At the Community Music School, we aim to keep tuition costs low, yet we understand that there are many reasons why a family might not be able to afford full tuition. We strive to make music accessible to all students through our needs-based financial aid program! Please reach out to the CMS Director, Mary Margaret Wison, at mmbw@udel.edu with any questions.
 

Who can apply for financial aid?

Parents or legal guardians of children age 17 or younger (or age 18 but still a high school senior) may apply for needs-based aid by following the instructions below. Adults age 18 or older may reach out to the CMS Director to inquire about financial support if they meet the Federal Poverty Level percentages as described below, or if they are experiencing extenuating financial hardship.
 

How are awards granted?

Financial aid awards are based upon the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines. For those with a household income of 150% or less than the FPL, the first ten registrants per year are eligible to receive a 95% financial aid discount. Once ten applicants have been awarded the 95% discount in a year, any additional applicants are eligible for the following discounts: 150% FPL - 50% discount; 133% FPL - 60% discount; 100% FPL - 75% discount. Awards are granted on a first-come-first-serve basis each year and are reviewed in the order they are received. Even if you do not meet the FPL guidelines, we may be able to help. We want all children who wish to participate to be able to do so. Please contact the CMS Director with any questions.
 

When can I apply for financial aid?

Financial Aid applicants are accepted at any time of year, and are reviewed in order they are received.

For how long is my aid award valid? How frequently do I need to reapply?

Awards are valid within the academic year that they are granted (fall through summer). Families must reapply annually. Continued receipt of financial aid is contingent upon completion of online registration each session, punctual arrival to scheduled lesson times, and efficient communication with CMS Administrative Assistant at communitymusicschool@udel.edu (or private study instructors for scheduling purposes).

Which CMS programs are eligible for financial aid?

*Pending enrollment availability, financial aid may be applied to either:

• one group class or ensemble per fall and spring semesters or
• one summer camp or
• one private study studio, per student, per year, within the following: 30-minute traditional or 30-minute Suzuki lessons plus offered group classes; additional time can be added at regular rates

There are often scholarships available for special programs such as the Delaware Youth Wind Ensemble and instrument-specific days like Trombone Day & Clarinet Day. Please reach out to the CMS Director for more information on those programs..

*With approval from the CMS director, additional financial support may be available for an additional class, camp, or set of lessons per session; however, the additional program will never be discounted more than 50%. Additionally, aid is not transferable among programs without consent from the CMS Director.
 

Can financial aid be combined with other CMS discounts or coupons?

No. Financial aid is based on the full tuition price and cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons.

How can I apply for financial aid?

First, complete all pages of the UD CMS Confidential Application for Financial Aid (CMS-CAFA). A copy of your most recent US tax form (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, or I-20 for international students) is required. Prior to submitting, scratch out all Social Security numbers on the tax forms.

Then, submit your application by doing one of the following:

1. Mail or bring completed forms to the UD School of Music office to the attention of: Mary Margaret Wilson, CMS Director, 209 Amy E du Pont Music Building, 100 Orchard Rd., Newark, DE 19716. (The office is typically open M-F, 9am-4:30pm, but has limited hours during the summer and around holidays. Please call the office to confirm hours prior to arriving: 302-831-2578.)

OR

2. Click here to submit your application via UD Dropbox. List Mary Margaret Wilson as the recipient and send to mmbw@udel.edu

For security of your personal information, please do not email the forms! Any forms received via email will immediately be deleted without review.

We welcome you at CMS! Please reach out with any questions!

The CFA parking garage is conveniently located next to the music buildings (GPS address is: 135 Amstel Ave., Newark, DE 19716.) To pay, please follow the instructions in the garage.

Families may also utilize the metered street parking along Amstel or nearby sidestreets.

Please note that there is no free public parking in the lots surrounding the music buildings. The spots in the “horseshoe" between the CFA garage and the music buildings are permit-only spots, as are the spots in Lot 15 on the south end of the CFA. If you park in a permit-only spot, you risk getting a ticket. Using the CFA garage is recommended.

CMS is not responsible for parking tickets.​

Registration/Enrollment

Registration and Payment is a 2-part process. Please refer to the Registration page for details. A student is not enrolled until registration is submitted, full tuition has been paid, and you have received a confirmation of enrollment email.​

​Classes and camps for which enrollment is limited will be filled in the order payments are completed.​

The UDCMS reserves the right to modify or cancel any class, lesson, or camp due to insufficient enrollment or extenuating circumstances.

We do not prorate tuition for group classes and summer camps. Full tuition is due for the scheduled number of classes/dates.​

Closures

If the University of Delaware closes, for inclement weather or other reasons, all UDCMS classes, lessons, and/or camps are canceled. In the case of inclement weather, private study students will be contacted by their individual teacher to reschedule lessons. Group classes and camps will be contacted via email.

Discounts

Sibling Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken when two or more siblings are registered in separate classes, camps, or lessons per session.

Multiple Class Discount: A five percent (5%) may be taken if a student registers for more than one class or series of lessons per session.

