Campaign for the Future: A Tuition-Free Juilliard

We’re taking a bold step toward eliminating financial barriers to a Juilliard education. Announced in April 2025, our transformative fundraising campaign will pave the way for a tuition-free Juilliard. This marks a defining moment for Juilliard and for the future of the performing arts and reaffirms our belief that art and artists are essential to society.  

Under President Damian Woetzel’s leadership, we have prioritized affordability, with nearly all of our current college students receiving some level of scholarship support. Starting in fall 2025, the number of tuition-free students will increase each year on a rolling basis, working toward a fully tuition-free model as fundraising milestones are achieved in the coming years.

Juilliard has steadily expanded access through tuition-free and fully funded programs, including the Drama Division’s Master of Fine Arts in Acting; the Artist Diplomas in jazz, music performance, opera studies, playwriting, and string quartet studies; Doctor of Musical Arts; and Historical Performance. The Music Advancement Program (MAP), which serves students ages 8–17 from the New York area and is part of the Preparatory Division, is also tuition-free.

By reimagining access to a Juilliard education, we seek to redefine the standard for conservatories worldwide and invest more deeply in the next generation of performers, educators, creators, and leaders.