Music therapy is a rising field in the allied health career area. Music therapists help others in nursing homes, as well as in camps for children with disabilities. Often, those seeking a career in music therapy will have an undergraduate degree, as well as a masters degree.
Enroll
Paying for music therapy classes can be made easier once you are enrolled in an undergraduate university music program. Often the music department has a list of grants to help pay for your education. Seek out the American Music Therapy Association, which provides funding for scholars. There are about 60 colleges and universities in the United States offering a music therapy program, within a traditional music program. These program work closely with psychology, health and medical departments at the university because once you graduate, you will be working in the medical field in most cases.
Look for grants through The Mockingbird Foundation, which helps those specifically interested in a career in music; Grants for the Arts, provides scholarships and money for those in the arts, including music; and Kate's Voice, an organization dedicated to music for children also helps fund music therapy education.
Other music grants are available through the Children's Music Workshop; the American Orff-Schulwerk Association; and over-reaching funding organizations including collegescholarships.org.
Fastweb.com also lists all scholarships available for undergraduates.
Once you have completed your undergraduate coursework, often students will choose to continue on and get a higher degree. Funding for music therapy graduate courses comes directly through your employer or through the university for the most part. Look for graduate assistant positions and paid assistant professor positions to fund your entire graduate degree in music therapy.
For example, the Georgia Association of Music Therapy works closely with colleges and universities to provide funding for graduate work, to make sure that graduates have the knowledge needed to then work for their association and the organizations they provide music therapists to.
Other colleges and universities including Ohio University and the University of Miami allow students to work in their field as an intern to make money towards the cost of their education. These forms of incentives help bring new students into their programs. The best place to start your scholarship and grant search to fund your music therapy degree program is in your chosen college or university financial aid office.
