Application & Fees

iConnect 2026

Application Fee: $40

Application Priority Deadline: May 1st, 2026 (applications received after this date will be considered as space allows). Admission is rolling, and you can expect to receive a response soon after you apply.

Tuition: $575 (does not include room and board, see “Non-Local Students” below for more information on campus housing costs and alternative options.) Limited financial assistance is available. Please see the application form for details.

Location: St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota

Level Required: Students should have at least reached Suzuki book 2 or an equivalent level (note: we are not a Suzuki-based program) and be comfortable with reading music. There is no maximum level, and advanced students are welcome.

Application Video Guidelines

To ensure that students are of the appropriate ability level for iConnect participation and to help us make decisions about ensemble placement, we ask that all applicants submit a current video (recorded within the last three months) of their solo cello playing. The recording should consist of one piece, played in its entirety, that best represents their current ability level.

The video can be recorded at home, in school, or be from a recent performance, provided the quality is sufficient. If you don't have access to more comprehensive recording equipment, a smartphone, iPhone, or iPad should be sufficient.

We recommend that students record in a quiet space with no background noise and adequate lighting, and arrange the camera so that the entirety of the student’s body and the cello are visible. Please upload the video as an unlisted YouTube link (careful not to set it as “private” or otherwise, we will not be able to view it), and copy/paste it in the appropriate field on your application.

Non-Local Students

Non-local students and families can choose to be housed on campus or find their own accommodations in Northfield.

When choosing to stay on campus, students must have an accompanying adult stay with them in the dorms.

  • The cost for 5 nights in the dorms at St. Olaf College (double occupancy, 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 5 dinners, plus tax) was $841.90 for 2025 (2026 TBD). This is the total cost for the student and parent staying on campus and eating in the dining hall. 

  • If you are interested in eating out or preparing food on your own, and would not like to eat at the cafeteria, the cost would be $450.74 for the double occupancy room in the dorms of St. Olaf College ONLY.

  • We recommend checking Airbnb for other housing options!

  • Some hotel suggestions are:

We also recommend checking Airbnb for other options!