NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026-27: Dates, Eligibility & Process

NMIMS School of Performing Arts (SoPA), Mumbai is inviting applications for its 2026-27 undergraduate music programmes. The School currently lists admissions as open for the 2026 batch for both Bachelor of Arts (Music – Indian Music) and Bachelor of Arts (Music – Western Contemporary Music). The current admission phase is Phase VIII. For Phase VIII, online registration started on August 7, 2026, and the last date for online registration is August 31, 2026. The audition for the current phase is scheduled in virtual mode on September 2, 2026, with the merit list scheduled to be released on September 4, 2026.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026-27: Current Status

NMIMS School of Performing Arts is currently showing Admission Open 2026 on its official website for both its Indian Music and Western Contemporary Music undergraduate programmes. The latest listed admission phase is Phase VIII.

The official Phase VIII notices for both programmes list the same registration, audition and merit-list schedule.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026-27: Important Dates

The admission schedule for the 2026 batch is being conducted in multiple phases. The latest Phase VIII schedule published by the School of Performing Arts provides the following dates for both programmes.

*The Phase VIII PDF published by NMIMS contains these dates alongside the later merit-list and fee-payment dates. Candidates should check their NMIMS dashboard and the latest notice for any schedule revision before acting on these dates.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Courses Offered in 2026-27

For the 2026 admission cycle, the Mumbai campus offers two undergraduate music programmes through the School of Performing Arts: BA (Music – Indian Music) and BA (Music – Western Contemporary Music). The Indian Music programme has Vocal and Sitar as the major practical options, while the Western Contemporary Music programme offers Vocals, Piano, Guitar and Drums.

The 2026 admission handouts specify a four-year duration for both programmes and state that admission is through audition only.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates applying for either of the two BA Music programmes at NMIMS School of Performing Arts must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination in any stream from a recognised board and should generally have secured at least 50% aggregate marks. Mathematics or Statistics is not mandatory for these programmes. The 2026 admission handouts also state that candidates with less than 50% aggregate marks who demonstrate good potential and skills may be considered as a special case and allowed to appear for the audition.

NMIMS states that the aggregate percentage is calculated using all subjects taken, opted for and appeared for, rather than selecting the best four, five, six or seven subjects. Candidates must also meet the additional documentation and equivalence requirements specified in the 2026 admission handout.

Candidates with qualifications from overseas institutions are required to submit an AIU equivalence certificate where applicable. The 2026 handouts also contain specific requirements for IB, Cambridge and other international qualifications.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission Process 2026

Admission to the BA Music programmes at NMIMS School of Performing Arts is based on an audition rather than a conventional entrance examination. Candidates first register online, pay the registration fee and submit the required information. They are then required to upload a performance video link and, if called, appear for the scheduled virtual audition. The merit list is prepared based on the audition process.

The admission process can be summarised as follows:

1. Register online through the NMIMS admission portal.
2. Pay the non-refundable registration fee of ₹2,000.
3. Select the relevant practical stream.
4. Upload the required performance video as an unlisted YouTube video.
5. Check the candidate dashboard for the audition call letter.
6. Appear for the virtual audition on the scheduled date.
7. Check the merit list on the candidate dashboard.
8. If selected, upload documents and pay the admission fee within the prescribed deadline.

The 2026 handouts state that the ₹2,000 registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Performance Video Requirements 2026

Candidates applying to the BA Music programmes are required to upload a performance video as part of the application. NMIMS specifies that the video should be between two and five minutes long and should be recorded live without retakes. Editing or processing of the audio or video is not permitted. The video should be uploaded on YouTube as an unlisted video; private videos will not be assessed.

Candidates should follow the programme-specific instructions in the 2026 admission handout while preparing the audition video.

NMIMS BA Music Indian Music Audition 2026

For the BA (Music – Indian Music) programme, candidates can choose either Vocal or Sitar as their major practical. The audition is conducted virtually. The performance component assesses the candidate's accuracy, technique and knowledge of Raga, Sur and Taal. The audition also includes an aural component and a personal interview.

For the performance component, candidates can choose a Raga that represents their performing ability. The aural section tests general musicology and technical knowledge of the selected practical subject, while the personal interview assesses the candidate's aptitude.

