Registration and Financial Aid
Now enrolling for private and semi-private lessons and ensembles for the 2020-21 school year!
We hope you'll join in the fun!
The 2020-21 school year started on August 31, 2020 and continues until June 19, 2021. Click here to learn more about hybrid programming for the 2020-21 school year at CMSS.
The 2021-22 school year is around the corner! For current students/families wishing to re-enroll for Fall 2021, please click here to fill out our re-enrollment survey. If you do not currently take a music lesson, but would like to enroll for Fall 2021, please click here to get started.
We make every effort to ensure an excellent placement between students and our professional faculty. Placements and lesson times are determined by a combination of factors including:
- The student’s interest in a particular instrument or genre
- The student’s age, personality, and learning style
- A faculty member’s availability and the student’s ability to attend lessons during a particular day and time
For private and semi-private lessons, there are 35 lessons in a full school year. Students may enroll at any time during the year, and lessons will be pro-rated based on how many lessons are remaining in the school year.
In order to inspire community connection in the 2020-2021 school year, all CMSS ensembles are free of charge. Registration is required for participation in free ensembles.
Resources for the current school year (2020-2021)
Resources for the upcoming school year (2021-2022)
- 2021-2022 Student and Family Handbook
- 2021-2022 CMSS Calendar
- Online Financial Aid Application for NEW Students (scroll down for more information)
- Online Financial Aid Application for Currently Enrolled CMSS Students (scroll down for more information)
- Online Financial Aid Reference Form (for NEW students applying for financial aid)
- Financial Aid Reference Form (download/print) (for NEW students applying for financial aid)
- Where To Get Your Musical Supplies
Tuition Information: 2020-21 School Year
2020-2021 School Year Registration Fee for Private Lessons: $50 (per family)
Tuition rates will not change for the 2021-2022 school year
| Length | Price Per Lesson | Semi-Annual Payment (eligible for 5% discount) | Full Year Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | $40 | $700 | $1,400 |
| 45 minutes | $54 | $945 | $1,890 |
| 60 minutes | $68 | $1,190 | $2,380 |
45-Minute Semi-Private Lessons
We invite students of all ages and abilities to gather their own group of peers (2-4 participants) who share an interest in the same instrument and are approximately the same level of playing ability. CMSS then matches you group with an instructor best suited to meet your musical needs and availability requests. Semi-private lessons are scheduled to take place weekly, tuition is $60 per 45-minute lesson (divided evenly among the 2-4 students in the group), and there is no yearly registration fee for semi-private lessons. Semi-private lessons at CMSS offer students a more affordable way to get started with lessons or continue their musical journey, and they provide a great social context for learning and playing as a group.
We have a number of tuition discounts available for students taking private and semi-private lessons:
- Early Bird Re-Enrollment – waive registration fee ($50) when you enroll in your private lesson and remit deposit (first month’s tuition) by May 20, 2021
- Back-to-School Savings – waive half of your registration fee ($25) when you enroll in your private lesson and remit deposit (first month’s tuition) between July 30, 2021 and August 16, 2021
- Pay in Full – save 5% by paying half of private lesson tuition upon registration and the other half in January 2022 (valid only from the rollover period in April 2021 through December 2021; January through March 2022, students can save 5% by paying their entire tuition; Pay In Full discount is not available after March 31, 2022)
- Autopay Enrollment – enroll in monthly autobilling to save $50 off your invoice (after December 31, 2021, this discount decreases to $25; after two declined autopayments, this discount is subject to removal)
- Two Lesson Enrollment – families with two private lesson enrollments save $20 off your invoice (cannot be combined with three lesson enrollment discount)
- Three Lesson Enrollment – families with three or more private lesson enrollments save $50 off your invoice (cannot be combined with two lesson enrollment discount)
- Carpool Agreement – commit to carpooling to your lesson with another student (or walk or take the bus to CMSS) and save $50 on private lesson tuition (sign agreement with front desk once we’ve entered Phase 4)
Financial Aid at Community Music School of Springfield
CMSS offers financial aid to students in grades K-12 who are 18 years of age and under. Financial aid is considered a need-based award and therefore is awarded based on financial need, seriousness of purpose and motivation, and consistent attendance and progress.
The Financial Application Period is OPEN!
CMSS is now accepting financial aid applications for the 2021-2022 school year. To be considered for aid in the upcoming school year, applicants must complete all three steps of the financial aid process:
- Fill out an online application. Currently enrolled CMSS students, click here to start. New students, click here to start.
- Submit supplemental financial documentation (EBT card or 2020 tax form 1040). We suggest you email a clear photo or a scanned file of your documentation to [email protected]. BLACK OUT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER BEFORE SUBMITTING. All financial information will be kept secure and confidential.
- Ask a non-relative adult to fill out a Financial Aid Reference Form on your behalf.
Please note that your 2021-2022 application is not complete until your supplemental financial documentation (2020 1040 tax form or proof of EBT Card) and Reference Form have been submitted.
CMSS is no longer accepting financial aid applications for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.
More about Financial Aid at CMSS
Important Information for all Applicants:
Funds are limited and applying for financial aid does not guarantee that it will be awarded. A complete application form and all supplemental documentation (tax form and two letters of reference) must be submitted to CMSS to be eligible for consideration.
Because funding is limited, priority for financial aid is given to current CMSS students. Financial aid for new students, if available, will be granted to qualifying families who complete their application on a rolling basis.
Students who have made less than satisfactory progress according to teacher evaluation, not registered on time, not submitted their financial aid application on time, and/or not paid any owed balance by prescribed deadlines may be placed on probation or denied financial aid funding outright. Funding for subsequent semesters during the year will be contingent upon the student’s ability to meet CMSS standards of good attendance, progress and practice, adherence to CMSS policies and procedures, and availability of funds.
Financial aid awards are given as a specific dollar amount and are valid for the full academic year. Financial aid recipients may receive funding for private lessons on one instrument/voice, class, or ensemble. Families with more than one child may receive financial aid funding for up to two children.
Notification of awards will be emailed, along with a link to accept the award via an online form. If financial aid is granted, the applicant must accept the financial aid award via an online form, complete the CMSS registration process online, follow up with the registration team to schedule lessons, and make a deposit in order to fully register and accept the financial aid award.
How do I register for lessons for the upcoming school year?
Students who would like to reserve a preferred time slot with their instructor may register early (in the spring) and make a deposit, which is the first of ten monthly payments (calculated to include the financial aid award). The remainder of the tuition will be divided into 9 monthly bills dated from September 2021 to May 2022.