Thrive Scholarship: Criteria and Selection Process

The Thrive Scholarship is a Berklee initiative that is designed to invest in continuing undergraduate (degree and diploma) students at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee* who have demonstrated academic achievement and financial need, and are on track to graduate on time. We know that students who maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better, consistently attempt and complete at least 15 credits each semester, and have good plans in place to manage their financial and academic requirements are more likely to graduate, and are well positioned to reach their full creative and career potential. Therefore, the goal of this program is to help alleviate some of the financial strain that continuing students face and assist them through graduation with scholarship support.

*At this time, Berklee Online and graduate students are not eligible for Thrive Scholarship consideration.

Thrive Scholarship Selection Criteria

To be considered for this scholarship, students must:

• be a Berklee College of Music undergraduate student or Boston Conservatory at Berklee undergraduate student within their third, fourth, fifth, or sixth semester (semester level is determined by completed credits);
• be on track to complete their program within eight semesters/four years;
• maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA;
• maintain a minimum 94 percent completion percentage;
• not be on disciplinary action or probation; and
• have demonstrated financial need (a FAFSA and/or CSS Profile must be on file; Conservatory students must be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant)

Selection Process

At the conclusion of the spring semester each year, Berklee conducts a thorough and exhaustive review of all eligible students who meet the criteria above. Students who are selected to receive the scholarship will be notified via email in the early summer months. Awards are issued for the fall and spring semesters of the upcoming academic year.

Please note that it is not possible to notify students who are not selected.

Thrive Scholarship Program Conditions and Policies

Awarded students must maintain the following terms and conditions to continue to be eligible for this scholarship:*

1. The Thrive Scholarship is valid for undergraduate study at the Boston or Valencia campuses.
2. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
3. Students must maintain at least a 94 percent completion percentage (completed credits divided by attempted credits).
4. Students must enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester. (Exceptions may be requested.)
5. Students must meet the required number of earned credits to become a third–sixth semester student.
6. Students must participate in ongoing financial and academic advising, as well as relevant career planning programs, to ensure they are on track to graduate on time.
7. Students must demonstrate financial need based on an analysis of the submitted FAFSA and/or CSS Profile. The FAFSA must be submitted each year by May 1 to show continued financial need. The CSS Profile is only submitted one time.
8. Conservatory students must be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.
9. Scholarships are limited for the remainder of each student's degree, not to exceed eight semesters of full-time enrollment or a total of 128 attempted credits, unless a single major officially requires more than eight semesters or 120 credits to complete (e.g., music therapy, 135 maximum attempted credits allowed or music education, 139 maximum attempted credits allowed). Attempted credits are inclusive of all transfer and articulation credits as well as credits attained by placements and exams.
10. Scholarships are renewable for each semester provided that the above conditions are met and recipients are in good academic and disciplinary standing.
11. The total amount of Berklee scholarship funding can range up to, but not exceed the cost of tuition.

*Please note that this is a selective program; scholarships are limited and dependent on available funds. Berklee reserves the right to use its discretion when determining student financial need.

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