One of the most important decisions international students make when choosing a career in recording arts is to decide which among the top schools for recording arts to apply to.

Below are brief sketches of some of the top schools for recording arts. Though there is no official ranking of the best schools for recording arts, these schools have earned a popular reputation for what they offer in the field.

Audio Production and Audio Technology at American University: The Audio Technology Program focuses on both the art and the science of audio and music technology. With our strong core courses in sound synthesis, audio production, digital audio workstations, electronics, and physics, we are unique in our approach to blending the art and science in audio in the context of an educational program. Graduates from the recording arts programs at American University have gone on to mix albums for Justin Timberlake, mix sound for shows on the History Channel, represent sound technology companies, and produce audio-visual work for the Department of Homeland Security.

Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music: The music production and engineering (MP&E) experience at Berklee prepares students to enter the current music production field as an effective professional in any number of roles within a landscape of rapidly evolving tools and techniques.  Students' experience will prepare them to appropriately adapt to the changing demands of the recording industry.

Recording Arts at Indiana University: For students looking for a more traditional college setting, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana enrolls over 32,000 undergraduates and offers many diverse amenities of a large university. The Jacobs School of Music itself is one of the largest music schools in the US. Within the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University offers an associate of science and a Bachelor of Science degree in recording arts, which carry a heavy emphasis on music production and postproduction. Within IU's program, students are encouraged to work alongside related fields, such as communication or business, to enhance their opportunities upon graduation. Since Indiana University regularly produces CDs of in-house recordings, students also get frequent opportunities with hands-on learning.

Recording Arts and Sciences at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University: Most international students will recognize The Johns Hopkins University, home to just under 5,000 undergraduates, as a prestigious US school. Indeed, it was ranked in the top 15 among national universities in 2012 by U.S. News and World Report. But few people may know that the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, operating continuously for over 150 years, is the second-oldest music conservatory in the US. The Peabody Institute offers a Bachelor of Music degree in recording arts and sciences. The B.M. degree is coupled with an applied performance degree as a unique 5-year dual-degree program. The recording arts and sciences program aims to train those who are already musicians in the technical aspects of music and music production. Graduates of the Peabody Institute Recording Arts and Sciences Program have done production and songwriting work with rock artists and international classical artists, composed music and designed sound for Firaxis Games, become a technical director for NPR, and engineered music scores for box-office hit The Departed.

Europe also provides a wide range of universities, where it is possible to study sound recording and pursue a career in the music industry. Pompeu Fabra University, University of Cambridge, Utrecht University, University of Amsterdam, Queen Mary university of London, for example, where plentiful musical activity in a variety of styles meets the needs of a comprehensive sound recording program.