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Most affordable music schools around the world
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27 Aug 2024
Whether you want to become a professional musician or teach music, equipping yourself with an education from music school is one of the best ways to enter the industry.
A music degree can help students develop interdisciplinary, useful skills that can be applied to several occupations, including performers, sound technicians, music directors, and composers.
The cheapest music schools offer something extra: affordable fees.
An education in music can be expensive. In the US alone, some of the top universities like Berklee College of Music or The Juilliard School can cost around US$50,000 a year. And if these music schools are in certain US cities, rent, food and transport can blow your budget as well.
Plus, we’ve not factored in the high cost of buying new instruments or servicing them either.
Thankfully, there are a number of music schools that offer top-tier programmes that are significantly less expensive than most private music schools.
Here is a list of the best and cheapest music schools for international students.
Cheapest music schools around the world:
University of West Georgia, US
One of the cheapest music schools around, the University of West Georgia (UWG) has an undergraduate programme (the Bachelor of Music in Music Education) that is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
It costs around US$11,120 per year, and students will learn different areas of music, including music theory, aural skills, and music history. This will equip them with the skills needed to teach music at all levels, from elementary to high school. Students even have a chance at a teaching internship upon completing the programme.
The university has an online Master in Music Education programme as well, allowing graduates to enter the professional industry or continue to the doctorate level. The curriculum, which focuses on adding depth and practical application to one’s understanding of music teaching, covers subjects like history, literature, composition, and music technology.
University of Music Würzburg, Germany
Germany is home to over 69 higher education institutions in the field of music. Among them is the University of Music Würzburg, one of the cheapest music schools in the world — so cheap, in fact, that it’s actually tuition-free. Students only need to pay the yearly semester fee of US$320.
However, all programmes are taught in German, and students must attain a C2 proficiency level to enrol in the degree programme.
The bachelor programmes offered include Voice Performance, Church Music, Orchestral Instruments, Jazz, Guitar, and Conducting. Postgraduate programmes include the Master in Music in Performance, Performance and Pedagogy, or Theory and Composition.
For those who wish to pursue a career in the academic side of the music industry, the school offers the School Music Teaching programme.
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Norwegian Academy of Music, Norway
One of the cheapest music schools in Europe is the Norwegian Academy of Music. It is renowned as the most prestigious music academy in the country, boasting the best instructors and internationally acclaimed musicians. Here, you’ll find programmes at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels.
These include Conducting, Church Music, Composition, Music Education, Music Performance, Music Performance, Music Therapy, Music Theory, and many more.
The tuition fee for the 2024 academic year is US$3,604 regardless of your level of study. International students from a country outside the EU/EEA must pay a proof-of-funds deposit of approximately US$13,090 to ensure that living expenses are covered for their academic year in Norway.
Studying in South Korea also means you’ll be able to experience a whole new culture and its own share of traditional music. Source: AFP
Korea National University of Arts, South Korea
Since its foundation, the K-Arts School of Music has sought to compete with schools such as The Juilliard School, Curtis School of Music, and Paris National High Conservatory.
Here, students have a choice of joining undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in vocal music, instrumental music, composition, conducting, and musicology.
The annual tuition costs around US$3,604. International students can even check out the AMA+ (Art Major Asian Scholarship) Project, a Korean government scholarship for art major students from ODA recipient countries, as well as a handful of other governmental financial aid too.
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Curtis Institute of Music, US
With just a 4% acceptance rate and 160 students, only the best of the best make it into the Curtis Institute of Music. Here, students are selected based on merit and merit alone. Enrolling in the school means that you’ll find yourself among unparalleled peers, learning through doing and the personalised attention from a faculty of actively performing musicians.
Curtis charges no tuition to its students, regardless of their financial situation. For the 2023-24 academic term, the annual value of this scholarship is US$52,781 for undergraduate students and US$65,536 for graduate students.
However, the school does estimate that students should prepare just under US$40,000 for potential living costs such as housing, food, miscellaneous bills, and instrument maintenance and supplies.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on August 27, 2024.
