FINANCIAL AID
The National Theater Institute endeavors to ensure access and opportunity for students seeking the intensive, transformative experience of NTI, regardless of economic circumstance. The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and NTI have made a profound commitment to creating need-based scholarships, enabling more students to attend NTI. Our aim is for American culture – the stories told and the artists who tell them – to represent the diversity of the nation. Access and opportunity for those seeking to train at NTI is paramount to the future of American theater. We thank the individuals and institutions that have made investment in scholarships, as they are critical to develop artistic talent as well as train an emerging and more diverse generation of artists.
While not currently eligible to process federal funds (ie. Pell Grants, Stafford loans, etc.), whenever possible NTI works with student's home institutions to facilitate the transfer of federal financial aid, institutional aid, and loans. The process of funding a semester at NTI is different for every student and we encourage all applicants to discuss their intentions to study away with their families and schools to ensure that all parties are in support before beginning the application process.
NTI Scholarships are not available for the Rose Bruford College MFA/MA programs.
WE ENDEAVOR TO ENSURE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS SEEKING THE INTENSIVE, TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE OF NTI, REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
BEST PRACTICES
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Begin planning early. Early applications are eligible to receive extended payment plans.
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A semester with NTI can be treated as: study abroad, off-campus study, an internship, or a leave of absence. Check with your school to see which option is best for you.
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Work with your school's financial aid officer to determine what aid will travel from your home institution. Complete and return any consortium agreements/paperwork required for aid transfer.
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Consider asking family and friends to donate with a crowd-sourcing campaign with GoFundMe.
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If you are taking a personal loan, educational loans from local banks and credit unions are usually the best option as NTI is not considered a Title IX eligible degree-granting institution by national lenders, as we only offer semester-long programs.
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View the NTI Scholarship Application Preplist to get an idea of the questions you'll be asked when you apply
If you have additional questions, please contact NTIAdmissions@theoneill.org.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The National Theater Institute raises private funds to support students. Varying levels of tuition assistance are awarded each semester. After completing the NTI scholarship application during the second part of your application, you may be considered for an award from any of the following scholarships. There is no need to apply multiple times or to individual funds.
EUGENE O'NEILL THEATER CENTER SCHOLARSHIP
For over 50 years, thousands of new artists have been nurtured, discovered, and developed at the O’Neill. This scholarship helps to provide students with the opportunity for a semester of study where careers are launched every year. O'Neill Center General Scholarship directly supports students to ensure that critical aid is received by those who need it most.
MIRANDA FAMILY FUND
The Miranda Family Fund is supporting scholarships to further the inclusion of artists of color across all disciplines of theater. Multi-discipline creative artist Lin-Manuel Miranda's first professional production was with the O'Neill's National Music Theater Conference in 2005, with In The Heights. This scholarship is awarded to students with demonstrated financial need.
MIRANDA FAMILY FUND
The Miranda Family is supporting scholarships to further the inclusion of artists of color across all disciplines of theater. Multi-discipline creative artist Lin-Manuel Miranda's first professional production was with the O'Neill's National Music Theater Conference in 2005, In The Heights. This scholarship is awarded to students of color with demonstrated financial need.
RON COWEN & DANIEL LIPMAN SCHOLARSHIP
Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman, writers of groundbreaking film An Early Frost and the iconic television shows Queer as Folk and Sisters, were playwrights in the formative years of the National Playwrights Conference. This scholarship is awarded to students with varying levels of financial need, with preference to those demonstrating heightened interest and/or talent as playwrights, librettists, and/or lyricists.
ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
Risk. Fail. Risk Again. It is an ethos that serves as a powerful foundation for the lives and careers of thousands who have trained at the National Theater Institute. Every year, alumni give back to ensure opportunity and access to the transformational, intensive experience of NTI for those who follow in their footsteps.
HEARST FOUNDATIONS
The Hearst Foundations support organizations nationally through cultural funding initiatives that enable engagement by young people, and nurture and develop artistic talent. The Hearst Foundations offers scholarships for students with non-traditional backgrounds who demonstrate substantial financial need.
JOHN GORE SCHOLARSHIP
Through its family of companies, the John Gore Organization is committed to supporting the theater industry and our communities in a variety of ways, from John Gore Foundation which grants funding theater education programs to providing access to Broadway for underserved communities to food and clothing drives supporting our local social service agencies. JGO is dedicated to keeping performing arts centers throughout North America thriving and contributing to their local communities.
PRESTON WHITEWAY
SCHOLARSHIP
Preston Whiteway led the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center for 16 years.
He credits his time at the O'Neill as launching him and his career, as it continues to launch and support so many artists. This scholarship ensures
that other young theater artists will have access to a transformative experience by attending NTI.