Immersing yourself in the arts is a dream come true. However, the cost of education can be prohibitively high for many (as it was for me). That's why I'm sharing this – I hope it helps reduce that burden and allows people to focus on their learning and growth without the constant worry about expenses. It’s all about making the process a bit easier, so you can dive into what matters most.
So, how does one take care of the price tag?
This is a question I've been asked countless times since I first got a scholarship over a decade ago. Coming from a small, economically disadvantaged country, I had to invest an astronomical amount of time, energy, and creativity in finding the financial support to pursue my dreams of getting my three graduate degrees in the U.S.
Having secured over $350,000 in scholarships (don't get excited, I've never seen most of it - it went directly to my schools to cover tuition and fees), I’ll share the tools and methods I used to fund seven years of education in the United States. (I'll sprinkle in things that I've seen work for others as well!)
To put it in perspective, at the time when I was seeking tens of thousands of dollars for just one year of education, the median income in my home country was around $300 per month—about $3600 annually. It would have taken someone in Serbia 97.2 years of working —without spending a dime! — to cover the full cost of my education.
Obviously, I did not have anyone who could contribute a century's worth of median income to my education. I had to find another way.
TOOLS NEEDED While I went to school for music (composition and instrumental performance), this advice is applicable to anyone within the arts. To begin, here is what you should have in your toolbox:
• Access to a search engine
• A "LET'S FUND THIS" bookmarks bar (where you'll save anything you find useful)
• A notebook or a note-taking app (to jot down requirements, deadlines, etc.)
• Patience (lots of it)
• Time (many scholarships have annual deadlines, timing is crucial)
• A mentor (a counselor, career advisor, or a friend who is a step ahead of you)
• A writer* / access to a Writing Center (to help shape your story/proofread your work)
* What I mean by "a writer" is a person who has experience reading and writing scholarship (or similar) documents. This could be your English teacher, a person in your community who has experience writing or evaluating grants, a journalist, etc.
Please know that finding the right scholarship is almost never a single-day or a one-week pursuit. The process might take weeks, if not longer. I found my scholarships over the summer and submitted materials months later.
Set aside an hour or two each weekend. Make yourself a nice cup of coffee and cozy up. Learn to enjoy the process. You are finding a way to make your dreams happen. Success cannot be microwaved into existence. It may be a marathon, but it's worth it because this is your life!
FIRST STOP: YOUR DESIRED SCHOOL
The first door you should knock on is the program you wish to be a part of. Whether you are auditioning for it or you are already a part of it, browse their website for scholarship and financial aid opportunities. If you still need help, reach out to your admissions officer, advisor, or mentor for guidance. They may provide a variety of options, including:
• need-based scholarships
• merit-based scholarships
• assistantships
• other on-campus employment Depending on your situation, these might move the needle, or even solve the problem entirely! After auditioning for my three degrees, I was granted tuition waivers and held several assistantship roles that aided in financing my education. Nevertheless, these were insufficient to fully cover the expenses of room and board, which is why I had to seek additional support elsewhere.
SECOND STOP: THE INTERNET
You can reasonably expect that the right scholarship is sitting out there, on the internet, waiting for you. But, how do you find a needle in a haystack?
The challenge is identifying which scholarships you might be eligible for. To narrow down your search, define yourself within these 9 points:
Your level of education (high school, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate)
Economic situation (financial need, household income, etc.)
Career goals (specific field of study, artistic or professional aspirations)
Demographic (age, gender, ethnicity, nationality)
Location (residency in a specific region, state, or country)
Academic performance (GPA, achievements)
Artistic experience (portfolio, performances, leadership roles)
Affiliations (membership in organizations)
Disabilities (physical or neurological)
For example, Jane wants to get a degree in Digital Arts and Animation. Instead of simply looking for "Digital Arts and Animation Scholarships", she might look for "Scholarships for Women Continuing Education" since she had to interrupt her schooling to care for an ill family member last year. This might help her land a scholarship like the P.E.O. PCE.
Additionally, you may already be aware that different types of financial support often come with varying restrictions. Scholarship funds can be designated for:
• tuition and/or fees
• living expenses while enrolled in school
• career-related expenses (professional development, artistic projects)
• emergencies, and
• unrestricted funding.
Therefore, your goal is to find a scholarship that supports people like you and allows you to use the funding in ways that will benefit you most. Keep these categories in mind (and in the search bar) while snooping around the web for opportunities.
THIRD STOP: FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Think about how you can engage people with your art and your story to source help locally. For example, Steinway & Sons describes the 88 Keys Program which helps folks raise money for buying a piano. For reference, a piano may cost about $80,000 (scary number). By breaking this amount into 88 segments, you can gamify the process, inviting folks to contribute by funding a single key for $909 (less scary number). By organizing concerts (house concerts, backyard pop-ups, Zoom gigs, etc.) and keeping your supporters informed about your progress, you can generate enthusiasm to help you reach your goal.
Think about the art you gift to the world, break your goal into bite-size puzzle pieces, and get people excited about helping you get to your dreams!
FOURTH STOP: THE MEDIA
When the financial challenge is as massive as 97 years of income, one must get creative, right? One approach I explored was to write to anyone and everyone whom I knew had money. This meant that I wrote to everyone from Oprah (still waiting to get an email back), to local banks, to the Coca-Cola's headquarters in my country.
The truth is, I got this crazy idea from having seen a friend of mine receive support from a pop star in my home country. (I later wrote to the pop star myself, of course. She did not respond to me. It did not matter, as she had already been so kind to help a deserving person and I was grateful for her support of my friend!)
The way he got the support wasn't through cold-emailing, but through drumming up enough media attention about his issue. Namely, he was an insanely talented teenager who was accepted to one of the most popular music schools on this little planet of ours with a scholarship. However, he still needed money for the airfare and modest living expenses. The local news loved the story of the boy-next-door/prodigy whose talent was recognized by Big Name School, so they featured his story in print and on TV, highlighting his unique challenge. Then, a generous celebrity offered assistance.
Therefore, what may appear to be a disadvantage (no one from your town has pursued what you aim to do, you have nobody to talk to who has any idea about what you are going through) could actually be an asset that helps you attract media attention for your scholarship fundraising efforts.
(Spoiler alert, I personally never received any money from cold-emailing people and businesses. However, what I did gain was the ability to better convey my story and clearly express my goals, as well as explain why investing in my education would be beneficial. Writing these numerous (unanswered) emails helped me polish my statement of purpose, which I later submitted for other scholarships, ultimately getting the support I needed. Win!)
I hope this helps you chase your dreams & fund your art studies!
For international students in the U.S. looking for financial solutions, check out this blog post.
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