Whether your love of music lies in rock and roll or with classical, you’ll need to ensure that you get a solid educational foundation if you want to be successful in the highly competitive field of music performance and recording. There are few full-time jobs, few well-known school programs and few scholarships for students looking to pursue degrees in the field. Yet students who are truly dedicated to their dream shouldn’t let this be a deterrent, as many music scholarships are quite generous and can take care of nearly all educational expenses.

Scholarships given to music students can be awarded quite differently than more traditional awards which are based predominantly on academic performance. Students of any age can apply for awards, though some are limited to college and high school age students. A great majority of these rewards don’t take into account factors like GPA and class rank, but instead require students to perform and showcase their talents in order to win funding.

Students looking for a music scholarship to continue their studies will find that there are two major places where they can find funding. Foundations dedicated to music and its promotion are a great place to find scholarships, with donors like the BMI Foundation giving out numerous prizes, fellowships, commissions, grants and scholarships each year. Students can also look to individual colleges and universities for funding, as many offer assistance to incoming or current students. Of course, there are a variety of other scholarship options offered through corporations, individuals and professional organizations.

Recipients of music scholarships will generally win them through presentations of their talent. Students who show great promise are more likely to win awards, though financial need is also an important factor in determining who scholarships are given to. While few scholarships are given out each year, those that are can be quite generous and will help recipients pay for a large number of expenses.

Music Scholarships

• Chopin Foundation of the United States Scholarship: Up to $1,000 is awarded to 10 freshmen students majoring in music or the performing arts.
• BMI Foundation John Lennon Scholarship: Up to $10,000 given to 3 undergraduate or graduate students each year who are majoring in music.
• National Association of Pastoral Musicians Paluch Family Foundation Scholarship: $2,500 to one undergraduate student focusing on pastoral music.
• Fund for the Advancement of Music Education Caitlin Merie Hurrey Memorial Scholarship: Varying amounts to 4 students involved in music or music education.
• Strings Magazine Scholarship: Up to $3,000 to an undergraduate student enrolled in a music education or music performance program.
• The SPAACSE Galaxy Music Scholarship: $1,000 to 2 high school seniors interested in music inspired by space themes.
• The VSA Arts International Young Soloists Program: $5,000 to 4 students with a disability who are concentrating in music.