Prospective Students

UC Irvine offers both the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Dance and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Dance. The B.A. provides a broad foundation in dance, supporting a range of career paths, related study and graduate education. The B.F.A., with specializations in Performance and Choreography, provides more intensive preparation for students pursuing professional work in dance creation and performance.

Learn more about degree requirements and course offerings in the UCI General Catalogue.

How to Apply

Applicants must first submit the University of California application and select Dance as their intended major. The UC application must be submitted by Nov. 30, 2026.

In addition to the UC application, all applicants to the Dance major must complete a required prescreen audition by prerecorded video. Applicants who successfully complete the prescreen will be invited to an in-person audition at UC Irvine.

No additional materials, including résumés, photos or letters of recommendation, are required or accepted for undergraduate Dance admission.

Incoming First-Year Students

Applicants must satisfy University of California undergraduate admission requirements and demonstrate technical accomplishment and creative promise. Students are encouraged to develop experience in one or more dance forms, including ballet, modern/contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and other dance traditions.

Applicants must successfully complete the prescreen process and, if invited, participate in the in-person audition during winter quarter. Admitted Dance majors also complete placement examinations in selected techniques during Welcome Week.

Transfer Students

Strong preparation for transfer combines UC admission and general education requirements with foundational study in dance.

Transfer students are encouraged to:

• Satisfy University of California transfer admission requirements.
• Complete as much general education coursework as possible, including IGETC when appropriate for students transferring from a California community college.
• Complete one year of English composition.
• Develop foundational training in ballet, jazz and modern dance.
• Consider additional coursework in music for dancers, injury prevention, improvisation and choreography, and dance history.

All transfer applicants must complete the prescreen audition and, if invited, an in-person audition during the winter before enrollment. After admission, transfer students participate in placement auditions during Welcome Week. Placement may affect the amount of time needed to complete departmental degree requirements.

Students are encouraged to work closely with their current college counselor or contact the UCI Office of Undergraduate Admissions when planning transfer coursework.

Undergraduate Prescreen Audition

All undergraduate Dance applicants must submit a prerecorded prescreen audition. Applicants who pass the prescreen will be invited to the second-round, in-person audition at UC Irvine.

Submission Instructions

Video: Submit one continuous video containing all required sections.

Location: Record in a well-lit dance studio or open room with safe flooring.

Order: Introduction, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Modern/Contemporary.

Hosting: Upload the video to YouTube or Vimeo and submit the link through Slate.

Access: Videos must be public or unlisted and may not require a password.

Length: The complete video may not exceed three minutes.

Deadline: Dec. 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Applicants should verify that their video is accessible before submitting it. Videos that cannot be accessed cannot be reviewed. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Prescreen Dress and Footwear

Jazz

• Fitted dance clothing
• Bare feet or soft-soled jazz shoes

Ballet

• Solid-colored leotard and full-length tights, or a unitard
• Ballet slippers

Hip-Hop

• Typical hip-hop attire without labels, pictures or slogans
• Sneakers

Modern/Contemporary

• Fitted dance clothing
• Bare feet or socks

Prescreen Video Requirements

1. Introduction — No More Than 30 Seconds

State your full name and whether you are applying as a first-year or transfer student.

Then answer:

“What specifically draws you to the UC Irvine Department of Dance, and how does it align with your goals as an artist?”

2. Technique

Frame your recording so your full body is visible throughout each combination. Use a well-lit space with a clean, unobtrusive background.

Jazz — 30 seconds
Demonstrate a combination in any jazz style that includes rhythmic syncopation and traveling through space. Turns should be performed from a bent-knee plié position.

Ballet — 30 seconds
Demonstrate:

• Développé à la seconde and first arabesque
• Double pirouettes both en dehors and en dedans from fourth position
• Petite allegro incorporating jeté, glissade and assemblé

Hip-Hop — 30 seconds
Demonstrate a combination in any hip-hop style that includes body isolations and footwork.

Modern/Contemporary — 30 seconds
Demonstrate a modern or contemporary combination incorporating movement through the spine, upper-body drop swings and a roll into and out of the floor.

