Scholarships

The Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music is committed to recognizing talent and potential through merit-based scholarship awards. 

• Students should apply early action before November 1 to be eligible for University merit scholarship. 
• Students need to complete an audition before March 1 to be eligible for Dewberry School of Music scholarship. 
• Students eligible for Music scholarships are automatically considered after completing an audition. No additional application or information is necessary. The only exception is the Monson Scholars Program, which requires a separate application. 

• Students are automatically considered for scholarships once an audition has been completed. 
• The Presidential scholarship is offered to select Doctoral applicants with a 20-hour-per-week research-based work requirement. 
  • An additional salary of $22,000 for the academic year. 
  • And a tuition grant covering nine credit hours in the fall and nine credit hours in the spring. 

Please contact Christina Ortiz, our Recruitment and Auditions Coordinator at cortiz21@gmu.edu with any questions.

Scholarship Requiring a Separate Application

Monson Scholars Program

Note: Undergraduate and Masters students are eligible for the Monson Scholar award. Doctoral students are not eligible for the Monson Scholar awards.

The purpose of the Dr. Linda Apple Monson Scholars program is to identify and attract new students of extraordinary performance ability and deep intellectual curiosity who will embody the term Artist-Scholar. We are seeking to recruit a new generation of promising performing artists and leaders to the Dewberry School of Music. Selected Monson Scholars will receive generous financial support for their study and performance participation at George Mason (4 years for incoming freshmen and 2 years for incoming master of music candidates), thus enabling them to further develop their talents and skills under the guidance and mentorship of our outstanding faculty.

Students are selected for the Monson Scholars program based on the following criteria: 

• Artistic merit of the highest caliber, with an exceptional performance profile 
• A highly successful academic history, as well as a desire for further intellectual exploration 
• Personal capacity for leadership and commitment to the George Mason IDEA—our core institutional values 

Students who wish to be considered should plan to submit the following supplemental scholarship application: 

• A completed George Mason University Application
• Completed FAFSA on file with George Mason University
  • This is for undergraduate applicants only. Graduate applicants do not need to complete a FAFSA
• Completed supplemental Monson Scholar application
• Video of solo musical performance. This video should be a representative sample of current performance skills. While there are no specific repertoire requirements for each instrument or voice, we would like to see students performing at a high level as soloists (or with piano accompaniment as appropriate). A combination of solo works and orchestral excerpts are acceptable for orchestral and band instruments. This video is not a pre-screening, but serves as part of the supplemental application for the Monson Scholars award. This video also does not replace your Dewberry School of Music entrance audition. We ask that Master of Music students submit the same video used as their graduate pre-screening. You are not required to create a separate video for the Monson Scholars application.

The deadline for consideration is February 15, 2025. However, you may complete your Dewberry School of Music entrance audition after this date. The day of your audition will not affect your consideration for this award. 

The Vocal Studies Area of the Dewberry School of Music is deeply grateful for the generous support of The Peterson Family and the Peterson Family Foundation in creating the Peterson Family Scholarship Endowment in the Vocal Arts. Carolyn and Milton Peterson have been longtime supporters of the Mason Vocal Studies Area, the Dewberry School of Music, and the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Their transformative gift to the College of Visual and Performing Arts makes possible this exciting new scholarship endowment in the vocal arts. 

Based on a successful audition with the Dewberry School of Music and acceptance into George Mason University, the Peterson Family Scholarship Endowment in the Vocal Arts offers substantial support for outstanding undergraduate or graduate vocal students to pursue a degree in Vocal Performance at George Mason University and study with outstanding internationally recognized artist faculty. 

The George Mason Vocal Studies Area is seeking gifted artists on the path to performance careers—students with a deep interest in the art of vocal performance, who wish to study and perform opera, oratorio, art song, and lieder at the highest level. These highly competitive Peterson Vocal Scholar awards are offered to a very limited number of new outstanding candidates who are beginning their music studies at George Mason University. 

Based on a successful audition with the Dewberry School of Music and acceptance into George Mason University, the Peterson Family Scholarship Endowment in the Vocal Arts offers substantial support for outstanding undergraduate or graduate vocal students to pursue a degree in Vocal Performance at George Mason University and study with outstanding internationally recognized artist faculty. 

For more information, please contact Professor Patricia Miller, Director of Vocal Studies.