VPA Student Grant Program

Owned by Erica Blust
Oct 11, 2024
2 min read

Purpose

The College of Visual and Performing Arts offers small financial awards to outstanding and deserving full-time undergraduate and graduate students in Art, Creative Arts Therapy, Communication & Rhetorical Studies, Design, Drama, Film & Media Arts, and Music who may need financial assistance to engage in programs, activities, internships, and residencies that can move them forward in their disciplines. Proposals for the VPA Student Grant Program are assessed on the clarity and feasibility of proposed activities, the expression of need for funding, and the potential contributions of the project or activity to the applicant or to the arts community.

 

Awards

VPA student grants range from $300 to $1300, depending on the volume and quality of applications, as well as the availability of funding each semester. Undergraduates may request funding up to $800, while graduate students may request funding up to $1300. While individual projects are always welcome, projects with the potential to impact or include cross collaboration with students from other VPA units are encouraged.

 

Eligibility

Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate students enrolled full-time in a department or school within the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Previous recipients of graduate or undergraduate awards from the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of Academic and Career Advising are eligible to apply; however, preference will be given to those who have not received funding from these mechanisms.

 

Funding Limitations

Applicants must upload a detailed budget that has been completed using the budget template provided for download on the application page. Justification for costs must be included for each line item in the budget. Examples of allowable costs include (but are not limited to):

  • travel costs for conference or research travel, or other or academic-related activities

  • registrations for external training, workshops, or other professional development costs

  • performance, production, or exhibit-related costs

  • art supplies, set props, or other materials.

Unallowable costs include:

  • payments to any Syracuse University faculty, staff, or student (salary, stipends, honoraria)

  • course related costs (e.g. tuition, fees, etc.)

  • software, computers, or other related technology

  • costs incurred prior to the submission of the grant request,

  • reimbursement for payments to third parties for services rendered (e.g. transcription costs, photography, videography, editing), as these cost must be approved for and paid by the University directly.

 

Application Schedule

For academic year 2024-25, the VPA Student Grant Program will have two competitions. The application window for Fall 2024 was September 20 - October 7. The application window for Spring 2025 will be January 17 - February 3.

 

Questions

For questions regarding the VPA Student Grant Program, contact the Associate Dean for Research and DEIA Seyeon Lee (slee80@syr.edu) or Christina Leigh Docteur (cdocteur@syr.edu) in the Office of Academic Affairs, or by phone at (315-443-0137).