Financial Aid and Scholarships

Scholarships for Undergraduate Music Students

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Music Talent Scholarships

Musical talent doesn't go unnoticed here. We offer elite awards that can cover all of tuition and board for up to four years. Prospective students who audition for acceptance into an appropriate music degree program at William Paterson University are automatically considered for talent scholarships.

University Talent Awards

$2,000 to $6,000 per year; $8,000 to $24,000 over four years.
Each year, we honor select first-year and transfer students with our University Talent Awards. These four-year scholarships are awarded to bachelor of music students and bachelor of arts-pop music students based on their audition.

Tami Cotsakos ’71 Music Scholarship

$2,000 to $5,000 per year; $8,000 to $24,000 over four years.
Exceptionally talented undergraduate classical degree applicants from New Jersey may be invited, on the basis of their audition, to apply for the prestigious Tami Cotsakos ’71 Music Scholarship. Eligible applicants must audition prior to February 28. Scholarship finalists will be invited to perform a second audition in early March. More information can be found on the Tami Cotsakos ’71 Music Scholarship webpage.

Other Donor Scholarships for Music Applicants

Amounts vary
Exceptionally talented undergraduate musicians may also be considered for one of our endowed music scholarships, which vary in amounts. More information may be found on the Donor Scholarships page.


Academic Scholarships

In addition to talent scholarships, William Paterson University offers several merit scholarships. Merit scholarships are awarded by the university based on an evaluation of an applicant’s high school record including grades and test scores.

University Trustee Scholarships

$4,000 to $9,000 per year; $16,000 to $36,000 over four years.
Designed to recognize high-achieving high school students, these scholarships are awarded automatically to incoming freshmen based on academic accomplishment in high school including GPA and standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). Additional information can be found on the Institutional Scholarships page.

University Honors College Scholarships

Undergraduate freshman applicants with exceptional high school records may be considered for University Honors College Scholarships of $4,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. Priority deadline is March 1st. More information can be found on the WPU Honors College page.

Need-based Scholarships

Need-based scholarships and loans are awarded based on data presented in each student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Important Information about Music Scholarships

All students seeking any type of scholarship, regardless of need, must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year by April 1. There are NO exceptions. Priority is given to documents received by February 1 for fall admission and November 1 for spring admission. Additional information about institutional scholarships can be found on the undergraduate admissions webpage.

To be eligible for any scholarship at William Paterson University, you must apply for and be accepted by the university as well as audition for the department of music. Start now: You can start now: apply to the Music Department.

Most scholarships are guaranteed for up to four years of study provided you maintain a 3.0 grade point average and remain in good standing in your degree program.

Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.For priority consideration, all supporting documents must be received by February 1 for Fall Semesters and November 1 for Spring Semesters.

Awards and scholarships from William Paterson University are capped at the full cost for tuition and board, or for tuition only for students who will not be living on campus.

For information about assistantships for graduate students, please visit the Graduate Assistantships page.

For more information about Financial Aid and Scholarships please also visit the web pages of the Office of Financial Aid and the WPUNJ Scholarships page.