An Incomplete List of Outside Funding Opportunities for SSMF Applicants
To help address the financial need that prohibits many students from participating in summer festivals, SSMF will provide up to $100,000 in matching scholarship funds for our 2025 season. The matching scholarship funds are available for both need and merit awards, as well as for all instruments and voice types to a maximum of $2,500 from the SSMF fund.
Any one time award received for your music activities will be eligible for this fund; if you receive money from an award and intend to use it for your SSMF tuition – it is eligible for this matching fund! Recurring scholarships from a University to attend school are not eligible for SSMF scholarship matches.
Below is an incomplete list of Funding Opportunities, Competitions and Scholarships that provide prize money that would count towards our match program. Many are specifically for musicians, while others are open to a more broad audience but can be eligible for our match program if your selection for the award is at least partially based on your musical endeavors.
This is NOT a comprehensive list, and as such we highly encourage hopeful SSMF attendees to seek out opportunities in their own communities, workplaces and organizations to help offset their summer study costs.
If you are aware of an opportunity not listed below, please email ssmfadmissions@sewanee.edu with the details so we can update this list.
Sigma Alpha Iota Summer Music Scholarship:
Ten $1,500 awards annually for SAI members. Deadline of mid February. See more here.
Anthony Quinn Foundation Scholarship Program:
The Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to high school students who wish to attend a recognized pre-college, or summer intensive arts education program. Learn more about applying for a scholarship. Applications due early January.
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra – Young Musician Opportunity Fund Scholarship:
Available to students enrolled in the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestras. Information found in the KSYO Student Handbook. Applications due Monday, February 3, 2025
BMI Composer Award:
The BMI Composer Awards is an annual competition open to young composers engaged in the creation of classical music.
National Federation of Music Clubs:
Offers multiple awards for composers, singers, instrumentalists with varying ages and qualifications. See this chart for a comprehensive list for 2024/2025
Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Concerto Competition:
Available for High School students, the winner will appear as a guest soloist with the Marine Band during the 2025 concert season and receive a $2,500 scholarship from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Second and third-place winners will receive $1,000 and $500 scholarships respectively. Applications due mid November. Click here for more information.
Kevin Ohri Memorial Award:
The Kavi Ohri Memorial Award is awarded annually to a New York City High School senior with plans to attend college in a music-related major. Applications will be judged based on student essays, with strong consideration given to applicants who are AAPI-identifying, have a history of mentorship with other students or children, and/or are among the first of their family to pursue a post-secondary education.
Peermusic Latin Award:
The peermusic Latin Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of Latin music. A $5,000 scholarship is presented annually for the best original song or instrumental composition in any Latin genre.
Davidson Fellowships:
Open to High School students who demonstrate an exemplary performance or composition. Awards are granted in the amounts of $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000. Applications due mid February. Requirements/application found here.
Access/VSA International Young Musicians Fund:
Each year outstanding disabled musicians from around the world are selected to participate in the Access/VSA International Young Musicians Program. In addition to receiving a $2,000 award, these talented young musicians (ages 14-25) participate in professional development and performance opportunities. Applications due early January.
National YoungArts Foundation:
YoungArts accepts applications from young artists in the categories of Classical Music, Dance, Design Arts, Film, Jazz, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice and Writing for its national competition. Artists age 15-18 or in grades 10-12 may apply to win prizes up to $10,00. Deadline to enter early October each year.
The Music Center’s Spotlight:
Open to high school music students from Southern California. $100,000 in cash scholarships awarded each year to categories including instrumental, vocal and composition. Applications due mid October each year. More information can be found here.
Glenn Miller Birthplace Society:
Awards scholarships up to $3,000 for High School Seniors and College Freshmen in instrumental and vocal categories. Applications due mid May. More information can be found here.
Coastal Concerts:
Coastal Concerts may award scholarships of up to $1,500 each to High School students residing in the Delmarva Peninsula. The scholarships awarded will be based upon performance. Scholarships may be used for music camps, university courses, instrument purchase/repair, or music lessons. Applications due Mid February.
SYTA Road Scholarships:
The Road Scholarship program awards up to $1,000 to Pre-College students who would otherwise not have the resources to participate in enriching and life-changing travel experience opportunities. Applications due mid November.
The Cleveland Foundation:
The Cleveland Foundation offers more than 60 scholarships to students
Lift up Our Voices:
The Lift Up Our Voices Scholarship focuses on broadening the number of women-identifying students and students of color in the field of music composition. The Founders scholarship of $3,500 is eligible to candidates who intend to pursue an undergraduate music degree. Deadline to apply mid May.
Southeastern Performance Apparel Music Education Scholarship:
$1,000 scholarships awarded to graduating high school seniors that intend to pursue a bachelor degree in Music Education. Requires a teacher nomination by mid December. More information found here.
Pearl “Musicians Making a Difference” Scholarship:
Pearl awards two $5,000 scholarships to high school musicians who have demonstrated the ability to change themselves, their community, and those around them. Applications due mid April. More information found here.
BIG ARTS Performing & Creative Arts Scholarship:
$2,500-$5,000 scholarships awarded each year to high school students who have professional goals to pursue visual arts, music, dance, theater, literary arts or film. The purpose of the award program is to encourage artistic development in students. Deadline mid March. More information found here.
Lessons in Your Home Scholarship:
The Lessons in Your Home Scholarship is open to prospective and enrolled college students (students must be at least 18 years old) studying music. A $500 scholarship can be used for educational expenses. Deadline in mid March.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program:
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to students in their final year of high school. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. Deadline in late October.
Great Value Colleges Music Scholarship for Black Students:
Great Value Colleges awards $5,000 scholarships each Fall and Spring for black undergraduate or graduate students who are majoring or minoring in music. Deadlines in late July and November each year.
North Valley Music School:
North Valley Music School founded the American Indian Music Scholarship to encourage the pursuit of music education, provide philanthropic funding for American Indians and indigenous communities, and enable broader public awareness of the diverse musical contributions of Montana’s American Indians to the culture of our state and region. Awards: Two $500 scholarships to be used for any need. Deadline late March.
Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship:
This $2,000 scholarship is open to any incoming college freshman or current college student enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university school of music during the 2024–2025 academic year. Applicant must be an active PAS Member. Deadline late April.
Ocean Awareness Contest:
The annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issue through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. There is a category specifically for Performing Arts. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate. Deadline early June.
Fred Hoey Memorial Scholarship:
This $1,000 percussion scholarship is open to any incoming college freshman during the 2024–2025 academic year enrolled in the School of Music at an accredited college or university. Applicant must be an active PAS Member. Deadline late April.
John E. Grimes Timpani Scholarship:
This scholarship is open to timpani students (ages 18–26) interested in pursuing the study of period timpani playing. The scholarship may be applied to lessons, travel to study, etc., as long as the focus is baroque/classical period timpani playing. Applicant must be an active PAS Member. Deadline late April.
Schubert Club Bruce P. Carlson Student Scholarship Competition:
The Schubert Club Student Scholarship Competition, held each spring, awards a total of over $70,000 annually to young musicians to be used for further musical education. Deadline early January
More Resources
This article, published by the Eastman School of Music, explores ideas of how to fund summer study.
This website lists scholarships for collegiate study in Music; some of these would be eligible for SSMF’s Scholarship Match program.
Some state music educator associations offer scholarships to high school and/or college music students. Visit the NAfME Federated State Associations page and click on your state MEA website to check for opportunities.
The Coca-Cola Foundation’s Scholars Foundation lists numerous scholarship search engines at the bottom of their information page: https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/#.U72VXmXD-Uk