NAfME Scholarships are awards offered by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) through its Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter of the Year program and its Collegiate scholarship initiatives. NAfME supports music education students, future music teachers, and outstanding high school chapter members with awards ranging from $400 to $1,000. Founded in 1907, NAfME is the largest professional organization for music educators in the United States, with more than 50,000 members.
How NAfME Scholarships Work
NAfME distributes scholarships through two primary channels: the Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter of the Year program and the NAfME Collegiate scholarship program.
Tri-M Chapter of the Year Scholarships
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle school, junior high, and high school students. Since 1985, Tri-M has chartered more than 9,700 chapters with approximately 80,000 student members annually. The Chapter of the Year program rewards chapters that perform outstanding service projects and demonstrate leadership in their communities.
Scholarship amounts for the 2025-2026 program year:
Senior Division (High School):
- Chapter of the Year: $1,000
- 1st Runner-Up: $800
- 2nd Runner-Up: $600
Junior Division (Middle School):
- Chapter of the Year: $800
- 1st Runner-Up: $600
- 2nd Runner-Up: $400
Scholarship funds must be used for professional development activities for the chapter, including clinicians, master classes, field trips, conference travel, or summer music program scholarships. National Chapters of the Year also receive engraved permanent service plaques.
NAfME Collegiate Scholarships
NAfME Collegiate chapters at universities across the country participate in scholarship and award programs. The Shannon Kelly Kane Scholarship, for example, recognizes outstanding NAfME Collegiate members who demonstrate commitment to music education. In 2026, recipients included Ethan Hacker of the University of Indianapolis and Felix Moreno of the University of Mount Union.
NAfME Scholarship Resources
NAfME also maintains a comprehensive scholarship database on its website, listing external music scholarships for high school juniors, seniors, and college students. This resource is available to NAfME and Tri-M members and includes opportunities from state music educator associations, community organizations, and national foundations.
Eligibility
- Active NAfME or Tri-M membership
- For Tri-M Chapter awards: affiliation with a chartered Tri-M chapter
- For Collegiate awards: enrollment in a music education degree program at a NAfME Collegiate chapter institution
- Chapter advisors must submit applications by posted deadlines
Real-World Example
A high school Tri-M chapter with 30 active members could apply for the Chapter of the Year program by documenting their service projects throughout the school year. If the chapter organized a community concert series, tutored middle school musicians, and hosted a guest clinician workshop, they would submit an application describing these activities. Winning the Senior Division Chapter of the Year would bring a $1,000 scholarship to the chapter, which could fund a trip to a state music conference or bring in a professional clinician for a master class.
In 2025-2026, McHenry Community High School's Tri-M chapter in Illinois won the National Senior Division Chapter of the Year, earning $1,000 and a personalized plaque. The chapter had been runner-up the previous year, earning $800, before winning the top award.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
If you are a music education major, NAfME membership is one of the most cost-effective investments you can make. Student membership costs approximately $35 per year and gives you access to scholarship opportunities, professional development resources, conference discounts, and a network of music educators nationwide.
For high school students, joining or starting a Tri-M chapter at your school opens the door to chapter scholarship awards and builds your resume for college applications. Chapter activities like community concerts and peer tutoring demonstrate the leadership and service qualities that music schools and scholarship committees look for.
State-level NAfME affiliates (like TMEA in Texas or FMEA in Florida) often distribute their own scholarships. TMEA distributes more than $200,000 in scholarships annually. Check your state music educators association for additional funding opportunities beyond the national NAfME programs.
Eligibility Criteria (plain terms)
NAfME scholarships have different requirements depending on the program:
Tri-M Chapter of the Year Scholarships:
- Your school must have an active, chartered Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter
- All active chapters are eligible to participate
- Chapter advisors must submit the Chapter of the Year application by the posted deadline
- Chapters are evaluated on service projects, leadership, scholarship, and audience engagement
- Scholarship funds must be used for professional development activities (clinicians, master classes, field trips, conference travel, or summer music program scholarships)
NAfME Collegiate Scholarships (including Shannon Kelly Kane Scholarship):
- Must be enrolled in a music education degree program at a NAfME Collegiate chapter institution
- Must be an active NAfME Collegiate member
- Student membership costs approximately $35 per year
- Recipients are selected based on commitment to music education
NAfME Scholarship Database:
- Available to NAfME and Tri-M members
- Lists external music scholarships for high school juniors, seniors, and college students
- Includes opportunities from state music educator associations, community organizations, and national foundations
Deadlines
- Tri-M Chapter of the Year (2025-2026 program year): Application closed on March 24, 2026 at 12 PM ET
- Tri-M Chapter of the Year (2026-2027 program year): Expected to open in fall 2026, with applications typically due in March 2027
- NAfME Collegiate Scholarships: Deadlines vary by specific scholarship. Contact your NAfME Collegiate chapter advisor for details
- State-level NAfME affiliates: Each state sets its own deadlines. For example, TMEA in Texas distributes more than $200,000 in scholarships annually with its own timeline
Past Recipients
2025-2026 Tri-M National Chapters of the Year:
- Senior Division Chapter of the Year: McHenry Community High School, Illinois ($1,000 scholarship and engraved plaque). This chapter was runner-up the previous year ($800) before winning the top award
- Junior Division Chapter of the Year: $800 scholarship awarded (school name announced by NAfME in May 2026)
- Runners-up received scholarships at reduced amounts ($600 and $400 depending on division and placement)
Since 1985, Tri-M has given more than $145,000 in Chapter of the Year Scholarship Awards to chapters across the country. There are over 2,100 chapters in all 50 states involving more than 84,000 students.
2026 NAfME Collegiate Scholarship recipients (Shannon Kelly Kane Scholarship):
- Ethan Hacker, University of Indianapolis
- Felix Moreno, University of Mount Union
NAfME does not publish a comprehensive list of all Collegiate scholarship recipients. Contact your institution's NAfME Collegiate chapter advisor for information about past recipients at your school.
Videos
Related Opportunities
- ASCAP Foundation Scholarships for songwriters and composers
- From the Top for young classical musicians
- Music Scholarships Directory for the full list of funding opportunities
- Music Schools Directory to find music education programs
- Visit the NAfME Scholarships page for the complete scholarship database
Similar Scholarships
- MTNA Scholarships - Music Teachers National Association scholarships for students and teachers
- Presser Foundation Music Award - Music education support from the Presser Foundation
- From the Top - Scholarships for young classical musicians
- ASCAP Foundation Scholarships - Scholarships for songwriters and composers
