Lesson Funding
This lesson funding program helps Stanford students pay for private lessons in the Department of Music. There are over 100 aid awards granted each quarter in support of private lessons to musicians in degree programs across all schools of the University.
The Autumn Quarter funding application is now closed. If you have read the information below as still have questions, please contact Rowen, the lesson funding administrator, at rleigh [at] stanford.edu (rleigh[at]stanford[dot]edu).
Lesson funding basics:
- Before requesting aid, make sure you have been approved to enroll in a lesson studio by the instructor.
- To request funding for more than one lesson studio per quarter, submit a separate request for each studio.
- Matriculated Stanford students from all student careers are welcome to apply, subject to the conditions stipulated in this page.
- The application is open from the first day of each quarter through the final study list deadline.
- Aid requests are reviewed following the final study list deadline. Everyone who is enrolled in private lessons and completes the application gets some amount of aid.
- This funding applies to private lessons. There are no fees for group lessons.
- Undergraduates are eligible for funding on a sliding scale. Students in advanced degree programs may receive funding for up to half the cost of lessons.
- Music majors, minors and advanced degree students receive additional funding from the department, so a lesson stipend of 50% of the fee is all that is needed.
Lesson Funding Options
If the funding option you requested is not available, your application will default to the "Quarterly Lesson Funding" category. The funding option you choose will not impact the amount awarded.
Annual Lesson Funding
Students who can commit to a year (three quarters) of private lessons. This aid award is open to all students. This is a full scholarship for Music majors and minors, and a partial scholarship for non majors.
Quarterly Lesson Funding
This aid award is open to all private lesson students. This is a full scholarship for Music majors and minors, and a partial scholarship for non-majors.
Engineers in the Arts: Annual Funding
Sponsored by the School of Engineering to encourage engineering students to continue their music studies while at Stanford. Applicants must be declared in Axess in the School of Engineering (graduate or undergraduate programs). This option is for students who can commit to three quarters beginning in an Autumn Quarter. (See below.) This is a partial scholarship.
Engineers in the Arts: Quarterly Funding
Sponsored by the School of Engineering to encourage engineering students to continue their music studies while at Stanford. Applicants must be declared in Axess in the School of Engineering (graduate or undergraduate programs). This option is for students who may not be enrolled in lessons each quarter. This is a partial scholarship.
Eligibility Requirements
The requirements for receiving Friends of Music Lesson Funding are:
- Approval from an instructor to enroll in a lesson studio, one-on-one instruction only
- Enrollment in a lesson studio in Axess
- An application form, submitted in the first three weeks of the quarter
For undergraduates, your Friends of Music Lesson Funding amount will be determined by any of the following:
- Financial aid ranking (i.e., how much aid you receive from the University)
- Level of involvement with Department of Music ensembles, classes, and other activities
- Other need (contact Rowen with any concerns: rleigh [at] stanford.edu (subject: Friends%20of%20Music%20Scholarship%20application) (rleigh[at]stanford[dot]edu))