The University of St. Thomas

Graduate Programs in Music Education Scholarships

New Student Fellowship
Two one course (3 credits) scholarships will be awarded to new University of St. Thomas Master of Arts in Music Education students for summer study. Criteria for selection include:

  • Outstanding undergraduate GPA.
  • Especially strong letters of recommendation.
  • Exceptional promise for contributing to the program and to the field based on career history.
  • Has not been awarded other scholarships or fellowships to Master of Arts in Music Education (MAME).

Scholarships are competitive. All students are advised to prepare their application materials carefully. The completed application consists of:

  • Cover letter stating you would like your application files considered for a Fellowship.
  • Supporting data such as programs, articles, publications, recordings.
  • Two supporting letters of recommendation from professionals in your field of study for receiving a Fellowship.

Completed applications are due on or before April 1 of the current year. Notifications will be processed by May 1.

Students denied scholarships may reapply in the subsequent year, supplying updated application support materials.

Current Student Fellowship Information
Four one course (3 credits) scholarships will be awarded to continuing University of St. Thomas Master of Arts in Music Education students for summer study. Applicants must have completed at least two courses taken at the degree rate at St. Thomas, have a minimum grade point average of 3.5, and have no incomplete grades when the application is submitted. Further criteria are outstanding performance in the MAME program, exceptional promise for contributing to the field based on career history, and have not been awarded other scholarships or fellowships.

Scholarships are competitve. All students are advised to prepare their application materials carefully. The completed application consists of:

  • Official grade transcripts. It is not necessary to send a UST transcript but if you have taken coursework at another institution since acceptance into the St. Thomas MAME degree program, you must send an official transcript.
  • A two-page personal statement indicating your reasons for pursuing a Master's Degree in Music Education and your future goals. In light of your coursework here at St. Thomas, state how your reasons have or have not changed since your original application.
  • Supporting data such as programs, articles, publications, and recordings produced during your time as a Master's student at St. Thomas.
  • Two supporting letters of recommendation from professionals in your field of study.

Completed applications are due on or before April 1 of the current year. Notifications will be processed by May 1.

Students denied scholarships may reapply in the subsequent year, supplying updated application support materials.

Arvida Steen Scholarship
The Arvida Steen Orff Schulwerk Studies Scholarship was established in 2004 to recognize Arvida's extensive and generous support to music education. Arvida taught in the UST Orff Schulwerk Certificate Program from 1972-2003, serving as director for four years. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association in 1997 and was vice president and president of AOSA between 1978 and 1981. She is the author of Exploring Orff, an important resource for Orff practitioners. Through her work with teachers and children, thousands of lives have been touched and changed.

This scholarship provides financial assistance to GMUS 735 Curriculum Development. The scholarship recipient must complete and application and:

  • be enrolled in the Master of Arts in Music Education program at the University of St. Thomas with Orff Schulwerk as a declared concentration;
  • have successfully completed Level II Orff Schulwerk; and
  • provide verification of financial need.

If no candidate meets all of the above criteria, the two-credit scholarship will be awarded to a current MAME Orff concentration student and applied toward Level III Orff studies. The scholarship cannot be awarded more than once to the same student. Scholarships are competitve.

Tax-deductible donations to help a music educator continue their excellence through study at St. Thomas are greatly appreciated.

Luann Dummer Center for Women Research Award
The Luann Dummer Center for Women offers two graduate fellowships to students who will conduct research on topics related to girls and/or women. This award has been offered since the 1999-2000 academic year.

Full-time and part-time students in all graduate programs are invited to apply. The research may be conducted as part of a course, a thesis, or a dissertation. It may consist of a credit or non-credit independent study. The student must have a faculty sponsor to guide the project and support the application. The research fellow agrees to credit the Luann Dummer Center for Women as co-sponsor and funder in all reserach outcomes. The research must take place during the grant period, and the researcher must agree to present the results in a forum sponsored by the women's center at the end of the grant period.  A $4,000 stipend will be awarded to the student to support work on the project, and a $1,500 stipend will be provided to the faculty sponsor. For additional information, contact the Luann Dummer Center for Women at (651) 962-6118.

Financial Aid
For information about costs, scholarships and grants, student loans, and other resources available to graduate students, please visit Graduate Financial Aid.