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Applied Music Fees and Policies

Many Stanford students (including non-Music majors) take music lessons with our outstanding faculty. Students taking applied music lessons are assessed a fee above tuition. Thanks to the generosity of Friends of Music at Stanford, any student may apply for partial funding for private lessons. Aid is awarded on a sliding scale. Friends of Music matches departmental funding for lesson fees for Music majors, minors, and graduate students. (The Department of Music covers 50% of lessons for Music majors, minors, and graduate students. Students can apply for the remainder from Friends of Music at Stanford.)

Fees

Cost of individual lessons per enrollment for enrolled Stanford students in academic year 2024-2025 (subject to change):

  • $425 per quarter for Music majors, minors and graduate students in Music*
  • $850 per quarter for all other Stanford students

Lesson fees include the practice room fee, but you must let us know that you want practice room access. For further information and the request form, go here.

There are no lesson fees for group lessons.

Applied Music Lesson List

Friends of Music Lesson Funding Application

*To qualify for the lower lesson fees available for Music majors and minors, you must not only be a declared Music major or minor student, but also be currently enrolled in, or have completed the first year of courses for your Music program, or you must obtain written permission from the Undergraduate Student Services Officer and/or your academic advisor. 

Majors, minors and graduate students in Music are credited 50% of the lesson fee sometime after the final student list deadline. The Music office cannot apply any credits or lesson aid for a term until the enrollment period ends.

Majors, minor and graduate students in Music may also ask for aid for the remainder of the lesson fee from the Lesson Funding Program, and are encouraged to do so.

Learn More about the Music Major

Lesson fees are tied to enrollment. If you drop the class by the final study list deadline, the fee goes away. Fees are not prorated. Note that no refunds are given for lessons dropped after the final study list deadline for the quarter posted in the Academic Calendar.

Questions about fees should be directed to rleigh [at] stanford.edu (Rowen Leigh) in the Department of Music.