Enrollment, Tuition and Payment

Northwestern Music Academy offers lessons and classes in three 11-week quarters of the Academy year (Fall, Winter and Spring) plus a summer session. Open enrollment happens year-round, and new students are accepted if space is available.

Interest Forms

New students interested in private lessons or group classes at the Academy should fill out the Interest Form. You will be contacted by the respective coordinator of your instrument group to set up a placement interview/assessment.

• Piano Coordinator, Annie Hsiao: for private piano lessons, adult piano classes, and Junior Piano Class

• Strings Coordinator, Stacia Spencer: for private violin, viola, cello and guitar lessons and Weekly String Group

Child Interest Form Adult Interest Form

Registration for the 2025-26 Academic Year

Use the Registration Forms to register for the 2025-26 Academic Year (beginning Fall 2025).

These forms are for:

• Continuing students (completed annually each Fall)
• Newly enrolled students who have already completed their assessment and received teacher placement

Your enrollment is finalized once the registration form and tuition payment are received.

Child Registration Form Adult Registration Form

Registrations are automatically renewed each quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer) for the remainder of the academic year unless otherwise notified.

Any changes to your enrollment must be provided in writing (in an email) to your teacher and copied to the Registration and Billing Coordinator at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the new quarter.

Contact: Registration and Billing Coordinator Jia-Yee Tang

Community student prices for the 2025-26 academic year are listed per 11-week quarter.

Northwestern Affiliates are eligible to receive discounted tuition. (See Northwestern Affiliates below)

Academy lessons and classes are structured into three 11-week quarters per academic year (Fall, Winter and Spring). Summer quarter prices will vary.

See Piano and Strings pages for class descriptions.

Northwestern Affiliates

Northwestern Affiliates are eligible for discounted tuition as part of their benefits package. The discount applies only to those who are enrolled in a full 11-week academic quarter.

Eligible Northwestern Affiliates include:

• Full-time benefits-eligible Northwestern employee (faculty or staff)

• Spouse and dependents of full-time benefits-eligible employees

• Full-time Northwestern students

Note that visiting scholars and Northwestern hospital employees are not eligible for tuition benefits in the Academy. Please check with HR Benefits if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Northwestern Discount Update  

Northwestern University has announced the suspension of certain employee discounts—including the Music Academy tuition discount—due to budget constraints. While the University's support will end after Fall quarter, Academy Director Dr. Susan Osborn has worked with the Bienen School to create a solution that lessens the impact on our families.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the Music Academy will offer the following tuition discounts for full-time, benefits-eligible Northwestern affiliates:

• Fall Quarter: 25% tuition discount (standard rate)
• Winter & Spring Quarters: 15% tuition discount

The Academy will cover this 15% discount internally. We hope that this will lessen the impact of the NU benefit suspension and will help provide a smooth transition for the next academic year of lessons.

Thank you for your understanding and for being a valued part of our community. 

Tuition Payment Policy

All tuition and fees are due to the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music.

• Tuition for the 11-week quarter (Fall, Winter and Spring) is billed quarterly and paid in full at the beginning of each term. Summer quarter is a la carte and tuition will be billed according to the schedule and arrangement with your teacher.

• The billing coordinator will email billing notices a few weeks prior to the start of each quarter. Billing notices will contain payment links and pertinent deadlines.

• Credit/debit card payments (Visa/Mastercard/Discover/AmEx) are accepted on the Academy’s payment webpages. There are no convenience fees for credit/debit card transactions.

• Checks are no longer accepted.

• Music Academy tuition is non-refundable.

Late or Missed Payments

• If payment is not received by the end of the second week of the quarter, lessons may be suspended until tuition has been paid. If tuition cannot be resolved, students will be responsible for payment of any lessons taken during those first two weeks.

• Chronic late payers (two or more quarters of late payments) may be prohibited from future registration.