College Scholarship Audition


2025 NATIONAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION INFORMATION

Eligibility:

Dancers in the High School Graduating Class of 2025 who are hoping to receive monies directly from the NYCDA Foundation, which will be used for tuition payments at the university dance program of their choice. These scholarships usually range from $5,000-$25,000 each. A professional Selection Committee is invited to determine the scholarship recipients - no NYCDA faculty.

Dancers in the High School Graduating Class of 2026 who are hoping to be recruited by one or more of the NYCDA College Partners for the Fall of 2026. These scholarships usually range from $10,000-$150,000 each.

Scholarships are awarded each year through an application and audition process.

There will be two auditions in the summer of 2025.

July 1 - Sheraton New York, New York City
July 15 - Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix

GENERAL AUDITION INFO

The 2025 National College Scholarship Audition opportunity is being offered in conjunction with the NYCDA 4-day National Summer Workshop at the Sheraton New York and the Arizona Biltmore. The audition will consist of a ballet class, a jazz class, a contemporary class, and potential interviews. A separate application is needed to audition. All dancers must participate in all three dance genres.

2025 Foundation College Scholarship Application - COMING SOON! ->

ELIGIBILITY: This audition will only be open to dancers registered to attend the NYCDA 4-day Summer Workshop and who have most recently completed their Junior or Senior year in high school. This will also serve as the scholarship evaluation for our College Partners. Below is a list of colleges expected to attend the 2025 audition - subject to change.

Be sure to complete your 4-day Summer Workshop registration by the May 19, 2025 cut-off. After that date, email registration@nycdance.com for assistance. Both the workshop registration and college audition application are required.


TENTATIVE AUDITION SCHEDULE FOR BOTH AUDITIONS
(updated 9/1/2024)

8:00 AM
Registration/Warm Up

9:00-11:00 AM

Ballet Audition Class

11:00-11:30 AM

Lunch

11:30 AM-1:30 PM

Contemporary Audition

1:30-3:00 PM
Jazz Audition

3:00-4:00 PM

College Q & A with all attending Deans/representatives. All NYCDA attendees are welcome.

There will also be a College Fair from 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Representatives from all the attending college partners will be present to distribute information and answer questions.


NYCDA FOUNDATION COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The goal of the NYCDA Foundation College Scholarship Program is to award multiple 4-year college scholarships, primarily with total values of $5,000-$25,000. These scholarships will be awarded as tuition payments directly to the college of YOUR choice. The scholarship recipient must pursue a performance-based major (dance, musical theater BA or BFA program) in college.

In 2019, the Foundation established a program recognizing those dancers who choose to attend a certificate program. Dancers choosing to pursue certain certificate programs will receive 50% of the amount they were originally awarded. Please check with the NYCDA Foundation to make sure the program you are planning on attending qualifies. (NYCDA Foundation scholarships may not be used for programs affiliated with Steps on Broadway.)

Since our inception in 2010, the foundation itself has awarded nearly $5,000,000 in college scholarships. NYCDA Foundation scholarship recipients are now represented in 45 prestigious arts programs across the country.

2025 Foundation College Scholarship Application - COMING SOON! ->


COLLEGE PARTNERS AUDITION
Scheduled to Attend in 2025:

Marymount Manhattan College (NY)

Point Park University (PA)

Mercyhurst University (PA)

Pace University (NY)

Southern Methodist University (TX)

Montclair State University (NJ)

The Hartt School (CT)

University of Arizona, Tucson (AZ)

Dean College (MA)

Western Michigan University (MI)

Texas Christian University (TX)

California Institute of the ARTS (CA)

Boston Conservatory at Berklee (MA)

Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts (CT)

Adelphi University (NY)

  • This audition is only open to students who have just completed their Junior or Senior year of high school.
  • At the July 2024 NYCDAF National College Auditions, 223 rising high school seniors auditioned for 15 college partners. It resulted in 162 dancers being recruited by the prestigious dance programs and sharing in $25 million in college scholarships offered.
  • At the July 2024 NYCDAF National College Auditions, 124 recently graduated high school seniors auditioned for the NYCDAF Scholarship Selection Committee. It resulted in 52 dancers sharing in $420,000 in scholarships awarded directly from the NYCDA Foundation, which the dancers can utilize at the college of their choice.


2025 Foundation College Scholarship Application - COMING SOON! ->