NOTE: All applicants at any level who desire to apply for federal financial aid of any kind must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time. The FAFSA is also used in some cases to evaluate internal (CUA) need-based aid. Follow the link for more details.
Scholarships for Undergraduate Study
All undergraduate applicants in Composition must submit a portfolio of representative compositions and complete an interview with the composition faculty. A detailed page of instructions on these most important application components can be found here. Prospective composition majors are also required to audition in a principal performance area (instrument or voice). These auditions will be used to evaluate admission to the Music Department in general and are the primary factor in determining potential performance-based scholarship eligibility.
Awards based on musical ability, academic record, and financial need are available each year to music students in the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art. Among these awards are:
- The John Paul Music Scholarship
- The David Burchuk Memorial Scholarship
- The Clifford E. Brown Scholarship
- The William Masselos Scholarship
- The Benjamin T. Rome Endowment Scholarship
Applicants for these scholarships should contact the Music office with questions (202-319-5414, cua-music@cua.edu).
Need-Based Aid for Undergraduate Study
A limited amount of consideration for financial need is also made when determining the recipients of some School of Music scholarships (cf. above). Be certain to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time: contact the CUA Office of Financial Aid for more details.
Scholarships and Fellowships for Graduate Study
School of Music
A small number of Research Assistant positions may be available to incoming composition students in the school of music. These positions typically include an offer of some amount of tuition waiver, and a small stipend. These assistantships involve responsibilities assigned by the Academic Area Head as needed, and are arranged in advance for a set number of hours per week. When a Research Assistantship becomes available, applicants are considered based on the strength of their portfolio of compositions, and any relevant experience in their background.
Graduate applicants in Composition are not required to audition on an instrument (or voice). That said, any graduate music applicant is eligible for a music scholarship, should they have a proficiency on said instrument that is comparable to other applicants in performance. The composition faculty therefore encourages all composition applicants with advanced proficiency on an instrument to schedule an audition, particularly those who play an orchestral instrument. Decisions about performance-based scholarships are not made by the composition faculty. These scholarships will always involve a commitment to some kind of performance-based service for the school (playing with one of the ensembles, etc.).
Teaching Opportunities During Graduate Study
Theory teaching positions are available typically to continuing (i.e., non-entering) Music graduate students on a competitive basis, pending need and available budget. TA's are given a varying level of tuition waiver, and are also paid a small stipend in return for teaching duties. These TA-ships can be awarded to any qualified student from the school of music. All TA-ships in theory are awarded by the Composition-Theory Area Head.
Courses typically taught by Theory TA's may include 1-4 sections of Ear Training and Sight-Singing I, II, II, and IV, Harmony I, II, III, and IV, or Fundamentals of Music. Students who teach in the School of Music are regularly mentored by an assigned senior faculty member, who meets with the student instructors to discuss pedagogical strategies and procedures. Students who wish to further develop their pedagogical skills are strongly encouraged to take MUS 713, Pedagogy of Theory, as part of their curricula.
University Fellowships
A limited number of fellowships have, in the past, been available to qualified graduate applicants on a highly competitive basis through the university, based solely on GRE scores.
More information about university-wide graduate fellowships is available from the CUA Financial Aid office. Please note that applicants must be nominated by their schools, and the fellowships are very competitive. At present, the fellowships listed under A, B, and C under section VI on the linked page, "University Programs," are open to composition graduate students. Please note that the St. Vincent Pallotti Fellowships (letter C) require a two-year commitment of service to the Roman Catholic church following graduation.
Need-based aid for graduate study
Graduate students are eligible for certain CUA research assistantships and federal loan programs.