Boston University Tanglewood InstituteBUTI

BUTI at a Glance

Host

Boston University, with its campus in Lenox, Massachusetts; students attend summer concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Tanglewood Music Center (TMC)

Field

Classical music: instrumental, vocal and composition

Grades and age

Ages 14 to 20 during the summer of participation; Young Artists Programs are for ages 14 to 19 who have not yet started a post-secondary degree program

Citizenship and residency

Open to US and international students; participants routinely come from upward of 15 countries.

Cost

2026 total cost (tuition, room and board, and fees, pending final approval by the Boston University Board of Trustees): 2 weeks $4,055, 3 weeks $5,665, 4 weeks $6,995, 6 weeks $8,865, 8 weeks $10,205. The application fee is $80, with waivers for financial hardship. BUTI awards hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit and need-based scholarships each year, from $500 to full tuition.

Dates and format

Residential, in Lenox, Massachusetts, about 130 miles west of Boston, with most students living on campus. There are two-week workshops and Young Artists Programs: in 2026, workshops ran June 21 to July 4 and Young Artists Programs July 5 to August 15. 2027 dates are not yet listed.

Application dates

Applications for 2027 open on November 1, 2026 and are due January 19, 2027; later applications are still reviewed on a space-available basis. Decisions are released before March 15, 2027.

Application materials

Online application; a live or recorded audition (unaccompanied recommended for instrumentalists, live piano accompaniment required for vocalists, scores for composers); written and video personal statements; one recommender's email address; an optional scholarship application; the $80 fee. 2027 repertoire requirements have not been released.

Size and selectivity

BUTI says it typically has more qualified applicants than it can admit, so it keeps a waiting list, and students are invited off it every year for every program. It does not publish applicant numbers or an admission rate.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · bu.edu/cfa/tanglewood

How to Apply to BUTI

• The scholarship application is part of the admissions application, and BUTI says requesting aid after decisions are released lowers the chance of an award. Families needing aid should submit the scholarship application and tax form with the admissions application by January 19.
• Vocalists must audition with live piano accompaniment, and BUTI does not provide accompanists; instrumentalists are advised to audition unaccompanied. Line up an accompanist and a recording space early.
• Applications after the deadline are reviewed only as space allows. Students can often apply on the same instrument to both a two-week workshop and a Young Artists Program, so submit both by January 19.