NMIMS BA Music Western Contemporary Music Audition 2026

For the BA (Music – Western Contemporary Music) programme, candidates can select Vocals, Guitar, Piano or Drums as their major practical. The virtual audition includes performance, simple improvisation, aural assessment and a personal interview.

The performance section assesses accuracy, technique and stylistic elements. The improvisation component involves working over a pop-song or ballad progression or chord chart. The aural component tests the candidate's ability to identify changes in rhythm or pitch and imitate rhythm or melody.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Selection Process 2026

The selection process is based on the audition. For Indian Music, candidates select either Vocal or Sitar and submit a performance video before being called for the audition. For Western Contemporary Music, candidates choose from Vocals, Guitar, Piano or Drums and are similarly required to submit a performance video. NMIMS states that the merit list is based on the audition process and that admission offers are made according to merit.

Candidates who are waitlisted are required to regularly check their merit-list status. Selected candidates must complete the fee-payment process within the prescribed period. NMIMS also states that internal or stream transfer is not entertained.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Fees 2026

The 2026 admission handouts do not provide the final first-year programme fee for the 2026 batch. NMIMS states that the programme fee for the first year of the 2026 batch will be declared at the time of admission. Therefore, the 2025 fee should not be presented as the confirmed 2026 fee.

For reference, the Indian Music handout lists the 2025 first-year fee as ₹2,00,000 per annum with a ₹75,000 scholarship, while the Western Contemporary Music handout lists the 2025 first-year fee as ₹5,00,000 per annum. These figures are specifically marked as information for the 2025 batch and are subject to change.

*The 2025 figures are provided only for information in the 2026 admission handouts and should not be treated as the confirmed 2026-27 fee.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026: Documents Required

Candidates need to keep their academic and identification documents ready for the application and admission process. NMIMS specifically asks candidates to keep their Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) ID, Aadhaar number and Aadhaar name details available during registration. The name entered in the NMIMS registration/admission form should match the name on the Aadhaar card.

Candidates appearing for the virtual audition must also keep an accepted original identity document available. NMIMS lists Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, School/College ID, Driving Licence, Class 12 Admit Card and PAN Card among the accepted documents.

For candidates whose final qualifying examination marksheet is not available at the time of provisional admission, NMIMS provides for submission of the result copy within the specified period. International candidates and students from overseas institutions may have to provide an AIU equivalence certificate.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026: What Happens After the Audition?

After the audition, NMIMS releases the merit list on the candidate dashboard according to the schedule specified for the relevant admission phase. For Phase VIII, the merit list is scheduled to be declared on September 4, 2026 after 5 PM. Candidates selected for admission are required to complete document upload and admission fee payment within the prescribed period.

Candidates who are waitlisted should continue checking their candidate dashboard for updates. NMIMS states that admission offers are made according to merit and that selected candidates should complete fee payment within the period mentioned in the important dates.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026: Is There a Spot Round?

The current official SoPA website labels the latest admission phase as Phase VIII and shows Admission Open 2026 for both programmes. The Phase VIII notice provides a regular registration, audition, merit-list and fee-payment schedule. It does not label Phase VIII as a separate spot round.

Therefore, students should not describe the current Phase VIII admission process as a spot round unless NMIMS subsequently issues an official notice specifically announcing a spot or additional round.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026-27: Key Points

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Mumbai is currently accepting applications for the 2026 batch for BA (Music – Indian Music) and BA (Music – Western Contemporary Music). The latest listed phase is Phase VIII, with online registration beginning on August 7 and closing on August 31, 2026. The virtual audition is scheduled for September 2, followed by the merit-list declaration on September 4 after 5 PM.

Both programmes require candidates to qualify through an audition. Applicants generally need to have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination in any stream with at least 50% aggregate marks, although candidates below 50% may be considered as a special case for the audition. Candidates above 35 years of age are not eligible.

The 2026 first-year programme fee has not been specified in the admission handouts and is to be declared at the time of admission. Therefore, students should check the admission offer and official NMIMS communication for the final fee applicable to the 2026-27 batch.

NMIMS School of Performing Arts Admission 2026-27 FAQs