Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid
Applications for all MacPhail Center for Music metro sites and online as well as for Austin, MN are now being accepted. Students can apply and receive financial aid at any time throughout the year.
Financial aid is available to qualifying students in the form of reduced tuition. Awards are determined on a sliding scale. View the financial aid grid.
As part of the financial aid application process, students may also opt to be considered for a financial need scholarship. In order to be considered, students must submit a letter of recommendation that speaks to their commitment to music study. Financial Need Scholarships are awarded in July of each year.
2024-2025 Financial Aid Application
Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Note to returning students: For awards to be included on the Fall Re-registration Letter, applications must be received by MacPhail by 4:30 pm on Friday, July 12, 2024.
Financial aid is available to qualifying students at MacPhail’s Twin Cities metro sites and online in the form of reduced tuition. Awards are determined on a sliding scale that considers family financial resources and the number of family members.
- Aid is granted for the full year from fall through summer semesters
- Reapplication is required for each new academic year
- Being awarded financial aid does not guarantee placement
For questions regarding the financial aid program in the Twin Cities metro area or online, please contact Student Services at 612-321-0100 or via email ([email protected])
For questions regarding the financial aid program in Austin, please contact Cheryl Berglund at 507.396.6730 or via email. ([email protected])
For questions regarding Music Therapy financial aid, please contact Emma Evans-Peck 507.396.6720 or via email: [email protected])
2023-2024 School Year & Summer Camp Application
Applications are processed on an ongoing basis and will be considered while funds are available.
Financial aid is available to qualifying students at MacPhail’s Twin Cities metro sites and online in the form of reduced tuition. Awards are determined on a sliding scale that considers family financial resources and the number of dependents.
- Aid is limited to one activity per semester for new students
- Aid is granted for the year from fall through summer semesters
- Reapplication is required for each new academic year
For questions regarding the financial aid program in the Twin Cities metro area or online, please contact student services at 612-321-0100 or via email.
For questions regarding the financial aid program in Austin, please contact Cheryl Berglund at 507.396.6730 or via email.
Minnesota Afterschool Advance (MAA) helps Minnesota families who meet income requirements pay for educational afterschool programs including music lessons at MacPhail. MAA pays 75%* of the eligible education expenses for activities, up to $1,000 per child in grades K-12. This will help pay for approximately 30 half-hour lessons per year ($43 per half-hour lesson), which is the equivalent of an academic year.
How to get started:
1. Fill out this online application to determine eligibility. Please fill out a separate application for each participating student.
2. The application will be reviewed. You will receive an email with eligibility results.
3. If eligibility is determined, choose MacPhail Center for Music in your acceptance email’s list of current offerings. You will then fill out a questionnaire for music lesson placement.
4. Pay the required family contribution of 25%*. Then, MAA will add its 75% to the child’s account.
*Funds may be available to assist with the family’s 25% as well.
More information about After School Advance
Awarded to students with financial need, as demonstrated by review of the student or parent’s most recent Federal Income Tax forms. Awards are granted to students who demonstrate a commitment to their music studies and financial need. Awards vary in amount, and all are applied to one full academic year (fall and spring) for individual instruction. Some scholarships specify an age range and are awarded to individual instruments.
Application requirements:
- Students who would like to be considered for Financial Need Scholarships may opt-in by checking a box on their financial aid application.
- When submitting their application, students must also provide a letter of recommendation from a music teacher or non-family member adult who can speak to a student’s commitment to music study.
- Students who receive financial aid awards and have submitted their letter of recommendation for the scholarship will have their letters reviewed by a committee. The committee will select students to receive the awards based on the student’s commitment to music study.
- Financial aid awards will be applied first to a student’s tuition balance. Financial need scholarships awards will be applied second, up to the remaining balance on the tuition. Scholarships can only be applied to tuition at MacPhail. If additional funds are available, students can talk with their teacher about the possibility of adding additional lessons or extending the length of their lessons.
- Students who receive assistance must enroll for individual instruction on the instrument specified by the scholarship for the 2024-25 MacPhail academic year (fall and spring semester) unless noted otherwise and send a thank you letter to the benefactor of the scholarship.
Any questions about scholarships can be directed to Soojin Lee, Student Performance Coordinator.
Scholarships
MacPhail offers scholarships for instrumental and voice study. Awards are given to students of all ages and varying amounts.