UD Faculty/Staff/Student Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken for current UD faculty, staff, their children, and UD students. The UD ID number must be entered on the registration form.

Senior Citizen Discount: A five percent (5%) discount may be taken by senior citizens aged 65 or older enrolled in classes or lessons.

NOTE: Only 1 discount per student can be applied. Discounts cannot be combined with any other discount, coupon, or special rate. Discounts are not applied to Musical Theatre Camps.​​

Financial Aid

UDCMS will provide sliding-scale scholarships if financial need is present. Scholarships will only be provided for no more than one activity per child.

Aid funds are limited, so please be sure to apply early. For more information, visit the Financial Aid page.

Withdrawals and Refunds

Full refunds will be made if the UDCMS cancels any class/camp/lesson due to insufficient enrollment or teacher illness (for private study).

Any request to withdraw from classes or lessons must be made in writing to the UD Community Music School office via communitymusicschool@udel.edu. Nonattendance or verbal withdrawal to a CMS faculty or staff member does not constitute an official withdrawal. The date of withdrawal will be considered to be the date when written notice is received in the UDCMS office. Upon withdrawal, a full refund will be made only if written notification is received at least one week prior to the start of the first class or lesson, and four weeks prior to the start of summer camps. Note: Due to the cost of running the camps, refunds are not given​ for the Musical Theatre Camps.​

Once a CMS session has begun, refunds will only be made at the discretion of the CMS Direction in extreme cases involving serious illness, death, or relocation.

A ten dollar ($10) processing fee will be charged for all refunds.

Missed Classes and Lessons

Student Absence:

Private Study: Students are permitted 1 excused absence per semester if at least 24 hours' advanced notice is given to the teacher. In that case, the teacher will aim to reschedule the lesson. If less than 24 hours' notice is given, or 2 or more lessons per semester are missed, the lesson(s) will not be rescheduled, and families will not be reimbursed.

Group Class: No make-ups are available if a student must miss a class.

Summer Camps: No refund is granted for missed days.

Tardiness: Private Study Instructors are not required to wait more than ten minutes for late students. Students that arrive later than ten minutes after the scheduled start of a lesson will be counted as unexcused.

Teacher Absence:

Any private study lesson missed as a result of a teacher’s absence will be made up. A substitute teacher may be provided in the case of teacher illness for lessons/classes, or the lesson/class will be made up at the end of the semester by the regular teacher.​

Instruments

Private Study students must provide their own instrument and have access to a practice instrument. For piano students, an acoustic piano is strongly recommended for practice. The University of Delaware does not rent or sell instruments, and the practice rooms in the Amy du Pont music building and Roselle Center for the Arts are for university music majors only.​

Non-Competition Clause

UDCMS Private Study instructors are prevented by contract from teaching any former UDCMS student in a private lesson capacity other than through UDCMS.

Safety

All UDCMS lessons and classes will take place on the University of Delaware campus typically in the Amy E. du Pont Music Building and the Roselle Center for the Arts.

To ensure your child’s safety, please be sure to pick them up promptly after class/lesson time. All minors must be dropped off and picked up directly to CMS Staff.

UDCMS faculty and staff do not supervise children waiting in hallways before and/or after classes/lessons. Children are under supervision during their instruction time only. Neither instructors nor administrators are responsible for supervising children outside of teaching time.

To continue to ensure your child’s safety, our policy is not to have teachers alone with students; however, in private study lessons, one teacher will be alone with one student in a music practice room. We ask parents to be involved in keeping their children safe in these situations. All practice rooms have windows in the doors, and parents are encouraged to peek in on lessons at random intervals and monitor your child’s behavior and comfort level with their teacher.

All CMS employees have completed the University's Protection of Minors compliances including a Criminal Background Check, Child Protection Registry clearance, and best-practice training.

Non-Discrimination Policy

UDCMS complies with all laws prohibiting discrimination in the conduct of its operations and programs. UDCMS admits students of any religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs or other school administered programs.

Receipts for Child Care Tax Credit

It is the responsibility of the participating family to maintain documentation for end-of-year tax records. UDCMS does not provide yearly itemized accounts of payments received. The University of Delaware Federal Tax ID is # 51-6000297.

In the event of inclement weather, if the University of Delaware closes, all UDCMS classes and lessons are canceled. Private study students will be contacted by their individual instructors. Group class participants will be contacted via email from the communitymusicschool@udel.edu address. Please ensure the CMS email is filtered to go to your inbox!

Employees of the CMS are first and foremost focused on providing children with a joyful and enriching music experience. One must be student-focused as well as a highly skilled musician.

The School of Music provides music instruction to members of the local community through the University of Delaware Community Music School (CMS). A number of outstanding music majors form part of the CMS teaching faculty. These students gain practical experience in class and studio teaching as well as additional income. These teaching positions are generally filled on the recommendation of the applied faculty. 

The three primary teaching opportunities are in Private Study, Group Classes, and Summer Camps. There are limited administrative positions as well. 

Interested candidates should contact Mary Margaret Wilson, CMS Director, at mmbw@udel.edu.