Types of Funding
There are a lot of ways to fund a college education. One large and under-used source is non-institutional (third-party) scholarships. Check out the terms below to learn about the different available sources and then keep scrolling to see a sample of some of the more than 16,000 non-institutional (third-party) scholarships ScholarshipAuditions.com documents and makes available to subscribers.
- Institutional Scholarships are awarded by higher education institutions. These scholarships and amounts are usually based on academic merit and/or need.
- Non-Institutional (third-party) Scholarships are awarded through the private sector. This includes non-profit organizations, corporations, employers, religious organizations, ethnic or minority organizations, talent competitions, and civic organizations. Usually the scholarship will be paid directly to the college or university. The availability of these scholarships does require research because they are not always easy to find. Colleges are not required to tell prospective students about these scholarships. And sometimes there are stipulations: in or out-of-state residences, community services, essay submissions, students’ interests and talents, or availability only to non-traditional students.
- Federal Grants are available and do not need to be repaid. Federal Grants are based on FAFSA information and are time sensitive and limited. Federal Grants include: Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, Teacher Education Assistance, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants.
- Financial Aid is money that does not have to be paid back if it is awarded as a scholarship, grant, or federal work-study. In some cases, financial aid assistance will have to be paid back; but the stipulations are always clear from the onset.
- Loans, whether government or private, are required to be paid back over time. Government loans are more lenient with grace periods, interest rates, interest schedules, and payment schedules than private lenders.
These are examples of some of the performing arts scholarships subscribers find on ScholarshipAuditions.com.
Subscribers have access to our entire database linking directly to non-institutional (third-party) scholarship descriptions and applications.
Name | Organization | State | Type |
Alice T. Larsen Memorial Scholarship | American Choral Directors Association (MN) | Minnesota | Music |
Alyssa Otremba Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music |
Amanda Shaw Foundation Orchestrating Dreams Scholarship | The Amanda Shaw Foundation | Louisiana | Music, Dance, Theater, General |
American Harp Society National Competition | American Harp Society | Massachusetts | Music |
American Legion Music Committee Scholarship | American Legion State Headquarters | Kansas | Music |
Arizona ASTA Solo Competition | Arizona American String Teachers Association | Arizona | Music |
Astrid Thalheimer Memorial Vocal Scholarship | The A Cappella Singers of Metrowest Boston | Massachusetts | Music |
Bach Organ and Keyboard Music Scholarship | Organ & Keyboard Music Scholarship at The Rhode Island Foundation | Rhode Island | Music |
Basic Academy Music Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music |
Bel Canto Vocal Competition Scholarship | Vocal Scholarship Foundation | Rhode Island | Music |
Bill & Ruth Powers Education Award | Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation | Minnesota | General, Music, Dance, Theater |
BMI Student Composer Award | BMI Student Composer Awards | New York | Music |
BPO Guild Voice Award | Butler Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus | Ohio | Music |
Byrdis W. Danfelser Piano Scholarship | Professional Music Teachers of New Mexico | New Mexico | Music |
Chopin Piano Competition | Chopin Piano Competition Kosciuszko Foundation | New York | Music |
Choral Excellence Award in honor of Gary & Myra Morris | Arkansas Choral Directors Association | Arkansas | Music |
Christian Regalado Memorial Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music |
Davidson Fellowship | Davidson Institute for Talent Development | Nevada | General, Music |
Don & Joanne Corbett Scholarship | Kansas Music Educators Association | Kansas | Music |
Dr. Lou Fischer JEN Co-Founder Scholarship | Jazz Education Network | Illinois | Music |
Edward Miller Memorial Music Scholarship | Nassau Music Educators’ Association | New York | Music |
Evelyn D. Springstead Senior Scholarship | Vermont All State Music Festival | Vermont | Music |
Fellowship Of United Methodists in Music & Worship Arts Memorial Scholarships | Fellowship Scholarships | Indiana | Music |
Ferris Burtis Scholarship Fund | Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation | Massachusetts | Music |
Fred Hoey Memorial Scholarship | Percussive Arts Society | Indiana | Music |
Future Band Director Scholarship | Phi Beta Mu – Iota Chapter | Kansas | Music |
Gay Meeks Scholarship | Indiana Music Education Association | Indiana | Music |
GCYO Association Summer Studies Scholarship | Greenville County Youth Orchestras | South Carolina | Music |
Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition | Glenn Miller Birthplace Society | Iowa | Music |
Golden Key Visual And Performing Arts Achievement Awards | Golden Key International Honor Society | Georgia | Music |
Grace K. Bishop Fine Arts Scholarship | Central Alabama Community Foundation | Alabama | Theater, Dance, Music |
Harold and George "Elbert" Newton Memorial Music Scholarship | Black Hills Area Community Foundation | South Dakota | Music |
Hillary Case Memorial Reno Pops Scholarship | Community Foundation of Western Nevada | Nevada | Music |
Idaho Gwladys Comstock Award for Music Camp | National Federation of Music Clubs | Idaho | Music |
Illinois ACDA Choral Composition Contest | Illinois American Choral Directors Assocation | Illinois | Music |
IMEA High School Senior Music Scholarship | Idaho Music Education Association | Idaho | Music |
IMEA Weston Noble Scholarship for Music Education | Iowa Music Education Association | Iowa | Music |
International Violin Competition of Indianapolis | The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis | Indiana | Music |
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Artists Award | Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award Program | Massachusetts | Music |
