance

First-year and transfer applicants interested in pursuing the BA or Minor in dance should apply to the Rutgers New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences. After being accepted into the School of Arts and Sciences, applicants and current students should email admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu for access to the Mason Gross supplemental application. Students who would like to be considered for both the BFA and BA program, should select both Mason Gross School of the Arts and the School of Arts and Sciences on the university application.

Current Students

Spring 2021 Deadline: December 4

Fall 2021 Deadline: March 26

Currently enrolled Rutgers School of Arts and Science students are welcome to audition for the Bachelor of Arts and/or minor in dance programs. Email admissions@mgsa.rutgers.edu for access to the Mason Gross supplemental application.

Rutgers University Application

All applicants must complete and submit the Rutgers University Application. The university application requires the following:

  • $70 Rutgers application fee
  • Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) – for current high school students
  • Official high school transcript or GED results – recommended for all transfer applicants, required for transfer applicants who, after high school graduation, have completed fewer than 24 college credits.
  • English proficiency test scores international applicants
  • SAT or ACT scores are optional for applicants to the 2021 admissions cycle - use code 2765 for the SAT and 2592 for the ACT

Mason Gross Supplemental Application

Five business days after submitting the Rutgers University application, applicants will be emailed a link to submit a Mason Gross supplemental application.

  • $40 dance audition fee
  • Dance questionnaire
  • Resume and headshot
  • Recorded audition video (outlined below)
  • Optional additional video
  • Interview and Information Session

Mason Gross School of the Arts will not be hosting in-person auditions for the 2021 admissions cycle. Instead, applicants will be required to upload audition materials through the Mason Gross supplemental application as outlined below.

Recorded Audition

Given the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a series of videos with our esteemed faculty members that we ask you to watch to prepare your video audition submission. Please watch each video, where the instructor explains and demonstrates the material to be performed and then performs each exercise with music. We ask that you then record a video of yourself performing each exercise across the three styles. No special equipment is required and a camera on a mobile phone is sufficient. Please compile all the videos into one file and upload as your audition submission.

Contemporary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eymndcl_DY&feature=emb_logo
Ballet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke6jjMSbVPs&feature=emb_logo
HipHop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTbHASzDhq8&feature=emb_logo

Tips for creating your audition video submission:

  • Please be sure your entire body is framed when you record your performance of each exercise so we can see how you articulate all the material, from the top of your head to your feet.
  • After you take the time to learn each exercise, we recommend that you play the portion where the instructor performs the material with music and record yourself doing that material while the video is playing. This will allow you to align your tempo to the tempo of the exercise and the rhythmic structure that the instructor intended.
  • Your final video submission should be 18–20 minutes in duration.

Optional Additional Video

Applicants may select to upload an additional video. The additional video could highlight an alternative dance style of your choosing (i.e. jazz, flamenco, African, Indian), a sample of your own choreography, or a solo performance. An additional video is optional.

Interview and Information Session

All BFA applicants will be scheduled to interview with a current dance student. The goal of the interview is to familiarize the applicant with the school, program, and community from a current student’s perspective. On the supplemental application, applicants will select a preferred interview date.

On the same day as the interview, applicants and families are invited to attend an applicant information session. The information session will include a dance program overview and faculty/student panel.

Learn about the BFA Program

Learn about the BA and Minor Programs