DMA Continuation Fees
Thanks to the hard work and organizing efforts of the Doctor of Musical Arts candidates and their colleagues at the Bienen School of Music, the fee structure for the Doctor of Musical Arts program will now be reduced to be equitable and competitive with Northwestern’s peer institutions. The reduction of these fees will help alleviate the financial burden that students in the DMA program have been forced to endure in the years past. The time and resources saved from having to amass student loan debt and seeking additional employment can now be spent on their academic and professional development.
Below is the newly proposed continuation fee structure:
| Fall Quarter | Winter Quarter | Spring Quarter | Annual Total | |
| Continuation Year 1 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $600 |
| Continuation Year 2 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $600 |
| Continuation Year 3 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $750 |
| Continuation Year 4 | $325 | $325 | $325 | $975 |
| Continuation Year 5 | $425 | $425 | $425 | $1275 |
The burdensome fee structure prior to the changes is shown below, in comparison with peer institutions.
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Continuation fees made it difficult to afford basic expenses like health insurance and medical care in the final years of my doctoral degree, despite working two adjunct teaching positions and one seasonal teaching job while in continuation.” — Northwestern DMA Alum
Financial strain [required] me to take on extra jobs which took away from my time to pursue research.” — Northwestern DMA Alum