After the Prescreen

Prescreen auditions must be submitted by Dec. 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Applicants will receive their results no later than Jan. 8, 2027.

Applicants selected to advance will be invited to register for one of two in-person audition dates:

• Saturday, Jan. 23, 2027
• Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027

In-Person Audition

Applicants who advance through the prescreen will be invited to attend one in-person audition at UC Irvine.

Please do not make travel arrangements until you have received confirmation that you have advanced to the in-person audition. The Department of Dance is not responsible for travel cancellations or related expenses.

Applicants should plan to be available for the entire audition day and participate in all portions of the audition. Breaks will be staggered throughout the day. Dancers are encouraged to bring snacks, meals and water.

In-Person Dress and Footwear

Jazz

• Fitted dance clothing
• Bare feet or soft-soled jazz shoes

Ballet

• Solid-colored leotard and full-length tights, or a unitard
• Ballet slippers

Hip-Hop

• Typical hip-hop attire without labels, pictures or slogans
• Sneakers

Modern/Contemporary

• Fitted dance clothing
• Bare feet or socks

Post-Audition Q&A

Prospective students are invited to attend a post-audition Zoom Q&A to learn more about the program and ask questions.

Feb. 17, 2027 | 8 p.m. 
Register: https://uci.zoom.us/meeting/register/uxoH17mYT4ylRGQwdamYJg 

March 31, 2027 | 8 p.m. 
Register: https://uci.zoom.us/meeting/register/uX3jnQVTTveZ7Q4kyeRDeg 

Both sessions use the Zoom link provided by the Department of Dance.

Questions about undergraduate admission or auditions?
Contact dance@uci.edu.

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Dance is an intensive, interdisciplinary program that combines studio practice with academic research. Students develop an individualized area of interest and complete a thesis project during the second year.

Graduate research may take the form of a creative project or written research in areas such as choreography, dance pedagogy, dance media and technology, dance training, dance science and dance studies.

Program Eligibility

Applicants to the M.F.A. in Dance must meet UCI's general requirements for graduate admission and hold a bachelor's degree. A B.A. or B.F.A. in Dance is preferred. Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Admission to the Dance M.F.A. program is for fall quarter only.

How to Apply

Submit the online application through the UCI Graduate Division by Dec. 1, 2026. All required application materials, including transcripts and letters of reference, must be received by the deadline.

The Department of Dance also requires additional materials, including the choreography/performance reel described below. All department-required materials must also be submitted by Dec. 1, 2026.

In-person auditions are held by invitation only.

Choreography/Performance Reel

A choreography/performance reel is required in addition to the UCI graduate application.

The reel may be no more than three minutes and may contain one excerpt or several excerpts of the applicant's choreography and/or performance work.

The video should begin directly with the work and should not include introductory credits or require the viewer to cue the recording.

Upload the reel to Vimeo, YouTube or Google Drive and email the link, along with any required password, to DanceMFA@uci.edu by Dec. 1, 2026.

Applicants may also submit up to three additional links to complete works from their choreographic or performance portfolio. List these separately in the email.

Choreography and performance representing all dance genres and aesthetics are welcome.

Invitation to Audition

After application materials have been reviewed, qualified applicants will be invited to an in-person audition and faculty interview.

Invitations will be sent by the end of January 2027. Applicants should not make travel arrangements until they have received an official invitation.

The graduate audition will be held Friday, Feb. 26, 2027, at UC Irvine and is by invitation only.

International Applicants

International applicants should review UCI Graduate Division requirements for international graduate admission, including English-language proficiency requirements.

Students who wish to be employed as Academic Student Employees must also meet UCI's oral English proficiency requirements. Applicants for whom testing is required are encouraged to complete the appropriate examination early enough for scores to reach the department by the application deadline.

Financial Support

Graduate students are eligible to apply for scholarship opportunities offered through the Department of Dance, Claire Trevor School of the Arts and UC Irvine.

Dance graduate students are also encouraged to apply for teaching assistantships. Opportunities may include work in dance technique, dance science, history, music for dancers, choreography, world and social dance, dance video and critical issues in dance.

Questions about the M.F.A. in Dance application or audition process?
Contact DanceMFA@uci.edu.