James E. Bugley Scholarship – The Jamie Fund | Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation | Massachusetts | Music, General |
John Lennon Scholarship | John Lennon Scholarship Competition | New York | Music |
John Philip Sousa National Young Artist Competition | The John Philip Sousa Foundation | Alabama | Music |
Jon "J.D." Sakamoto Memorial Scholarship Fund | Hawai’i Community Foundation | Hawaii | Music |
Jonathan Family Scholarship Fund | The Community Foundation of Mendocino County | California | Music |
June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship | Florida Music Education Association | Florida | Music |
Kathy Bundock Moore Memorial Scholarship | American Harp Society Foundation | California | Music |
KHS America Scholarship | Jupiter.USA KHS Music | Tennessee | Music |
Leone Pooler Guthrie Scholarship Fund | Benton Community Foundation | Oregon | Music |
Lucas D’Richards Memorial Music Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music |
Lucy Becker Memorial Scholarship | Music in the Mountains | California | Music |
LYSO College Scholarship | Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra | Virginia | Music |
M. Louise Miller Scholarship | American Guild of Organists Greater Bridgeport Chapter | Connecticut | Music |
Martin Luther King Jr., Community Choir San Diego Scholarship | Martin Luther King Jr., Community Choir San Diego | California | Music, Dance, Theater |
Matthew Cox Memorial Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music, Theater, Dance |
Miriam Hoffman Scholarship | United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Office of Loans and Scholarships | Tennessee | Music |
Morton Gould Young Composer Award | The ASCAP Foundation / Morton Gould Young Composer Awards | New York | Music |
MTNA Senior Performance Competitions | NCTM Bryan College | Ohio | Music |
MTNA Young Artists Performance Competitions | MTNA Young Artists | New Mexico | Music |
National Association of Pastoral Musicians | NPM Scholarships | Maryland | Music |
Nebraska State Bandmasters Assoc Bob Palensky Scholarship | Phi Beta Mu – Alpha Theta Chapter | Nebraska | Music |
Nebraska State Bandmasters Assoc College Student Scholarship | Phi Beta Mu – Alpha Theta Chapter | Nebraska | Music |
New Jersey Young Composers Composition | New Jersey Music Educators Association | New Jersey | Music |
NFCM Benzinger/Valentin Junior Music for the Blind Performance Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Mississippi | Music |
NFCM Stillman Kelley National Instrumental Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Virginia | Music |
NFMC Beyer Young Composers Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Ohio | Music |
NFMC Biennial Ellis Duo Piano Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | Arkansas | Music |
NFMC Biennial Student/Collegiate Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | Texas | Music |
NFMC Biennial Young Artist Competition – Women’s Vocal | National Federation of Music Clubs | Indiana | Music |
NFMC Biennial Young Artist Competition- Strings | National Federation of Music Clubs | Indiana | Music |
NFMC Carey Wilson Music Therapy Scholarship | National Federation of Music Clubs | Alabama | Music |
NFMC Carolyn Nelson Double Reed Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | North Dakota | Music |
NFMC Claire Ulrich Whitehurst (Flanagan) Piano Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Florida | Music |
NFMC Dorothy Dann Bullock Music Therapy Scholarship | National Federation of Music Clubs | Alabama | Music |
NFMC Elizabeth Grieger Viegand Sacred Music of the Faiths Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Michigan | Music |
NFMC Ernest A. Bluhm Flute Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Washington | Music |
NFMC Gretchen E. Van Roy Music Education Scholarship | National Federation of Music Clubs | Minnesota | Music |
NFMC Hatz Special Recognition Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Ohio | Music |
NFMC Herman & Mary Neumann Award Interlochen Arts Camp | Interlochen Arts Camp | Michigan | Music |
NFMC Herman & Mary Neumann Award to Interlochen Arts Academy | Interlochen Arts Academy | Michigan | Music |
NFMC Herman & Mary Neumann Scholarship | National Federation of Music Clubs | Indiana | Music |
NFMC Joyce Walsh Junior Disability Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | Arkansas | Music |
NFMC Lana M. Bailey Piano Concerto Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | Kansas | Music |
NFMC Lynn Freeman Olson Award in Piano Pedagogy | National Federation of Music Clubs | Florida | Music |
NFMC Lynn Freeman Olson Composition Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Florida | Music |
NFMC Marion Richter American Music Composition Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Ohio | Music |
NFMC Martha Marcks Mack Junior Vocal Award | National Federation of Music Clubs | Pennsylvania | Music |
NFMC Mary Alice Cox Awards | National Federation of Music Clubs | Wisconsin | Music |
OCDA Graduate Scholarship | Oklahoma Choral Directors Association | Oklahoma | Music |
Oklahoma Bandmasters Association Scholarship | Oklahoma Bandmasters Association | Oklahoma | Music |
PA ACDA Undergraduate Conducting Competition | ACDA PA | Pennsylvania | Music |
Patrick T., Ellen M., and Patrick B. Roche Memorial Scholarships | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Dance, Theater, Music |
Phi Beta Mu – Alpha Gamma Chapter Scholarship | Phi Beta Mu – Alpha Gamma Chapter | North Dakota | Music |
Richard & Elaine T Aune Music Scholarship | Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation | Minnesota | Music |
Ron Bright Scholarship Fund | Hawai’i Community Foundation | Hawaii | Theater, Music, Dance |
Ruth K. Jacobs Memorial Scholarship Fund | Memorial Scholarship Committee of Choristers Guild | Texas | Music |
Sphinx College-Bound Program | Sphinx Music Co | Michigan | Music |
St. Andrew’s Society Scholarship | Oregon Community Foundation | Oregon | Music, Dance |
Tobias Mishel Memorial Scholarship | Public Education Foundation | Nevada | Music |
United States Marine Band Concerto Competition Scholarship | Public Affairs Office, United States Marine Band, Marine Barracks Washington | Music | |
VSA Arts International Young Soloists Award | VSA Arts International Young Soloists Award | Music |