Peabody is committed to providing an exceptional scholarship and financial aid program so that the most talented young musicians and dancers can benefit from a Peabody education that is as affordable as possible. Approximately 90% of our incoming students are recipients of scholarship awards.
Peabody Merit Scholarships are awarded at the time of admission based on merit and talent with consideration given to the strength of the applicant’s audition balances against the enrollment needs of the school. All students—undergraduate and graduate, domestic and international—are considered for Peabody Merit Scholarship when they apply for admission.
Domestic students who wish to be considered for need-based financial aid should file the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid (school code E00233), and the CSS Profile application, found at https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/ (school code 5532). Both applications are due by November 15 for Early Decision and Spring enrollment applicants, and January 15 for Regular Decision. Students may also provide a letter explaining any financial circumstances that may not be accurately reflected on the aid application.
Given the already significantly reduced cost associated with the 13-month format of the Low Res MM program, Peabody will not offer institutional grants or scholarships for this program. However, federal loans and private loan options are available to students who qualify.
For information about how to retain a Peabody Scholarship, please visit our Policies page.
NOTE: Students who are awarded graduate assistantships are not eligible to receive Peabody Scholarship funding.
NOTE: If you are applying to the Double Degree Program (Peabody as well as the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences/Whiting School of Engineering), you must apply for financial aid through the Homewood Office of Student Financial Services. You may contact them at (410) 516-8028 or online at www.jhu.edu/finaid. Students who enroll in the Double Degree program receive all of their financial aid from the Homewood Financial Aid Office.
This undergraduate program offers need-based financial aid to graduates of Baltimore City public high schools and graduates of Washington, DC, public high schools. To qualify, students must have resided in Baltimore City or Washington, DC, and have attended high school for three consecutive years as well as be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents. Applicants are required to submit a FAFSA, CSS Profile, Non-Custodial parent profile (for divorced/separated families), and recent federal tax returns with all pages— including schedules and W-2 forms. Applicants with family incomes of $80,000 or less (with typical assets) will receive financial aid packages that consist of scholarship and grant aid that is equivalent to 100% cost of attendance. Their financial aid packages will be loan-free and consist of a combination of institutional scholarship or grant aid, as well as any federal and/or state grant aid for which the student may be eligible. Applicants with family incomes between $80,000 and $150,000 with typical assets will have their family contributions capped at 10% of family income. For example, a Cummings Scholar whose household income was $100,000 would be asked to pay about $10,000 toward their education each year. All scholars must submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile every year the student is enrolled at the Peabody Institute.
Graduate Assistantships are available to qualified students who have been admitted to graduate programs (MM, AD, GPD, DMA) as full-time candidates. If you want to be considered for an assistantship, you will submit an assistantship application by the December 1st application deadline.
Low Res MM students are not eligible for graduate assistantships.
Assistantship Offerings Policies for Graduate Assistantships
The Peabody Conservatory’s new Graduate Jazz fellowships will cover full tuition plus a remittance payment for MM or GPD students in the Jazz program. Beginning with fall 2023 enrollment, fellowships will be granted to up to three students per year (a maximum six fellows in any given year). Fellows will work closely with Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair of Jazz Studies Sean Jones and, in addition to their studies, will perform together as an ensemble on campus and throughout the greater Baltimore community. No separate application is necessary and all applicants to the Graduate Jazz program will be considered.
Graduate Fellowships that cover tuition and fees do not cover mandatory health insurance or costs for remedial coursework (for courses students may need to take as a result of entrance examinations).
Each year Peabody offers fellowships to a select cohort of admitted DMA students who demonstrate excellence in both academic scholarship and musical performance. The Dean’s DMA fellowships will cover tuition and fees plus a stipend for the two required years of full-time residency.
All admitted DMA students will be automatically considered for the fellowships, with the final decision about the awards being made by the Dean of the Institute, in consultation with the DMA Committee. Current Peabody students who are auditioning for the DMA program are eligible for the fellowship, but current DMA students will not be eligible.
An additional DMA fellowship is available each year specifically for a qualified DMA applicant who is from a historically underrepresented background (Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, or Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian).
Questions about the Dean’s DMA Fellowships may be directed to the [email protected].
Graduate Fellowships that cover tuition and fees do not cover mandatory health insurance or costs for remedial coursework (for courses students may need to take as a result of entrance examinations).
The Peabody Conservatory encourages applicants for the Master of Music to consider its new Pathways to DMA program. As part of the larger Johns Hopkins Pathways to PhD initiative, the Pathways to DMA aims to expand opportunities for applicants from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the DMA. Each year beginning with fall 2023 enrollment, Peabody will provide grant funding for two students to begin in the MM with a defined and supported pathway for matriculation to the DMA. During the MM, Pathways students will receive mentoring and networking opportunities and produce a final capstone project. Successful completion of Pathways program requirements will position students for enrollment in the DMA. Students in the Pathways to DMA program will receive full tuition and a stipend for four years–two years in the MM and two years in the residency portion of the DMA. Students interested in the Pathways program must indicate their interest in the application for admission to the MM and will be asked to submit an essay specific to the Pathways program as part of their application. Applicants will also interview during audition week with the Pathways to DMA committee and members of the DMA committee. The Pathways to DMA program is only applicable to those majors for which an MM and DMA are both offered.
Graduate Fellowships that cover tuition and fees do not cover mandatory health insurance or costs for remedial coursework (for courses students may need to take as a result of entrance examinations).
Students from certain states may be eligible for state grants or scholarships to help fund their education at Peabody. Check with your state higher education agency for eligibility requirements. Some states may require a separate scholarship application to be considered for state funds. Maryland residents can check the status of their state scholarships or view the eligibility requirements for each Maryland program online at http://www.mhec.state.md.us/. Peabody expects all eligible financial aid applicants to apply for state funds. Apply early, as each state has a specific deadline and application process. Maryland residents must apply (using the FAFSA) no later than March 1st.
New MDCAPS Feature ! Students may now submit documentation to the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) as required for certain state grant/scholarship programs, online through their Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) account.
How do I upload my documents in MDCAPS?
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Maryland Sellinger Grant Letter
If you served on Active Duty, you might be eligible for education benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. For example, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for educational and housing expenses to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
If you are currently serving in the military, you may be eligible for funding offered through the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program. Check your eligibility status and the amount for which you qualify with your Service prior to enrolling.
If you are the spouse or child of a service member who is serving on active duty Title 10 orders in the paygrades of E1-E5, O1-O2, or W1-W2, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Department of Defense for education, training, and/or the occupational license and credentials necessary for a portable career.
If you are the spouse or child of a service member, you may be eligible for transfer of the service member’s Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to you. For more information, please visit: https://peabody.jhu.edu/academics/academic-calendar-resources/registrar/veterans/.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For more information see the GI Bill Trademark terms of use.