Auditions and applications for Composition, Instrument, Voice, and Religious Studies Scholarships can be submitted online using the Get Acceptd portal. The portal will open on May 1, 2024.
The DEADLINE for applications is June 17, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Prelude and Jazz Scholarship Auditions will take place at the same time as the auditions for the Prelude Program (August) and the Jazz Combos (September).
Scholarships for Students with financial need are awarded as part of the financial aid application process (see above).
The 2024-25 Scholarships Brochure (PDF) details the scholarships, amounts and application requirements.
For additional information about the scholarships and donors, please scroll down to the Scholarships and Named Funds link.
Questions: Check our Scholarship FAQ document
Need an accompanist? Complete the MacPhail Staff Accompanist Request Form
APPLY HERE: https://app.getacceptd.com/signup .
You’ll be asked to create an account. Once you do so, you can search for MacPhail and apply online.
This scholarship is open to students of all religious faiths who intend to use their music in religious practice and/or worship.
Application requirements:
- A video recording of two performances featuring two contrasting styles of music
This must be a recent performance, either public or private
The combined length of the video must not exceed eight (8) minutes of music - A scanned PDF of the music/score for each piece performed in the audition video
- A Letter of Recommendation. Teachers will need to complete an online form on behalf of the student. Once the student applies, the recommendation form will be e-mailed to the teacher’s e-mail address listed in the application.
- A written essay by the student discussing the importance of music, and how that music will be used in the student’s religious practice/worship.
For composers of all ages, this scholarship is for composition study based on the quality of original music submitted, potential as a composer, recommendation, and personal interest in music.
Application requirements:
- A composition dossier consisting of at least two separate compositions featuring different instrumentation/ensembles
- Audio recordings. While not required, students can submit audio recordings of their compositions
- A Letter of Recommendation. Teachers will need to complete an online form on behalf of the student. Once the student applies, the recommendation form will be e-mailed to the teacher’s e-mail address listed in the application.
- A written essay by the student describing their interest in the composition scholarship and what the student hopes to accomplish from composition study.
Instrument Lessons Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate a high level of artistic and musical merit in their audition. Students should have significant performance experience and the desire to be an engaged MacPhail student.
Application requirements:
- A video recording of two performances featuring two contrasting styles of music
- This must be a recent performance, either public or private
- The combined length of the video must not exceed eight (8) minutes of music
- A scanned PDF of the music/score for each piece performed in the audition video
- A Letter of Recommendation. Teachers will need to complete an online form behalf of the student. Once the student applies, the recommendation form will be e-mailed to the teacher’s e-mail address listed in the application.
The online application process through GetAcceptd accepts most commonly used file formats as well as video and audio formats, including MIDI files.
Any questions about scholarships can be directed to SooJin Lee, Student Performance Coordinator.
Voice Lessons Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate a high level of artistic and musical merit in their audition. Students should have significant performance experience and the desire to be an engaged MacPhail student.
Application requirements:
- A video recording of two performances featuring two contrasting styles of music
- This must be a recent performance, either public or private
- The combined length of the video must not exceed eight (8) minutes of music
- A scanned PDF of the music/score for each piece performed in the audition video
- A Letter of Recommendation. Teachers will need to complete an online form behalf of the student. Once the student applies, the recommendation form will be e-mailed to the teacher’s e-mail address listed in the application.
The online application process through GetAcceptd accepts most commonly used file formats as well as video and audio formats, including MIDI files.
Any questions about scholarships can be directed to SooJin Lee, Student Performance Coordinator.
Jazz Scholarships are available by audition only and are awarded to students demonstrating exceptional performance ability and considerable performance experience.
Application requirements
- Student must complete the Jazz Application. Please check the box on the Jazz Application if you are interested in auditioning for a Jazz Scholarship. The application can be found on the Jazz webpage.
- Complete an in-person audition. See the Jazz webpage for audition requirements.
Prelude Scholarships are available by audition only and are awarded to students demonstrating exceptional performance ability and commitment to music study.
Application Requirements
- Student must complete the Prelude Application. Please check the box on the Prelude Application if you are interested in auditioning for a Prelude Scholarship. The application can be found on the Prelude page.
- Complete an in-person audition. See the Prelude webpage for audition requirements.