Financial Information
All singers are granted full-tuition scholarships. These scholarships are awarded for a three-month probationary period, and thereafter on a yearly basis. The Student Aid Fund was established to provide interest-free loans to artists during their residency. In addition, several merit-based $5000 fellowship grants are awarded each year to offset the cost of living expenses while attending The Academy.
Financial Aid Application Materials
AVA is now approved for participation in Title IV Federal Loan Program. This
allows current domestic students to defer payments on outstanding student loans,
and to apply for Stafford Loans while attending AVA. Foreign students are not
eligible for Title IV support, and they are unable to work in the United States
except in limited cases of "practical study," whereby they may accept singing
jobs such as the Sante Fe Apprentice Artist Program.
If you are accepted to AVA and wish to apply for financial aid you may obtain and complete a 2001-2002 Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1.800.433.3243, or by visiting the FAFSA Web site. You may also obtain this form from your current college or university Financial Aid Office.
To apply for Federal Student Aid, you must provide financial aid transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended, whether or not you received financial assistance. When completing the FAFSA, applicants will need to include the Title IV code for The Academy of Vocal Arts, which is 0033533 (00).
Living Expenses
Although AVA resident artists do not pay tuition, they are responsible for their
own daily living expenses and for securing their own living arrangements. The
Academy is located one block south of Rittenhouse Square, a historic residential
area in Center City Philadelphia. Grocery and convenience stores, laundromats,
pharmacies, bookshops, hardware stores, restaurants, health clubs, and clothing
stores can all be found within a few blocks of The Academy. Most students live
alone or with roommates in numerous apartment and boarding houses in the
immediate vicinity as there are no dormitories at AVA. Every effort is made on
the part of AVA to assist in finding suitable housing. Estimated monthly costs
of living in Philadelphia for a single student in a nine-month period are:
| Rent Electric/Gas/Water Telephone Food Clothing Laundry Personal recreation Books & music Miscellaneous Monthly total Approx. 9-Month Subtotal |
$750 $100 $70 $300 $50 $30 $70 $50 $80 $1,500 $13,500 |
Insurance
The Academy of Vocal Arts does not provide either medical or personal property
insurance. It is strongly recommended that each student subscribe to a health
plan. Personal belongings should be kept in lockers (provided by AVA) for
security. Contact your local insurance agent to see if losses are covered by
personal or family policies.
Employment
Singers are encouraged to seek outside professional solo engagements, and are
also permitted to augment their income by filling positions as soloists in
church and synagogue choirs. However, it is the firm belief of The Academy's
faculty, that extensive singing in professional choirs is not conducive to
creating the correct presence of a solo vocal artist, and further, that such
singing may be injurious to the voice and adversely affect the singer's work and
progress at The Academy. In most cases, foreign students will not be eligible
for employment in the U.S. Exceptions are sometimes made when the employment is
within the student's field of study. A Form I-538 must be submitted to the
Immigration and Naturalization Service for approval of such work, including
apprentice programs with opera companies in the U.S.
