Performances + Events
Registrar
Registrar
Academic Catalog
The Academic Catalog is the official source of information on degree programs, course descriptions, policies, and more.
View the 2024–25 academic catalogCourse Schedule
Spring 2025 course offerings are available below. Please note that the current course schedule is subject to change, and updated versions of the PDF will be published here periodically. For course descriptions and other information, refer to the Academic Catalog.
Updated November 1, 2024
registration
Guidelines
Registration at New England Conservatory is an agreement between the student and NEC to accept all rules and regulations set forth by the institution. Registration certifies enrollment in classes, ensembles, and studios and continues long-term advising about programs and careers. New students must provide the Registrar’s Office with proof of qualifying degrees to register. An official transcript that includes all applicable degrees conferred as well as the date of conferral constitutes such proof.
New students register during Orientation in the fall and spring. Continuing students register beginning in October and March.
Continuing students must meet with their academic advisor each semester before they register. Students register for all degree requirements as outlined in their program of study. Those wishing to enroll in courses requiring an audition or instructor’s consent must obtain the instructor’s permission to do so.
Students returning to active status may register during the registration period or in the first week of classes.
For detailed instructions on when and how to register for classes, see the Student Resources website.
Students may add or drop classes during the Add/Drop period. Adding or dropping studio, ensemble, or chamber music requires written permission from the appropriate department. Dropped courses do not appear on transcripts.
After the Add/Drop period ends, students may withdraw from classes by consulting with their academic advisor and completing the appropriate paperwork. Students who simply stop attending a course and do not complete the appropriate paperwork will have the grade of F recorded for the course in question. Students may not withdraw from promotionals, recitals, ensembles, studios, or chamber music, except by department consent and with approval of the academic advisor and the Dean of Academic Affairs. No one may withdraw from a course or courses during the final two weeks of the course or courses in question. Withdrawals are notated as W on transcripts.
Cross-Registration
Undergraduate students may enroll in undergraduate-level classes at Tufts University (excluding the School of the Museum of Fine Arts) and the ProArts Consortium schools: Berklee College (including Boston Conservatory at Berklee), Boston Architectural College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.
- Students may apply these credits to their degree programs.
- Students may cross-register for no more than one course per eligible semester, regardless of credits.
- A total of 12 credits may be earned through cross-registration across all cross-registration opportunities and credits earned via cross-registration count against overall allowable transfer credit.
- Courses taken through cross-registration may not duplicate NEC offerings; in addition, students may not pursue studio, ensemble or coaching through cross-registration.
- Students who wish to cross-register must first receive permission from NEC’s Registrar and from their academic advisor, as well as the Registrar at the selected school.
- Students wishing to take a course to fulfill NEC Liberal Arts, Music History, or Music Theory elective requirements must also obtain approval from the chair of the corresponding instructional department.
- Cross-registration is not available for graduate students.
To be eligible, students must be in their second year of enrollment at New England Conservatory. In addition, students whose native language is not English and who wish to cross-register must have:
- Achieved an iBT TOEFL score (or its equivalent) of 76,
- Successfully completed ESL II, or
- Passed the NEC Test of English Proficiency
requests and forms
Transcript Requests
A transcript is an official copy of the student’s academic record showing credit hours and grades of work completed in the college division of NEC. NEC cannot issue transcripts of work completed at any other school or institution.
Transcript requests normally require one week for processing, except during high-volume periods and holiday breaks. Processing time does not reflect delivery time. Please read the following information carefully before requesting transcripts. Questions regarding transcript requests may be directed to the College Registrar.
NEC students and alumni receive their first-ever transcript free. Additional transcripts are $10 each.
All requests for transcripts require payment in advance. We accept personal checks, money orders or cashier’s checks. We cannot accept cash. All checks and money orders must be payable in U.S. dollars and drawn on U.S. banks. Credit cards are accepted only when students are ordering transcripts via the online method outlined below.
Students and alumni must be financially clear with the institution, and not in default on any educational loans.
Transcripts being sent by our office to the NEC Office of Admission or to NEC’s CEPs Office are always free.
NEC faculty and staff receive transcripts free of charge while they are gainfully employed by NEC.
Transcripts may be ordered online through the National Student Clearinghouse. This online ordering system offers convenient 24/7 access, secure transactions, real-time order status tracking, automatic order updates via email, and online order status and history.
You will need the following to order a transcript online:
- A valid major credit card
- An email account
- Your signed consent
Please note that transcript requests cannot be accepted via email.
Transcript requests through the National Student Clearinghouse must include the following information:
- Student name, address and phone number
- Any prior names used while a student at NEC
- Social Security Number or NEC student ID number
- Date of birth
- Major and instrument
- Degree program(s)
- Dates of attendance
- Date of graduation
- Complete address and phone number of institution to which the transcript is to be sent
- Student’s signature consenting to the release of academic information
Current NEC college students and NEC college alumni who wish to request transcripts may do so in the following ways:
In Person
Pick up a Transcript Request Form during business hours in the Office of Student Services (St. Botolph Building, Room 224) or download the Transcript Request Form. Payment must be made in full at the time of request. We accept check or money order.
By Mail
Download the Transcript Request Form and mail it with payment (check or money order) to
New England Conservatory
Attn: Transcripts
290 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115-5018
Change of Status Form
If you are considering taking time away from your program, you may request a Change of Status. For more about leave of absence, inactive status, or withdrawal from your program, click the link below.
Leave of Absence Form
If you qualify for a Leave of Absence, you need to turn in this form in addition to the Change of Status form.
