Top Music Scholarships in 2021
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
- Summary of Music Scholarships
- Expired Music Scholarships
Keep on reading to learn more about our top music scholarships including eligibility, award amount, and application deadlines!
Top Music Scholarships in 2021
$14,770 3LAU “Everything” Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school and undergraduates who submit a short written answer along with a link to an original song, dance, or art piece that represents their “everything”
- Amount: $14,770
- Deadline: June 20, 2021
$1,000 Kap Slap “Find Your Sound” Music Grant
- Eligibility: Open to beginning musicians who write about what they would do with their time if money wasn’t an issue
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: April 29, 2021
$1,000 Ella Henderson Dream Big Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to all high school students who share an essay about the way music changed their lives
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: April 30, 2021
$1,000 Joe Bonamassa Music Studies Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students at all levels of education with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who have an interest in playing/creating music
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 1, 2021
$890 KUURO Master Your Craft Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at every level of artistic study, including music, art (digital or print), film/tv, video, photography, and more
- Amount: $890
- Deadline: May 1, 2021
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
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship
- Eligibility: African-American college students majoring in the performing arts
- Amount: $3,000
- Deadline: April 30, 2021
Darryl Davis “Follow Your Heart” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students in any field of study. A passion for singing, a history of giving back to your community, and involvement with church is a plus
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: September 11, 2021
Gabriella Carter Music and Me Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to Black students who write an essay about the comfort that only music can bring
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 4, 2021
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
- Eligibility: Full-time students between the ages of 8–18 with exceptional musical talents
- Amount: $10,000
- Deadline: March 15, 2021 (high school seniors due 12/4/2020)
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 14, 2021
Sikdope “Music Is The Cure” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students at every level of education studying in the United States whose second language is English
- Amount: $3,020
- Deadline: August 1, 2021

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.
Summary of Music Scholarships
- $14,770 3LAU “Everything” Scholarship
- $1,000 Kap Slap “Find Your Sound” Music Grant
- $1,000 Ella Henderson Dream Big Scholarship
- $1,000 Joe Bonamassa Music Studies Scholarship
- $890 KUURO Master Your Craft Scholarship
- Berklee College of Music Presidential Scholarship
- Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship
- Darryl Davis “Follow Your Heart” Scholarship
- Gabriella Carter Music and Me Scholarship
- Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
- Ocean Awareness Contest
- Sikdope “Music Is The Cure” Scholarship
Expired Scholarships
Austin Kramer Music Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students at all levels who share an inspiring song, curate a 10-20 track playlist, and then submit a paragraph (under 100 words) explaining your playlist
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: January 30, 2021
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
- Deadline: March 2 (cancelled for 2021 due to Covid)
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: January 22, 2021
Peermusic Latin Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students composers enrolled in college for the best original song or instrumental work in any Latin genre
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: January 22, 2021
School Band & Orchestra Magazine Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students who write an essay of 250 words or less on a music theme
- Amount: Ten $1,000 scholarships are awarded in two categories: Five $1,000 scholarships to students in grades four to eight and five $1,000 scholarships to students in grades nine through 12
- Deadline: December 31
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
- Deadline: December 1 (opens September 1, 2021)