Current tuition costs for graduate and undergraduate students to attend Northwestern are $1805.36 for the Fall, 2007 semester. Graduate assistantships are available upon application to the graduate school at the current stipend of $5000 per semester.

The School of Creative and Performing Arts’ Music program has several types of scholarships available for its students. Performance Scholarships are available in Band, Choir, and Orchestra. There are also scholarships available for students who distinguish themselves musically or academically.

Available Scholarships

Out-of-state fee waiver: Out-of-state fee waivers are available to students who have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or better and commit to performing in one of the many ensembles available within the music division. Out-of-state fee waivers are renewable each year the student participates in an ensemble and maintains good academic standing.

Performance Awards: Students who pass the entrance audition, commit to performing in the keyboard area, band, choir or orchestra and maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 are eligible for performance scholarships. These scholarships vary in amount based on the entrance criterion but can range from $400 per year to $3,000 per year. In order for music students to continue receiving performance scholarships, they must also adhere to the following ensemble participation policy: Vocal and string students will enroll in two ensembles each semester, as assigned. Band students will enroll in Band and Pep Band in the fall semester and at least one band ensemble in the spring semester, as assigned. Assignments for the above ensembles will be made by appropriate ensemble directors, who may consult with the applied music faculty. Band students on scholarship may be required to audition for spring ensembles.

Magale Performance Scholarships: The Magale Performance Scholarship is awarded to music students who distinguish themselves through achievement and performance. The Magale Scholarship is given to qualified students in addition to their performance award.

Bless McNeely Band Scholarships: The McNeely Band Scholarship is awarded to band members each year who distinguish themselves by being highly dedicated assets to the band program.

Alice Livaudias Pipes Award for Music Excellence: The Pipes Award is made to the worthy student(s) who in the opinion of the music faculty has demonstrated the highest attainment of musical skills at the end of his or her sophomore year of study. The recipient must have been granted admission to upper division standing in music and have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.

Arthur C. Watson Award for Excellence in Music: The Watson Award is made to the worthy student(s) who in the opinion of the music faculty has demonstrated the highest attainment of musical skills at the end of his or her sophomore year of study. The recipient must have been granted admission to upper division standing in music and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

The Paul Torgrimson Scholarship: The Paul Torgrimson Scholarship in Piano Performance is awarded to the worthy student(s) who, in the opinion of the piano faculty, has demonstrated the highest attainment of musical skills in either the junior or senior year of performance. The recipient must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

The Charles Vinson Piano Scholarship: The Charles Vinson Piano Scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior level piano performance major who, in the opinion of the piano faculty, has demonstrated the highest attainment of musical skills. The recipient must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

Mimi Jordan Arts and Music Scholarship: The Mimi Jordan Arts and Music Scholarship was established by her husband and family in an attempt to “provide a lasting memorial that encourages and supports developing artists and musicians.” Upper division students are encouraged to apply for this scholarship each fall by completing a questionnaire and by writing a short narrative describing their goals and objectives in their chosen field. This information is then forwarded to the Jordan family, who makes the final decision as to who receives the scholarship, based on “criteria, creativity, integrity and love of beauty.” The scholarship may be awarded for one or two years, and the amount of the award is determined by interest generated from the endowment.