What Music Scholarships are Available for College?
Music majors may find music scholarships for college from many sources that support musical talents of all kinds. Are you a vocalist? Drawn to music performance or music education? Do you compose jazz or play classical music with a musical instrument? Perhaps you want to go for a music therapy degree program. Various scholarship providers also offer financial aid for music related studies to those who qualify.
Colleges with a school of music or music department and nonprofits in the performing arts space may offer college scholarships for music. Some nonprofits may also ask for a performance CD, audition or video recording which helps them narrow down finalists.
The NFAA youngARTS Program is one. It is specifically for high school students/high school seniors. Eligible applicants must be a U.S. citizen, or permanent resident/green card recipient. Also, you must be able to show they are legally able to receive taxable income in the United States. Criteria include age (15 to 18 years old, or those in grades 10 through 12) and talent for the arts. Selected winners receive cash prizes between $100 and $10,000.
Many genres of music also create awards for music students in need of financial assistance. So, use your interests to fuel your search for scholarships. If your favorite music is pop, rock, indie or R&B, you could apply for the John Lennon Scholarship.
In 1997, Yoko Ono and the BMI Foundation came together to offer annual awards that honor John’s legacy. It is open to college student songwriters and composers. BMI also offers the Peermusic Latin Scholarship competition which the genre is Latino music. The BMI Jazz Master Scholarship is one for graduate students who show promise in Jazz.
10 Scholarships for Music You Should Play for in 2024
Sing, compose, conduct, or play your way through college with the help of a scholarship. Check out these 10 college scholarships for music majors. Keep the application deadline in mind and apply soon!
Davidson Fellowship
Rainbow City Band Scholarship
University of Bridgeport Music Scholarship for International Students
Benny Goodman Foundation Scholarship
CBCF Spouses USA Performing and Visual Arts Scholarship
Jazz Education Network (JEN) Scholarship Program
MTNA Chamber Music Performance Competition
SBO Magazine Music Student Scholarship
Mr. Digital Piano Innovative Annual Writing Scholarship
Spotlight Awards Program
Could You Get a Music Scholarship for Playing an Instrument?
Yes, if you qualify, you could receive a scholarship award for playing a musical instrument. Instrumentalists may play the piano, guitar, flute, clarinet, violin, trumpet, drums etc.
One grantor is the National Federation of Music Clubs. NFMC offers scholarships for various types of musicians attending a U.S. college. The NFMC Elizabeth Paris French Horn Award is one. It is open to full time undergraduate students who submit a performance CD. NFMC also has other awards such as a music composition competition that’s open to the U.S. military.
Could You Get a Full Ride Scholarship for Music?
Yes, very talented students going into music programs may be eligible for a full ride award. A full ride is also a merit scholarship and you could expect to compete for these coveted awards.
Who wouldn’t want to win a scholarship that paid for tuition, fees and extras – like housing? Some full rides renew for up to four years too. You may have to maintain your grade point average (GPA) for this to happen.
Eligibility to receive a full ride scholarship varies. For some, you might need a solid scholarship application and to show financial need plus talent. For others such as Berklee Merit Based Scholarships you may have to audition or pass through an interview.
Both the Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee consider new first year musician applicants to their full time music degree or diploma programs. One to try for is the Presidential Scholarship. Selectees receive a sum that pays for tuition, on campus housing and the required laptop. To win, you must show the highest musical merit and financial need.
The Davidson Fellowship is another notable music scholarship. It is open to students who come up with a “significant piece of work” aimed at making the lives of others better. Awards are granted in the amount of $50,000, $25,000, and $10,000.
Is Going to Music School Worth It?
Going to music school could be worth the time and investment. You could also hone skills, learn current methods and network. Today’s music programs may produce well rounded:
Musicians
Music Teachers
Producers
Agents
Talent scouts
Vocal coaches
Conductors
There are also programs that focus on the music business. These may also prepare for other career paths that may require a college degree.
To put yourself at ease, weigh potential cost of attendance vs job outlook/salary. Tuition and fees at The Juilliard School were $52,500 in academic year 2022-23, according to the NCES. 55% of students receive grant or scholarship aid to offset these costs, also reports the National Center for Education Statistics.
As for job outlook, some careers in entertainment are growing faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of these paths use the Bachelor’s degree as entry level. Salaries vary, but tend to pay above the norm. Here are a few potential music careers you may pursue:
This award is available for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students studying choral conducting with preference given to those committed to creating social change through music.
This award is available to U.S. undergraduate students who are attending Cottey College in Missouri. Students must demonstrate a strong academic proficiency in art, dance, music, or theatre/speech.
This award is available to U.S students who are planning to attend the University of North Florida as freshmen and major in a field within the College of Arts & Sciences. Students must have a UNF recalculated grade point average of 3.6 or higher and a SAT score of 1360 or higher or an ACT score of 28 or higher.
This award is for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring in music. Students must demonstrate financial need and maintain a permanent residence in one of the eligible central Pennsylvania counties.
This award is available for U.S. high school seniors who are graduating from Poughkeepsie High School in Poughkeepsie, New York. Applicants must pursue a course of study and plan to have a career in the arts, architecture or engineering, interior or fashion design, family or consumer science or landscape architecture.
This award is available for U.S. and international undergraduate students who feel passionately about the career and educational path they are pursuing. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and submit an essay about his/her chosen profession.
This competition for original musical compositions is open to citizens of countries in the Western Hemisphere that are 27 years of age or under as of the application deadline. Entrants must be studying music either in an educational institution or with a private teacher.
This music performance competition is open to U.S. students who are 11-14 years of age as Jan. 1. The competition categories are piano, string (violin, viola, cello, string bass), and woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone).
This music performance competition is open to U.S. students who are 15-18 years of age as of Jan. 1, 2019; one entrant in each piano duo may be 11-18 years of age. The categories for entry in the competition are: brass (trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba); solo piano; piano duet (one piano/four hands); string (violin, viola, cello, string bass); voice; and woodwind (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone).
This music performance competition is open to U.S. students who are 19-26 years of age as of Jan. 1. Students must enter in one of the following categories: brass (trumpet, horn, euphonium, trombone, tuba); piano; string (violin, viola, cello, string bass); voice; woodwind (flute, clarient, oboe, bassoon, saxophone).
