Admissions

All prospective students to the Sands College of Performing Arts must submit an Application for Admission to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions before beginning the audition or interview process. The application does not need to be complete with transcripts, letters of recommendation, essay, etc., to begin Step 2 of the process below.

Application Deadlines

• November 1: Early Decision - binding, applicable to any program provided the audition or interview is completed before December 1.
• December 1: Application Final Deadline - no Application for Admission to the Sands College of Performing Arts will be accepted after this date.
• January 3: Pre-screen Deadline - all pre-screens must be in by this date for callback consideration.
• May 1: Deposit Deadline - commitment date for all admitted students, no new decisions will go out after this date.

When applying to Pace University, select one of the following majors (even if you plan on auditioning/interviewing for multiple majors) on the application:

• Performing Arts - Acting for Film, Television, Voice-overs, and Commercials
• Performing Arts - BA Acting
• Performing Arts - BFA Acting
• Performing Arts - Commercial Dance
• Performing Arts - Directing
• Performing Arts - Musical Theatre
• Performing Arts - Production and Design for Stage and Screen
• Performing Arts - Stage Management

Once prospective students have applied for academic admission to Pace, they should create a profile on Acceptd and upload the pre-screen requirements to all programs in which they wish to audition/interview. Students will also select their first and second choice audition/interview dates at time of submission. NOTE: Applicants will need to know their Application ID number (sent via email once the application is processed).

Submission requirements are outlined below in the requirements by major section and on the Acceptd website. The deadline to submit the digital audition and/or portfolio is January 3. Applicants are highly encouraged to submit the pre-screen early!

Students may submit pre-screens to as many programs as they wish. Once prospective students have submitted materials for a specific program, they will not be permitted to resubmit to that same program; only one submission for each program is allowed.

Our faculty will review each digital submission and issue decisions on all submissions. For those issued callbacks, the faculty will need to see the applicant for a live audition or interview. Students will be notified via Acceptd of the faculty’s decision within two weeks from time of submission, and if given a callback, will be granted either their first or second choice audition date. Students who are not called back will also be notified in the same time frame.

If a student does not hear back from the School of Performing Arts within three weeks, they may email performingarts@pace.edu.

NOTE: Pace is closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. Students submitting pre-screens during this week should expect a longer wait time to hear back regarding the faculty decision.

Students select first and second choice audition/interview dates and times on their Acceptd submission. If granted multiple callbacks, the student will need to attend all auditions/interviews (all programs audition/interview separately).

In order to be considered for admission to Pace Performing Arts, students must to attend one of our auditions or interviews. The audition incorporates elements beyond the requirements of the pre-screen and faculty are not able to make admission decisions without seeing all candidates live. The School of Performing Arts does not audition or interview any student privately or outside of the pre-arranged schedule.

Students will receive one decision letter with their academic and artistic acceptance together. Early Decision applicants will receive their decision by December 2023. All other applicants to Pace will be reviewed for academic admission and notified of both the academic and artistic decision beginning in mid-March 2024. In all instances a student must be academically admissible to qualify for admission to the Sands College of Performing Arts.

Those denied, either at the pre-screen stage or after the audition, will have the opportunity to select another non-performing arts major at Pace for admission consideration.

NOTE: Students must be admitted to Pace before the May 1 deposit deadline to get an audition result decision from the Sands College of Performing Arts. On May 1, deposits are closed to the Sands College of Performing Arts and no new students are admitted or evaluated.

IMPORTANT: Pre-screen instructions are in the below section under the program(s) in which you are interested in auditioning/interviewing. The deadline to submit the pre-screen is November 1, 2024, and the callback audition/interview will be November 16, 2024.

Prospective dancers are required to submit the pre-screen on Acceptd before the January 3, 2025, deadline and then attend one of our regularly scheduled auditions (you’ll select your preferences on Acceptd as part of the pre-screen).

For those interested in these majors, please email performingarts@pace.edu and we’ll work to arrange an individual interview and portfolio review based on the convenience of the faculty and student.

