Cross-Registration Programs

High school students are often considering whether the best fit for them now is the professional Bachelor of Music degree at Juilliard or a degree program (generally the Bachelor of Arts, or BA, program) at Barnard College or Columbia University. The option of cross-registration allows BM students at Juilliard to take classes at Columbia or Barnard, and allows BA students at Barnard or Columbia to take lessons at Juilliard. Cross-registration opens up more possibilities for learning, capitalizing on the offerings of these New York City institutions.

These are not dual or double degree programs.

By definition, if you cross-register you are enrolled, registered for classes, and paying tuition and fees at Barnard College, OR Columbia University, OR The Juilliard School. Credits taken at the other school appear on the transcript of the school where you are enrolled.

Apply as a First-Year Undergraduate

OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

There are three options for participation in cross-registration programs specific to first-year undergraduate applicants:

 

Option 1I want to be a Juilliard student.

  • You apply to Juilliard for the Bachelor of Music (BM) program.
    • If you are admitted to Juilliard and you enroll, you become a Juilliard student.
    • Once you are a Juilliard student, if you want to take classes at Barnard or Columbia, follow the instructions below for Current Juilliard Dance or Music Students.
    • Classes taken at another school appear on your Juilliard transcript. Credit for these classes may be applied to Juilliard graduation requirements, with approval from the Office of the Registrar at Juilliard.

 

Option 2I want to be a Barnard or Columbia student.

  • You apply to Barnard or Columbia for an undergraduate degree AND
  • You also apply to Juilliard to participate in the cross-registration (“BCJ”) program option (that is, to participate in the exchange elements noted below under Current Barnard or Columbia Students).
    • If you are admitted to Barnard or Columbia and you enroll at one of those schools, you become a Barnard or Columbia student.
    • If your application and audition to the BCJ program is successful, you will be assigned an applied teacher at Juilliard. Lessons taken at Juilliard will appear on your transcript at Barnard or Columbia.
    • Students enrolled at Barnard or Columbia who have participated in the cross-registration program for at least two years are eligible to apply to Juilliard for the Master of Music degree program in their junior year (as noted under The Accelerated Master of Music section below).

 

Option 3I want to keep my options open.

  • You apply to Juilliard for the BM program AND
  • You apply to Juilliard for the BCJ program AND
  • You also apply to Barnard or Columbia for an undergraduate degree.
    • If you are offered admission to both the BM program at Juilliard AND to an undergraduate degree at Barnard or Columbia you will have to choose where to enroll. It is NOT possible to be enrolled at both Juilliard and Barnard or Columbia. Also, because cross-registered students are enrolled at only one school, double majors and double degrees across schools are not possible.

A summary of these options is available on our BCJ Flowchart.

 

APPLYING

  • Because lessons at Juilliard are with Juilliard faculty, Barnard and Columbia students who wish to cross-register must apply and audition at the same time and to the same standard as all Juilliard applicants.
  • The application deadline for both the Bachelor of Music (BM) degree program and the cross-registration programs at Barnard and Columbia is the regular published date. If your major requires prescreening, that material is also due by that date.
  • The application fee is $35 for the cross-registration (BCJ) application.
  • The application fee is $110 for the BM program.
    • If you are following Option 3 above, you must submit both a BM program application to Juilliard and a BCJ program application to Juilliard, and pay both application fees.
  • If you are a first-time college student applying to Barnard or Columbia under Early Decision rules, and you have applied to both the BM program and the cross-registration program at Juilliard, you must withdraw your BM application if you choose to enroll under Early Decision. However, you may continue with your application to the cross-registration (BCJ) program.
  • If you have applied to undergraduate study at Juilliard (the BM program) and at Barnard and/or Columbia, the admission decisions are made independently by each school. Ultimately, it is your decision where to enroll, and your responsibility to notify all schools of your final decision.
  • Admission to cross-registration programs is highly selective. Approximately 10-12 applicants from all classical and jazz majors are admitted each year.

Cost of Participation

Current Juilliard Dance or Music Students

Once you have applied, auditioned, and enrolled at Juilliard, you can cross-register at Barnard College or Columbia University as follows:

  • You must have completed at least one semester at Juilliard and be in good academic standing to be eligible to cross-register.
  • Undergraduate students: Courses taken at Barnard or Columbia can be for enrichment purposes, or approved credits may count toward your liberal arts elective requirement.
  • Graduate students: You may cross-register to enrich your performance studies; however, the courses do not satisfy graduate requirements.
  • Applications are available in the Office of the Registrar, and must be filed at the end of each term prior to the semester when you wish to participate.
  • You are limited to taking one class only per term. Although Juilliard students may choose from a variety of classes at Barnard and Columbia, the class must have space available (as determined by Barnard and Columbia).
  • Scheduling can be challenging. The course selected must fit into your Juilliard schedule. In particular, it is not always possible for Dance Division students to participate in this program due to the timing of their classes and rehearsals.

Current Juilliard Drama Students

Due to actors’ intense class and rehearsal schedules, Drama Division students are unable to participate in cross-registration programs.

Current Barnard or Columbia Students

In order for current Barnard or Columbia students to participate in the exchange program with Juilliard, they must apply during Juilliard’s regular application and audition cycle, and follow all the requirements for BM applicants. The Barnard-Juilliard Program and the Columbia-Juilliard Program comprise the following:

  • Weekly lessons with a member of the Juilliard faculty
  • Annual juries, which determine eligibility to continue in the program
  • Students taking instrumental lessons: Possible participation in classical or jazz chamber music ensembles (may require departmental approval)
  • Students taking voice lessons: Possible participation in vocal coachings (requires departmental approval) 
  • Participation in Juilliard Orchestra placement auditions (for audition experience only; participation in auditions does not result in placement in the Orchestra)
  • Optional participation in concerto competitions
  • Note that these Programs do not include participation in large ensembles, such as the Juilliard Orchestra or the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, or cross-registration in any Juilliard classes.

Current Barnard and Columbia students who wish to transfer into the Bachelor of Music program at Juilliard must apply and audition the same as any other transfer applicants. Questions on transferring may be directed to Juilliard's Office of Admissions at [email protected].

The Accelerated Master of Music

  • Students at Barnard or Columbia who are cross-registered at Juilliard for a minimum of two years may apply for an accelerated Master of Music degree, resulting in a bachelor degree from Barnard or Columbia and a Master of Music degree from Juilliard.
  • This combined program typically takes five years (potentially six years for voice majors).
  • You should plan to complete most of your undergraduate degree requirements in your first three years at Barnard or Columbia.
  • You must apply to the accelerated MM program and audition in your junior year at Columbia or Barnard, meeting all regular deadlines and application requirements. The only exception to this is that if your major requires prescreening, this requirement is waived based on participation in the cross-registration program.
  • If admitted to the MM program, you will finish your undergraduate requirements at Barnard or Columbia while working on your MM requirements at Juilliard.