• Submissions must be in English.
• The abstract title should not exceed 15 words (title is not included in the word count).
• You may include references, which will also not be counted toward the word limit.
• Abstracts should be a maximum of 400 words, except for panels, symposia, or roundtables, which may be up to 800 words.
• Diagrams and tables should not be included in the abstract (they may be added to the full paper, if applicable).
• Please include up to 5 keywords relevant to your submission.
• All abstracts must be anonymized. Submissions containing identifying information will not be considered for review.

Other Important Guidelines

• Originality of Submissions- Do not submit the same proposal for a Commission Pre-Conference Seminar and the World Conference. Submissions that have been previously published or presented at other professional meetings are not eligible.
• Anonymization- All submissions – including panels – must be made without author identification, for blind review. Submissions that are not blinded will be automatically rejected.
  Note: References may include citations from the author(s) if applicable.
• Special Requests- Workshop submissions must include details of any equipment, instruments, or facilities that you will require and cannot provide yourself. Conference organizers cannot guarantee to meet your needs but will try their best to accommodate your request.
• Selling Resources- If your submission is accepted for presentation please note that sessions should not be used to sell resources, publications or other products.
• Pathway to the World Conference- All accepted abstracts from the Pre-Conference Seminars will have the opportunity to be presented as Posters at the 37th World Conference at Montreal in July 2026. You will be extended an invitation once your Pre-Conference Seminar abstract is accepted.
• Pathways from Submission- Publication of abstracts or full papers in the Conference Proceedings is subject to the policies of each Commission. Please refer to the specific guidelines for your Commission.

At the time of a Full Paper submission, presenters must indicate agreement with the following copyright conditions:
Copyright Agreement:
I hereby assign to the International Society for Music Education (ISME), copyright of the Full Paper I am now submitting for use by the Society in all formats and through any medium of communication if it is accepted for Publication in the refereed Conference Proceedings.

• I understand that the Full Paper I am submitting will be refereed for possible inclusion in the Conference Proceedings and that it may also appear on the Commission webpages.
• I confirm that the Full Paper is original and has not been published previously nor is currently under consideration elsewhere, that I have obtained all necessary permissions for the reproduction of content not owned by me (e.g., illustrations, photographs, charts, and other visual material, etc.), and that the Contribution contains no unlawful statements and does not infringe any rights of others.
• I understand that I will retain copyright of the original submission for purposes of duplicating the article, placing it on my personal and institutional websites, etc., but will give ISME the first and exclusive rights to publish the ISME-formatted and edited version in print or online in ISME Conference Proceedings and/or journals.
• I understand that if my Full Paper is not selected for publication in the Conference Proceedings, then upon such notification the copyright will revert back to me (the author).

• Uploading papers with author identification- All abstract uploads for submissions for papers (oral, full, short), posters, panels, and workshops must be submitted without author identification.
• Exceeding the word limit- Make sure the abstracts adhere to the word limit
• Duplicate submissions- Each abstract must only be submitted once. Please do not re-submit the same abstract for the Pre-Conferences as well as the World Conference.

• Do I need to be an ISME Member to submit to the ISME 2026 World Conference?
  Yes, you MUST be an ISME Member to submit. All presenters and co-presenters must be ISME members.
• Do I need to be an ISME Member to submit to the ISME 2026 Pre-Conference Seminars?
  Yes, you MUST be an ISME Member to submit. All presenters and co-presenters at the Pre-Conference Seminars must be ISME members.
• What is the deadline for the 2026 ISME World Conference Submissions?
  TBA
• What is the deadline for the 2026 ISME Pre-Conference Seminar Submissions?
  TBA
• What is the word count for an abstract?All submissions require a 400-word abstract. For Panels and Symposia, please submit an 800-word abstract that outlines the overall theme of the session and briefly summarizes each presenter’s topic. Remember not to include any identifying information in the abstract.
• Can I submit the same abstract under more than one topic?
  No.
• Can I submit the same abstract to a Pre-Conference Seminar and the World conference?
  No.
• How many times can I be listed as the first author or participant in the program?
  This differs by Commission. Most commissions only allow 1 submission per author.
• Is there a limit on the number of co-authors on my paper?
  No. There is no limit for co-authors listed as long as they all contributed to the paper.
• Is there a limit on the number of co-presenters on my paper?
  Yes, but it differs by Commission. Most submissions (except panels and symposia) allow 1–2 presenters per session. Panels and symposia must have 3–6 panelists.
• What do I do if I forgot to add my co-author?
  Prior to submitting your paper, while it is still in draft mode, you can log in and edit your submission, including adding co-authors.
• Do I need to use a specific format or style, such as APA?
  Please consult the guidelines of your commission.
• Why is my submission removed from consideration?
  Submissions are removed from consideration if you do not follow ISME policies. The main reasons could be when you:
  • Submit a proposal to write a paper rather than a complete paper (though the paper may be preliminary);
  • Include author identification;
  • Exceed the word limit (there are different word limits for papers and symposia and workshop submissions);
  • Submit the same paper to more than one conference topic;
  • Submit a paper that has been previously presented or published.
• Can I change the conference topic I am submitting to after I have already submitted?
  You can change the topic you submit to if your paper is in draft mode and the submission deadline has not passed.
• I submitted my paper to a journal for publication (or to another conference for presentation). Can I still submit to ISME?
  Yes, as long as the paper has not been previously published or presented. If you find out after submitting to ISME that your paper has been accepted for publication or presentation at another conference, you can still present at ISME as long as the publication or presentation date is after ISME. If it is before, you should withdraw the submission from ISME.
• What if my affiliation/university has changed and I want to update my information?
  Once you log in to your ISME account, you can click the “My Account” link to edit your profile. This will be reflected during submission.