Cost-Saving Paths to Berklee
The level of music education and immersion that comes from completing a four-year undergraduate program on our Boston campus is unparalleled. We understand the challenges involved with financial planning for college, and encourage all students and families to consider the following cost-saving strategies that can help make a Berklee education more affordable.
Transfer Credits from Our Academic Partners
Berklee has curriculum transfer agreements with schools and colleges across the globe. These programs exist in North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and result in significant savings in the cost of a Berklee education.
Transfer Credits from Other Institutions
Berklee accepts courses in liberal arts, music history, and music business from institutions that do not hold credit-transfer agreements with Berklee. Information on how to transfer credit in to Berklee can be found in the Transfer Credit Services Guide.
Take Courses at Berklee Online
We have an award-winning, robust online school, Berklee Online, that offers courses and certificates without an application. Some Berklee Online courses are accepted for credit once you enroll for undergraduate study in Boston. See our list of course equivalencies offered through Berklee Online.
To learn more about these strategies, please contact the Admissions Office.
As you prepare to begin your Berklee journey, we encourage you to explore the following options to further help you and your family afford your education.
Third-Party Scholarships
We realize the search for scholarships can be overwhelming. To help you with this process, we have compiled a list of outside, third-party scholarship opportunities and search engines as a starting point.
Earn Income Working on Campus
Learn about the benefits of student employment on and off campus from the student employment site.
Alternative and PLUS Loans
Private education loans and PLUS loans are an option for families, and approval is generally based on the borrower's credit. As opposed to federal student loans, PLUS and private education loans may carry a higher interest rate and should be considered as a last-resort option once all other sources of funding have been exhausted. We encourage families to only borrow what they need and be mindful of repayment obligations to keep debt levels to a minimum.
The tools below are provided to assist you in searching for private loans. Berklee will certify a loan from any lender and does not work with or accept gifts from any private education loan lenders.
Because institutional funding is limited, Berklee is unable to fully meet the financial need of our students.
