BA Course in General Music Studies with Kodály emphasis

The Institute offers an undergraduate degree programme: Bachelor of Arts Degree in General Music Studies with Kodály emphasis (180 credits). Admission is based on successful completion of the entrance examination. To apply for a Bachelor's degree (3 years), prospective students need to possess a high school diploma translated into English with the corresponding transcript of courses and grades. Because of the nature of the programme, graduates will be able to continue their studies in various fields, including but not limited to graduate studies in Music Education, Choral Conducting, Music Theory and Musicology.

BA Course Content

Music History
Hungarian Music History
Music Theory
Solfége
Composition
Score Reading
Folk Music
Philosophy
Acoustics
Piano
Basso Continuo
Chamber Music
Contemporary Music Ensemble
Voice Training
Introduction to Choral Conducting
Choral Singing
Elective
Thesis Consultation

General Information

The language of instruction and examinations (both aural and written) is ENGLISH. 
Non-native English speakers must submit proof of English proficiency. As a guide, we expect a level similar to TOEFL (=Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a score of 72-83 (Internet-Based), or 200-220 (Computer-Based), or 533-560 (Paper-Based) or an equivalent of this exam (e.g. IELTS Band 6.5-7 or higher).

The programme is comprised of 6 semesters, with the fall semester starting at the beginning of September, and the spring semester lasting until the middle of June each year. The graduation ceremony is usually at the end of June. 

Entrance examinations are held online between 3-5 June 2024. Applicants will be notified individually about the procedure after the application deadline. 

Information about the online entrance examination is also available here.

For details about accommodation please follow this link.

The Institute reserves the right to change or amend any of its programmes, requirements for degrees, tuition, fees, etc. from year to year.

Application

Application deadline is 31 March each year.

However, applicants are kindly asked to send the applications at their earliest convenience so that necessary arrangements can be made and applicants can be informed of acceptance in time.

The application form can be downloaded in PDF here: BA Application Form

(It is not an online form, so please download and save it to your computer before you start filling it out.)

Please do not forget to attach the following documents to your application:

• detailed curriculum vitae
• motivation letter
• photocopy of highest school certificate(s)/degree with English translation
• copy of academic transcripts translated into English (if any)
• photocopy of your passport
• proof of English proficiency
• two photos of passport size (upon arrival to Kecskemét the latest)

Applications must be sent to the following address:

Kodály Institute of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Kecskemét, P.O.Box 188, H-6001

Academic year applications can also be sent via e-mail to office [at] kodaly [dot] hu or kodaly [dot] office [at] gmail [dot] com. 

Notification of acceptance will be sent out no later than 15 June.

Expenses For the 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 academic yearS

PAYMENT

Fees for the first semester must be paid no later than 15 October, and for the second semester no later than 15 February.

Methods of payment:

1) cash

2) bank transfer:

Bank name: MAGYAR NEMZETI BANK (=Hungarian National Bank)
Bank address: 1054 Budapest, Szabadság tér 9., Hungary
Name of account holder: Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem (=Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music)
Address of account holder: 1061 Budapest, Liszt Ferenc tér 8., Hungary
Account number: IBAN HU22 1003 2000 0142 6768 0000 0000
SWIFT code: MANEHUHB

Please write this reference into the appropriate field when transferring: "Kodály Institute".
Students must cover the bank administrative costs when transferring (approx. 2500-3500 HUF).

Please note: in Hungary the two banks – Hungarian National Bank (Magyar Nemzeti Bank) and Hungarian State Treasury (Magyar Államkincstár in Hungarian) – are connected. So in your country’s banking system it might be Hungarian State Treasury instead of Hungarian National Bank. In that case the Swift code for the Hungarian State Treasury is HUSTHUHB (or HUSTHUHBXXX if the system requires 11 characters to input); Hungarian State Treasury's address is 1139 Budapest, Váci út 71.

3) banking card:

Types of cards accepted: all kinds of VISA, EUROCARD/MASTERCARD, American Express.

Please contact us for details regarding this way of payment.

Please be aware that paying by banking card involves a 2-5% commission that the bank charges on the card holder. Please make sure with your bank at home that transactions are allowed in Hungary. 

Please note that we cannot accept cheques.

LATE PAYMENT

Those students who do not pay their fees by the given deadline the following late payment fines will  apply: 1st week: 3 % of total amount, 2nd week: 5 % of total amount, 3rd week: 10 % of total amount.

If payment is not made by the end of the 3rd week, the student is not allowed to continue studies in that semester.

Exams & Evaluation in general

The entrance examination takes place during the first week of June for studies commencing in September.
Students will be notified of the exact dates by e-mail no later than 1 April.

Examinations are held at the end of each semester in January and May.
Students will be notified of the content of the examination and the exact dates during the semester.

Examinations are evaluated by five grades: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – 5 being the highest and 2 the poorest grade. 1 is considered as fail.

Please note: Since 2020, entrance examinations are held online, therefore some parts of the exam are different from 

CONTENT OF THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION IN THE PAST

Prerequisites:

• good musical hearing and good sight reading skills
• basic knowledge of classical forms and functional tonal harmony
• the ability to present a brief summary of the musical traditions of the applicant's home country including folk music
• at least intermediate piano skills
• expressive singing skills

The entrance examination consists of 2 parts (written and aural). Test your actual expertise using this mock test: student's copy - teacher's copy

Total points: 200

Music Theory – written: 30 points
Music Theory – aural: 30 points
Solfege – written: 30 points
Solfege – aural: 30 points
Piano: 30 points
Singing: 30 points
Folk Music (aural exam only): 20 points

Written Examination (dictation):

- excerpt from an art song (chosen from the Classical period): notation of the soprano and bass parts
- a non-tonal monophonic tune
- intervals, triads and seventh chords (root position and inversions)

Aural examination:

- sight-singing of an easier Classical art song
- sight-singing of an atonal melody

Singing:

- 1 Baroque aria or Classical/Romantic art song
- 1 folksong or folksong arrangement

Piano:

- a piece by J. S. Bach chosen by the candidate (at least on the level of the two-part inventions)
- first movement (allegro) of a Classical sonata (J. Haydn or W. A. Mozart)
- a piece written by a 19th- or 20th-century composer