If you’re a high school student interested in the business side of the music industry, the Berklee Music Business Summer Program offers a concentrated introduction to how the industry works. Hosted by Berklee College of Music, the program covers core topics like artist management, marketing, publishing, and revenue streams, with instruction from industry professionals.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about the Berklee Music Business Summer Program, including what you’ll study, how competitive it is, application requirements, and key deadlines. You’ll also find practical tips to help you build a stronger application and decide if the program fits your goals.
- What Is the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
- Berklee Music Business Summer Program Acceptance Rate
- Berklee Music Business Summer Program Application Deadline
- Berklee Music Business Summer Program Requirements
- How to Get into the Berklee Music Business Summer Program
- Why Join the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
What Is the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
The Berklee Music Business Summer Program is a five-day, in-person program designed for high school students who want to learn how the music industry works. It is offered by Berklee College of Music and focuses on areas like artist management, branding, marketing, music rights, and revenue streams.
The program runs in two locations: Boston and Los Angeles. The Boston session typically takes place at Berklee’s main campus, while the Los Angeles session is held at the Colburn School in the city’s arts district. The Boston session runs from June 22 to June 26, while the Los Angeles session runs from August 3 to August 7.
The curriculum is built around interactive sessions led by Berklee faculty and industry professionals. You’ll study how artists build careers, how music is marketed in the streaming era, and how income flows through the industry, from publishing to touring and digital platforms.
The program also includes hands-on projects. Students work with emerging artists to develop branding, social media strategies, and release plans, then present their ideas in a final pitch to a panel of industry professionals for feedback.
Overall, it’s a short, intensive introduction to the business side of music, taught in a college-level setting with direct exposure to Berklee’s faculty and industry network.
Berklee Music Business Summer Program Acceptance Rate
Berklee does not publish an official acceptance rate for the Music Business Summer Program. Based on Berklee’s official enrollment information, this program is handled through registration instead of a traditional selective admissions process.
What Berklee does make clear is that summer programs have limited capacity and that students reserve a spot by submitting the registration form and paying the required fees in full.
Berklee Music Business Summer Program Application Deadline
The Berklee Music Business Summer Program does not use a traditional fixed application deadline. Instead, Berklee treats it as a registration-based program with limited capacity. Registrations open in early November and stay open until the relevant payment deadline or until the program fills, whichever comes first.
For the Boston Music Business Program, which runs June 22 to June 26, the key payment deadline is May 1 because it is a June program. Berklee also states that registration for all programs closes two weeks before the program start date if spots are still available, but programs can close earlier once capacity is reached.
For the Music Business Program in Los Angeles, which runs August 3 to August 7, Berklee lists July 1 as the date to submit registration and complete tuition payment. Like the Boston program, it is still subject to limited capacity, so waiting until the posted deadline is risky.
Notification and other key dates
Because this is a registration-based program, Berklee does not publish a separate admissions notification date for the Music Business Summer Program. Instead, your place is secured through registration and full payment.
Berklee Music Business Summer Program Requirements
Berklee structures the Music Business Summer Program as a registration-based program, so instead of submitting a full application with essays and recommendations, you’ll focus on meeting eligibility requirements and completing registration and payment.
Eligibility
Berklee offers the program in two locations, and the age requirements depend on where you enroll:
- Boston program: Ages 15–20
- Los Angeles program: Ages 14+
- Housing requirement (Boston): You must be at least 15 years old by the start of the program to stay in Berklee housing
There are no academic prerequisites listed for this program, and it’s open to students interested in the business side of music.
Required documents
There are no essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, or auditions required for the Music Business Summer Program.. Instead, the process is centered on registration and post-registration steps:
- Online registration form. Submit your details through Berklee’s summer programs portal.
- Full payment. Tuition and the nonrefundable registration fee are due at the time of registration to secure your spot.
- Post-registration requirements. After enrolling, you’ll complete additional steps in your student portal.
- Health forms (Magnus). This is required for program participation and must be completed and approved before arrival.
Program costs
Costs vary depending on the location. For the Boston program:
- Tuition: $1,295
- Housing: $895 (optional)
- Registration fee: $50 (nonrefundable)
For the Los Angeles program:
- Tuition: $2,245
- Housing: $1,500 (optional)
- Registration fee: $50 (nonrefundable)
Berklee requires full payment upfront at registration, and spots are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing is optional and must be requested separately during the registration process.
How to Get into the Berklee Music Business Summer Program
Getting into the Berklee Music Business Summer Program is straightforward. Here’s exactly how the process works:
Step 1: Create your Berklee account.
Start by setting up an account in Berklee’s summer programs portal. This is where you’ll complete your registration and track all next steps. Use an active email address, since Berklee will send confirmations and important updates there.
Step 2: Submit the registration form.
