Graduate students in Columbia's Music Department who remain in good academic standing are fully funded through the sixth year. See the GSAS web page on Financial Aid for all details about graduate funding.
Students will be expected to meet the deadlines established by GSAS for completing all MA requirements within four semesters, and those for the MPhil within six semesters from initial registration.
From the second year on, fellowships are awarded in the form of instructional appointments, either as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Fellow (instructor of record), except for one year of dissertation fellowship. Continuation on fellowship is contingent on two things: satisfactory academic progress (including meeting the above deadlines) and satisfactory performance in assigned instructional appointments.
Experience in the classroom is integral to the PhD and DMA degrees, which seeks to offer a kind of professional "apprenticeship". International teaching fellows, whose first language is not English, must be screened by the American Language Program (ALP) in order to ascertain their readiness to begin their teaching duties. International teaching fellows are then placed in the necessary training level. The program is offered at no cost to the student and is pass/fail and does not count for credit.
THE FIRST YEAR
First year students have no instructional obligations. They receive a fall stipend, spring stipend and summer stipend, and their tuition and health fees are covered by GSAS.
THE SECOND THROUGH fourth YEARS
All students in their second through fourth years will be required to hold an instructional appointment in the Music Department. They will receive a 9-month salary, a summer stipend, and their tuition and health fees are covered by GSAS.
THE FIFTH YEAR
Students in their fifth year are expected to take their dissertation fellowship. The dissertation fellowship exempts the students from an instructional appointment, so they can focus on their research and writing. They receive a fall stipend, spring stipend and summer stipend, and their tuition and health fees are covered by GSAS.
THE sixth YEAR
All students who have not distributed by their sixth year will be required to hold an instructional appointment in the Music Department. They will receive a 9-month salary and their tuition and health fees are covered by GSAS.
Internal/External Fellowship information
Students are required to try and find external fellowships during their time at Columbia. Attached is a list of fellowships, awards, and grants for pre- and postdoctoral students. This list is compiled by the department and includes opportunities both within and outside Columbia University. This list is not exhaustive; email David Newtown, dcn2119 [at] columbia.edu, to add other opportunities to this list.