Financial Resources to Fund Your Dreams of Being a Music Producer
Where to find scholarships is a matter of starting at the source. The first place to look for music scholarships is at the school you plan on attending.
Find specific organizations, scholarships and other non-repayment forms of aid to help fund your exciting music production career in the music industry.
Did you know, a bachelor’s degree program is likely to have the greatest amount of aid available? Because it's the most common for the music industry overall, it takes precedence. Keep reading for more...
Where To Find Scholarships for Music Production
The scholarships in this section can be found on the following website, https://majoringinmusic.com/scholarships-for-music-majors/. Most are specific to a particular group or interest, so I have listed the most general ones.
The ASCAP Foundation BMG Chrysalis Scholarship in honor of Quincy Jones is a scholarship for current university students who demonstrate musical talent and proficiency in the areas where Quincy has made his mark such as producing and performing.
The scholarship alternates between Berklee College of Music in Boston and two other schools.
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship awards scholarships to students that are eighteen and under who have completed a significant piece of work. Application categories include Music, Technology, and Engineering.
The James M. & Virginia M. Smyth Scholarship Fund was designed to provide financial support to current students enrolled at an accredited college pursuing an undergraduate music degree.
The great thing about this one is that it is renewable for up to four years and is awarded to at least a dozen people each year.
Anyone that meets the eligibility requirements can apply but preference is given to those in the following geographic areas:
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Tennessee
The US Bank Scholarship is not specific to the field of music, but is unique in its format. It is done as a drawing where winners are randomly selected. It was included because it takes only a minimal amount of time and effort to enter when compared to other scholarships.
Bursaries
Bursaries are scholarships given specifically to those in a certain region, such as Canada. The qualifications can be vaguer in the academic area but more specific as it relates to the individual’s background and interest.
For more information or to apply for any of these bursaries, go to https://yconic.com/money-for-school.
For example, the Children's Aid Foundation Bursary is awarded to those who current are or have been foster children in Canada. Other bursaries are as follows:
- The AFABC Youth Bursary for adopted students living in British Columbia.
- The Gryphon Investment Council Bursaries for Canadian citizens or permanent Ontario Residents that are currently enrolled full-time at the University of Guelph and demonstrate financial need.
- The Brinson Partners Inc. Bursaries for Canadian citizens or permanent Ontario Residents that demonstrate financial need.
Government Grants
The Pell Grant is government grant that is not based on music, but financial need. To apply, a person would submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application to the school in which he plans to attend (https://fafsa.ed.gov/).
On a different note, the government has a grant called FY 2016 Creative Arts Exchange for those who want to make a different in the world through music production (Theme 1).
It is a major project that involves working with a variety of hip hop artist. For more information, click on the following link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html and search for “undergraduate music.”
Money for Music Production
In conclusion, there are all types for funding out there. Most of it does not have “For music production use only” stamped across the qualifications.
Many funding sources are specific to a certain area like mathematics, science and humanities, while others are not subject specific. Some of the most common requirements relate to:
- Financial need
- Geographic area
- Attendance at a specific school
The intent is to help build awareness of what`s out there, where you can find money, and hopefully save you some time by providing helpful links. All the best in your future endeavors!