Once your account is ready, select the Music Business Summer Program and choose your location, either Boston or Los Angeles. You’ll enter your personal details and review your selections before submitting. This step officially starts your enrollment, but it does not reserve your spot yet.
Step 3: Pay in full to secure your spot.
Your place in the program is only confirmed after full payment. Berklee requires you to pay the tuition and the nonrefundable registration fee at the time of registration. If you plan to stay on campus, you’ll also need to pay the housing fee.
Because the program is first-come, first-served, payment timing matters. Spots are not held without payment, and programs can fill before the listed deadlines.
Step 4: Request housing if needed.
If you need on-campus housing, you’ll request it through your portal after registering. You’ll complete a housing agreement and submit payment to finalize your assignment. Housing is optional but limited, so earlier requests have a better chance of being accommodated.
Step 5: Complete pre-program requirements.
After you’ve registered and paid, Berklee will give you a checklist of required items in your student portal. The most important is completing your Magnus Health forms, which must be submitted and approved before the program begins. You’ll also review any remaining agreements and prepare for arrival.
Step 6: Register early.
This is the only “strategy” for getting in. Berklee opens registration months in advance, and programs fill as students enroll. There is no waitlist or admissions round to fall back on, so delaying your registration increases the risk of missing out.
Why Join the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
The Berklee Music Business Summer Program is worth joining if you want a short, structured introduction to how music careers are built. Here are six reasons why the Berklee Music Business Summer Program is worth considering:
1. You work on real-world artist campaigns.
This is not a program where you only sit through lectures. Students work with emerging artists to build a brand and image, create a social media content strategy, and develop a rollout plan for a release. In the 2024 Boston program, for instance, students built brand campaigns and content strategies for Position Music artists NoMBe and Kyle Dion, then presented those ideas at the end of the week.
2. You get direct feedback from music industry professionals.
The program is taught by Berklee faculty and industry professionals, including guest speakers like Garrett Ream (vice president of artist strategy and promotion at Position Music) and A&R executive Mike Torres, and the final pitch is presented to artists and a panel of music industry executives for feedback. This aspect is invaluable because you are hearing how people in label strategy, marketing, and A&R evaluate ideas.
3. You learn the business side of music in a concrete way.
The program is useful for students who are more interested in the industry side of music than in performance training alone. Berklee’s official program description is specific about the topics: music rights, revenue streams, branding, social media strategy, content creation, and music marketing. That gives you a clearer sense of what jobs in management, marketing, entrepreneurship, and artist development involve.
If you’re interested in traditional summer music programs, check out our curated list.
4. You can choose Boston or Los Angeles.
Location is a major advantage. The Boston version runs on Berklee’s campus, while the Los Angeles version takes place at the Colburn School in the LA arts corridor. If you want a campus-based experience tied closely to Berklee’s main location, Boston makes sense. If you want to do the same five-day music business program in Los Angeles, Berklee offers that option too.
5. You get a strong resume boost.
Completing the Berklee Music Business Summer Program gives you a concrete, relevant experience you can list, especially if you’re applying for music business, marketing, or arts-related majors. You can point to specific work like building an artist branding strategy, creating a social media rollout plan, and pitching to industry professionals, all of which are directly tied to the program’s curriculum.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the acceptance rate for the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
Berklee does not publish an acceptance rate for this program. It is a registration-based program, not a selective admissions process. Spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis once students complete registration and pay in full.
2. Can international students apply to the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
Yes, international students can join the program. Berklee Summer Programs are open to both U.S. and international students, as long as they meet the age requirements and complete registration.
3. How much does it cost to join the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
Costs depend on location. For the Boston program, tuition is $1,295, with optional housing at $895 and a $50 nonrefundable registration fee. For the Los Angeles program, tuition is $2,245, with housing at $1,500 and a $50 nonrefundable registration fee. Full payment is required at registration.
4. What will I study in the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
You’ll study how the music industry works, including artist management, branding, music rights, revenue streams, social media strategy, content creation, and music marketing. The program also includes hands-on projects where you build an artist campaign and pitch it at the end.
5. When is the application deadline for the Berklee Music Business Summer Program?
There is no single fixed application deadline. Registration opens in advance and remains open until the program fills or until the payment deadline. For example, the Boston program (June 22 to June 26) has a key payment deadline of May 1, while the Los Angeles program (August 3 to August 7) has a deadline of July 1.
Takeaways
- The Berklee Music Business Summer Program runs for five days in either Boston (June 22 to June 26) or Los Angeles (August 3 to August 7), with fixed tuition and optional housing costs.
- You secure your spot by registering and paying in full, since there is no selective admissions process.
- You’ll build a complete artist campaign, including branding, social media strategy, and a release rollout plan.
- The program ends with a final pitch to artists and industry professionals, who give direct feedback on your work.
- For personalized guidance, a college admissions expert can help you present this experience clearly and strategically in your applications.
