Licenciatura en Música at Universidad Pedagógica: what the admission test is like

2027-1 admissions calendar

UPN admits students to the Licenciatura en Música once each semester, and the 2027-1 admissions cycle has already been announced. These are the official dates for the program:

If you want to arrive prepared for the test, our music pre-university prep includes mock exams and auditions; see our packages and prices.

How admission at UPN is organized

The music education degree is a 10-semester public university undergraduate program in Bogotá that trains musicians to teach. The assessment therefore looks for more than the strongest instrumentalist: it seeks someone with a solid musical foundation and a real interest in teaching.

UPN expects you to arrive with prior musical training and a chosen main instrument. If you are still deciding between two instruments, settle that with your teacher before starting to prepare for the assessment.

Main instrument: chosen piece, required piece, and sight-reading

Although it counts for 20 %, this assessment is your introduction to the panel: they see your actual level in just a few minutes.

Piece of your choice

Choose a piece you can play cleanly even when nervous. A polished, musical performance of a moderately difficult piece is better than a half-finished difficult one. Check the instructions for requirements on length, style, or sheet music.

Required piece

The guidelines for each instrument, including the required piece, are published one month before the test (October 30, 2026 for the 2027-1 admissions cycle). One month is not long: your technique should already be strong enough to learn a new piece in that time. Once it is released, organize the four weeks like this:

1. Week 1: read through the whole piece slowly, write in fingerings or breaths, and mark difficult passages.
2. Week 2: work on difficult passages separately, with a metronome.
3. Week 3: connect sections, increase the tempo, and work out phrasing and dynamics with your teacher.
4. Week 4: play through without stopping, record yourself, and perform for other people.

Sight-reading

Read something new on your instrument every day: take a minute to check the key signature, time signature, and difficult rhythms, then play without stopping, even if you make mistakes. We explain how to practice in rhythmic and melodic reading for the music entrance assessment.

Musical aptitude and knowledge: the 40 % you can train

This is the broadest assessment, combining listening, reading, and music theory. The good news is that every skill it assesses can be developed:

Coordination often catches out applicants who have only practiced their instrument. Train it with independence exercises: tap the beat with your foot and a rhythm with your hands, or sing a simple melody while clapping the beat.

The interview: how to prepare as a future teacher

At 40 %, the interview can affect your result as much as the knowledge assessment. In a music education degree, it makes sense that the panel wants to know your background, motivation, and connection to teaching. Prepare like this:

• Describe your musical background in about two minutes: how you started, who you have studied with, and which groups you have played in, whether a school band, choir, or Andean music group.
• Have specific examples of teaching experience, even informal ones: helping a classmate with theory or supporting a younger sibling who is starting out.
• Explain why you want a music education degree rather than another music undergraduate program; understand how it differs from a Maestro en Música degree.
• Read about the program: its curriculum and approach.
• Think about where music is taught in Colombia: schools, music schools, cultural centers, and bands.

Avoid memorized or generic answers and practice with someone who asks you meaningful questions. In the music admissions interview, you will find questions worth preparing and the mistakes that hurt your chances most.

A preparation plan in stages

If you want guidance as you prepare, Gissi offers music theory, solfège, musical dictation, and instrument lessons with teachers online or at home in Bogotá. You can also rehearse the interview with your teacher. Learn more in preparation for music entrance assessments.

UPN also offers open extension courses, including preparatory piano and introductory musical ear training. These are training courses and, as far as we could establish, do not provide direct admission. For a plan that prepares you for several universities at once, see how to prepare for a music entrance assessment.

Frequently asked questions