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Top Music Scholarships in 2022
Music is such a passion for certain students that they want to make a career out of doing what they love. While a career as a music teacher is rewarding for many, there are other options, including audio engineering, video game sound design, and music therapy. Whatever musical career path you decide upon, you can undoubtedly use a few scholarships to help fund your education.
Jump ahead to:
- Top music scholarships
- Need-based financial aid for music students
- Frequently asked questions about music scholarships
- Summary of music scholarships
- Upcoming music scholarships
- Additional scholarship categories to explore
Keep on reading to learn more about our top music scholarships including eligibility, award amount, and application deadlines!
Top music scholarships in 2022
$1,500 Devin Chase Vancil Art and Music Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school or undergraduate students planning to/already pursuing art and/or music major(s)
- Amount: $1,500
- Deadline: February 23, 2022
$500 Carl’s Music Matters Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors who are aspiring musicians
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: February 19, 2022
NAMM President’s Innovation Award
- Eligibility: Minority students who wish to pursue their passions for singing and musical performance
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: January 17, 2022
John Lennon Scholarships
- Eligibility: Current student or alumnus/alumna at a U.S. college or university between the ages of 17 and 24 who submit an original song in any genre
- Amount: $20,000 (three will be awarded!)
- Deadline: February 4, 2022
Peermusic Latin Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to student composers enrolled in college for the best original song or instrumental work in any Latin genre
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: February 4, 2022
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
- Eligibility: Full-time students between the ages of 8–18 with exceptional musical talents
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: April 8, 2022
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship
- Eligibility: African-American college students majoring in the performing arts
- Amount: $3,000
- Deadline April 30, 2022
Ocean Awareness Contest
- Eligibility: Students ages 11 to 18 who create a work of art in their chosen genre, including visual art, film, music, poetry, prose, and interactive and multimedia
- Amount: Scholarships worth from $100 to $1,500
- Deadline: June 13, 2022
Berklee College of Music Presidential Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students demonstrating the highest musical merit and the highest financial need are eligible. Audition required
- Amount: Tuition, on-campus housing, and a laptop
- Deadlines: Fall (September) EA: November 1; Fall (September)Regular Decision: January 15; Spring (January): July 1; Summer (May): December 1
Need-based financial aid for music students
If you are a current or prospective music major, you may also qualify for need-based financial aid through your college or through the government. There are two major financial aid applications you should know about:
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) which is how students can access financial aid through the government. This financial aid can include federal student loans, Federal SEOG Grants, and Pell Grants.
- CSS Profile which is how some colleges and universities award institutional financial aid.
Be sure to check-in with your college to see what applications are required for need-based financial aid.
Frequently asked questions about music scholarships
Do I need to major in music for music scholarships?
Some music scholarships require that their applicants be majors, while others will accept hobby musicians. Opportunities such as the John Lennon Scholarship award students based on their music submission, but do not require them to study music in college. However, scholarships such as the one offered at Berklee College of Music require that you major in the field.
There may also be some scholarships that allow students who minor or concentrate in music. The rules will vary by scholarship, so if you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to reach out to the organization offering the scholarship. It can never hurt to make sure, and it might even help your chances of winning the scholarship by showing your interest.
Can I get music scholarships for all types of music?
Yes! Whether you’re making jazz, classical, rock, rap, or anything else, there are scholarships out there for you. Keep in mind, some scholarships are tailored towards students of a particular genre. So, it may be a good idea to seek out an opportunity that is meant for students of the specific type of music you make. That being said, there are opportunities for every type of music out there.
Are there music scholarships for both playing and composing?
Yes – there are a wide range of music scholarships available, and some can be for performance, some for composition, and some for either/or!
Can I get a scholarship for music production?
Music production and audio engineering students have less scholarships available than some other fields, but they are certainly out there! The Audio Engineering Society has a great list of scholarship opportunities for audio engineering students in undergrad or graduate programs. Some are even offered by the society itself.
Audio engineering students can also reach out to the institution they hope to attend, or even look into local scholarships as a way to fund their education.
Do colleges offer music scholarships?
Many colleges offer music scholarships! Music schools such as Berklee offer the most generous scholarships, but are also often more competitive. Liberal arts schools also tend to offer merit-based music scholarships. For example, Kenyon College offers a $15,000 per semester scholarship to applicants who show promise in the field of music.
Summary of music scholarships
- $1,500 Devin Chase Vancil Art and Music Scholarship
- $500 Carl’s Music Matters Scholarship
- NAMM President’s Innovation Award
- John Lennon Scholarships
- Peermusic Latin Scholarship
- Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
- Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship
- Ocean Awareness Contest
- Women Band Directors International Scholarships
- Berklee College of Music Presidential Scholarship
Upcoming music scholarships
Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Scholarship
- Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors or first-year college students who intend to make music a central part of their future life
- Amount: $4,000
- Opens: June 2022
Women Band Directors International Scholarships
- Eligibility: Aspiring female band directors enrolled in a university music curriculum pursuing a degree in music education
- Amount: $300 to $500
