Educational assessment reform has long emphasized the shift from teacher-centered teaching to student-centered learning, with assessment intended to promote learning rather than merely evaluate outcomes (Andrade & Heritage, 2017). Formative assessment addresses this need by providing tools to track and support students’ learning progress, offering significant benefits beyond summative evaluations (Chen & Bonner, 2019). In higher music education, formative assessment is increasingly recognized for its role in enhancing musical performance (Boucher et al., 2021). However, despite the growing adoption of formative assessment in music education, no review study has yet provided a holistic understanding of its implementation and impact on music learning. As music learning extends beyond performance, encompassing a range of cognitive and creative skills such as composing, critiquing, and analytical reasoning (Conway, 2020; Kokotsaki & Hallam, 2007), it is important to understand how formative assessment supports the development of these diverse skills.This scoping review follows Petticrew and Roberts’ (2008) systematic review guidelines and addresses this gap by systematically mapping the landscape of formative assessment practices in university-level music education. Guided by the PRISMA framework and based on studies screened from seven digital databases (e.g., PsycINFO, ERIC, and Scopus), 22 empirical studies published between 1976 and 2023 were analyzed. Drawing on Sternberg’s theory of musical intelligence (2021), which conceptualizes musical intelligence as comprising four interrelated skills: creative, analytical, practical, and wisdom-based, this review not only identifies how three primary formative assessment strategies (teacher-directed, peer assessment, and self-assessment) are implemented in higher music classrooms, but also examines how these strategies contribute to students’ development across the four domains.The results indicate several key findings. First, teacher-led, peer, and self-assessment approaches have been implemented either individually or in combination, contributing to the development of musical intelligence. Second, formative assessment is particularly effective in enhancing students’ analytical and practical music skills, fostering deeper thinking and the practical application of knowledge. However, there is a limited focus on using formative assessment to nurture music students’ creativity and wisdom. Third, the review identifies several contextual and institutional challenges, including time constraints, students’ readiness for peer and self-evaluation, and teachers’ preparedness to implement formative assessment.This study contributes to both the fields of educational assessment and music education, offering critical reflections and recommendations for using formative assessment more effectively to support students’ musical learning experiences.