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The SAA offers course scholarships, including travel scholarships, to teachers committed to learning, fostering quality music education experiences, and advancing the Suzuki Method. Occasionally, the SAA will also offer travel support for special events such as conferences, leadership summits, and other in-person experiences.
SAA members may apply for scholarship support for Teacher Development core courses, including:
- Unit Courses
- Teaching Strategies
- Practicum
- Suzuki Principles in Action
Scholarships are available for first-time participants only. Audits and repeat courses are not eligible.
We welcome SAA members to submit scholarship applications in any of these languages: English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. If necessary, essays and letters of recommendation may be translated using software into English.
Scholarship awards, ranging from partial to full course tuition, will be paid directly to course hosts: Teacher Trainers, Institutes, Universities, or sponsoring programs. Payments to course hosts outside of the United States will be done via Paypal.
Travel scholarships are generally paid as a reimbursement after travel has taken place, and the travel receipt has been submitted. If you have been awarded travel funding and are facing barriers to making your travel arrangements, please email [email protected] with details.
Scholarships need to be used within the fiscal year for which they are awarded.
Apply by Monday, April 6, 2026, for scholarships to courses starting June –November 2026. Applications that are for courses outside of this window will not be considered.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Active SAA membership
- Residence within the SAA region: North, Central, or South America
- 18 years of age or older
- SAA members should be taking a course for the first time and as a participant in order to use scholarship funds. Audits and repeat courses are not eligible for scholarships.
- Applicants must successfully pass any relevant audition requirements. While an audition is not required for enrollment in Unit 1 this year, it is required for scholarship consideration. For example, if you are applying for a scholarship for a Unit 1 course, you must have a Basic, Intermediate, or Comprehensive audition on file either with the SAA or with your trainer (if in Latin America). If your audition is pending when you submit your scholarship application, scholarship disbursement will be contingent upon the audition results. Visit the Auditions page for audition repertoire and criteria.
APPLICATION COMPONENTS
Besides basic information about you, a resume or CV, and some short essay questions, we do require 2 letters of recommendation. We suggest these come from teachers, musical mentors, or colleagues. We are looking for insight into who you are as a student, teacher, leader, and community member. It may be helpful to share the application rubric below with those who will write your letters of recommendation.
You will upload these letters as part of your application. Letters of recommendation must be typed and not handwritten. We cannot accept photos, but we will accept documents in these formats: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .odt
APPLICATION RUBRIC
Applications are rated on a 10 point scale, with 10 being the highest score, using the following rubric to evaluate the essay questions and what is presented in the letters of recommendation.
The application demonstrates the candidate’s:
- commitment to and application of the Suzuki philosophy (up to 2 points)
- commitment to learning and growth (up to 2 points)
- leadership within their community (up to 2 points)
- financial need (up to 4 points)
Criteria | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
Commitment to and Application of the Suzuki Philosophy | 2 | Clearly demonstrates a deep understanding of and consistent application of Suzuki philosophy in teaching and personal practice. |
1 | Shows some awareness or partial application of Suzuki philosophy, but not consistently demonstrated. | |
0 | Limited or no evidence of commitment to Suzuki philosophy. | |
Commitment to Learning and Growth | 2 | Strong evidence of ongoing professional development, self-reflection, and dedication to continuous learning. |
1 | Some evidence of professional growth, but limited or not clearly articulated. | |
0 | No evidence of commitment to learning or growth. | |
Leadership within the Community | 2 | Actively demonstrates leadership and positive impact within the local or wider music/teaching community. |
1 | Some involvement in community or leadership roles, but limited in scope or consistency. | |
0 | Little or no evidence of leadership within the community. | |
Financial Need | 4 | Applicant clearly demonstrates significant financial hardship (e.g., limited or unstable income, high educational or living expenses, no support available from an employer, school, or organization). Access to training would be very difficult without scholarship support. |
3 | Applicant demonstrates meaningful financial constraints that could hinder access to training (e.g., some personal resources or limited help from an employer, school, or organization, but not enough to cover costs). | |
2 | Applicant demonstrates some financial need, but has partial resources or support (personal, employer, school, or organizational) that lessen the overall burden. | |
1 | Applicant demonstrates limited financial need; resources are generally available to cover most expenses. | |
0 | No financial need is described or evident in the application. |
SUBMISSION DEADLINES
Applications are accepted year round. The submission deadlines below are firm, as are the earliest start dates. If you have a particular course in mind, please use the start date of that course to find the submission deadline.
Applicants will be notified of their application status around one month after the relevant submission deadline.
| What is the start date of your course/event? | Submission Deadline |
|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026 | October 1, 2025 |
| June 1 – Nov 30, 2026 | Extended to April 6, 2026 |
| Dec 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027 | October 1, 2026 |
| June 1 – Nov 30, 2027 | April 1, 2027 |
Review Process
A volunteer scholarship committee reviews scholarships applications. Two to three evaluators will independently rate each application using the rubric above. Decisions are made based on evaluations, letters of recommendation, and funding availability. If you are interested in being on the committee, please apply here.