Acceptd pre-screen upload*:

• Headshot or photo
• Resume
• 2 contemporary (written after 1945) monologues, contrasting, from published full-length plays, each under 90 seconds
• 1 (optional) reel that includes any work you have done in film, TV, voice-overs, or commercials
• 1 (optional) "wild card" that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Callback audition:

• Be prepared to present one - perhaps two - monologues (can be the same or different from pre-screen)
• Additional details will be sent in advance of the audition

*All three acting majors upload the same materials on Acceptd; prospective students select which major or majors they are interested in as they create their Acceptd profile.

Acceptd pre-screen upload*:

• Headshot or photo
• Resume
• 2 contemporary (written after 1945) monologues, contrasting, from published full-length plays, each under 90 seconds
• 1 (optional) reel that includes any work you have done in film, TV, voice-overs, or commercials
• 1 (optional) "wild card" that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Callback audition:

• Be prepared to present one - perhaps two - monologues (can be the same or different from pre-screen)
• Additional details will be sent in advance of the audition

*All three acting majors upload the same materials on Acceptd; prospective students select which major or majors they are interested in as they create their Acceptd profile.

Acceptd pre-screen upload*:

• Headshot or photo
• Resume
• 2 contemporary (written after 1945) monologues, contrasting, from published full-length plays, each under 90 seconds
• 1 (optional) reel that includes any work you have done in film, TV, voice-overs, or commercials
• 1 (optional) "wild card" that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Callback audition:

• Be prepared to present one - perhaps two - monologues (can be the same or different from pre-screen)
• Additional details will be sent in advance of the audition

*All three acting majors upload the same materials on Acceptd; prospective students select which major or majors they are interested in as they create their Acceptd profile.

Acceptd pre-screen upload:

• Headshot or photo
• Resume
• 2 photos (full body) – one in first arabesque en l’air and the second pose of your choosing
• 1 solo dance video under two minutes - can be in a studio or as a featured dancer and choreographed by yourself, a teacher, or friend
• 2 recordings of you in the ballet and jazz instructional videos found on Acceptd
• 1 (optional) "wild card" that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Callback audition:

• Prospective students will be evaluated in ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop in small groups
• Some students will be asked to stay for a final interview

Acceptd pre-screen upload:

• Resume
• One video clip (no longer than 2 minutes) in which you give an elevator pitch for a show you would like to direct
• A directing portfolio that includes anything that supports your experience or interests in stage directing - can be submitted as a single multi-page document or as a link to your website
• 1 (optional) "wild card" that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Callback audition:

• Additional details will be sent in advance of the interview

Acceptd pre-screen upload:

• Headshot or photo
• Resume
• 1 contemporary (written after 1945) monologue from a published full-length play, under 90 seconds
• 2 song selections, contrasting, each 60-90 seconds (songs can be from any time period and any style, though at least one should be from the musical theater canon). When considering contrasting songs, please consider showing us two different vocal qualities, textures, or skills.
• 1 dance solo. Please use the choreography we provide on Acceptd for this dance solo. We have provided choreography on Acceptd that we encourage you to use for this submission. Please note that the choreography can be adapted as needed for your physical abilities or skill level. Please see our FAQ for more information.
• 1 (optional) "wild card" video/media - can be anything you want: a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, an instrument that you play, etc. “What do you want us to know about you?” and “What makes you unique? This is our chance to get to know you a little bit better.

Callback audition:

• Be prepared to present one contemporary monologue (can be the same or different from pre-screen)
• Be prepared to present two contrasting song selections, each under one minute (can be the same or different from pre-screen)
• All will participate in a dance call
• Additional details will be sent in advance of the audition

Acceptd pre-screen upload:

• Resume
• Portfolio that includes any and all relevant material for you as a designer or stage technician
• 1 (optional) “wild card” video clip that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Interview:

• Be prepared to discuss your portfolio, experience, and interest in Pace/NYC. Interviews are in-person and virtual.

Acceptd pre-screen upload:

• Resume
• Portfolio that includes any and all relevant material for you as a stage manager - samples from a prompt book, contact sheets, etc.
• 1 (optional) “wild card” video clip that can be anything you want - be your creative and interesting self!

Interview:

• Be prepared to discuss your portfolio, experience, and interest in Pace/NYC. Interviews are in-person and virtual.