VPA Student Grant Program

Purpose

The College of Visual and Performing Arts offers small financial awards to outstanding and deserving full-time undergraduate and graduate students in Art, Creative Arts Therapy, Communication & Rhetorical Studies, Design, Drama, Film & Media Arts, and Music who may need financial assistance to engage in programs, activities, internships, and residencies that can move them forward in their disciplines.

Proposals for the VPA Student Grant Program are assessed on the clarity and feasibility of proposed activities, the expression of need for funding, and the potential contributions of the project or activity to the applicant or to the arts community.

For academic year 2025-26, the VPA Student Grant will have two competitions. Applications for Fall 2025 are due Monday, September 29, 5 p.m. The application window for the Spring 2026 cycle will be January 26 - February 9, 5 p.m., with applications due at 5 p.m. on Monday, February 9.

Awards

VPA student grants range from $300 to $1,300, depending on the volume and quality of applications, as well as the availability of funding each semester. Undergraduates may request funding up to $800, while graduate students may request funding up to $1,300. While individual projects are always welcome, projects with the potential to impact or include cross collaboration with students from other VPA units are encouraged.

Eligibility

Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate students enrolled full-time in a department or school within the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Previous recipients of graduate or undergraduate awards from the Office of Academic Affairs or the Office of Academic and Career Advising are eligible to apply; however, preference will be given to those who have not received funding from these mechanisms.

Applicants are required to individually prepare and submit their applications. Even if a group of student applicants is working on the same project or attending the same conference, each applicant must independently draft and submit their own materials. Group submissions, collaboratively prepared applications, co-writing, or shared content between applicants are strictly prohibited. All submissions must reflect the applicant's personal effort and perspective. Any indication of duplication or collaboration in the application process will result in disqualification. While guidance from mentors or advisors is permitted, all submitted materials must be solely the applicant's own work.

For academic year 2025-26, applicants must have attended one or more grant information sessions sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the SOURCE in order to apply. The first information session is Friday, September 12, and registration is already closed. A second session for the fall cycle will be announced shortly. For the spring cycle, the information session will be held Friday, January 30, at noon. Registration will open the first week of the spring semester.

Funding Limitations

Applicants must upload a detailed budget that has been completed using the budget template provided for download on the application page. Justification for costs must be included for each line item in the budget. Examples of allowable costs include (but are not limited to):

• travel costs for conference or research travel, or other or academic-related activities

• registrations for external training, workshops, or other professional development costs

• performance, production, or exhibit-related costs

• art supplies, set props, or other materials.

Unallowable costs include:

• payments to any Syracuse University faculty, staff, or student (salary, stipends, honoraria)

• course related costs (e.g. tuition, fees, etc.)

• software, computers, or other related technology

• costs incurred prior to the submission of the grant request

• reimbursement for payments to third parties for services rendered (e.g. transcription costs, photography, videography, editing), as these cost must be approved for and paid by the University directly.

Deadline for Using Funds

For Fall 2025 VPA Student Grants, funds awarded must be processed for reimbursement before May 15, 2026. School and department internal deadlines may vary – check with your departmental administrator. Funds not spent by this deadline will be returned to the college for reallocation to other applicants. Requests for extensions are not allowed.

Deadlines for expenditures for spring awards will be May, 15, 2026 for May 2026 graduates, and August 14, 2026 for students not graduating in May.

Questions

For questions regarding the VPA Student Grant Program, contact the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Research Seyeon Lee (slee80@syr.edu) or Christina Leigh Docteur (cdocteur@syr.edu) in the Office of Academic Affairs, or by phone at (315-443-0137).