Tuition, Financial Aid & Scholarships

Understanding Your Financial Situation

The Clarity Financial Aid program is designed to make an Idyllwild Arts education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. Idyllwild Arts is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Simply use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.

The deadline for completing the financial aid application including relevant supplemental documents is January 15th for returning families and February 1st for new families. However, we continue to accept financial aid applications from all families on a rolling basis after these dates.

If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, as well as email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

Reserved for incoming new students.

Recognizing Your Achievements

A merit scholarship is a financial award granted to students based on their portfolio or audition materials.

Idyllwild Arts offers a limited number of annual merit scholarships, including:

General Merit Scholarships

Art Chair’s Award – $5,000
Global Scholar Award – $10,000
Presidential Award – $15,000

Departmental Merit Scholarships

Merit scholarships are available across disciplines based on institutional needs.

Ensuring Access

 Idyllwild Arts is committed to supporting and empowering Indigenous students in their educational goals while  honoring cultural heritage and artistic contributions. Thanks to the generous support of our benefactors (listed below), we have scholarships available for both Academy and Summer Program with award amounts based on need and institutional resources. . 

To apply, you will need your Tribal ID and your (or your parents’) most recent tax return.  You may also be asked to submit a one-paragraph bio and a letter explaining how you will benefit from the program and put your education to use.

For eligibility information, email Tara Sechrest, Vice President, Enrollment Management & Strategic Partnerships, at: tsechrest@idyllwildarts.org. You can also learn more about our Native American Programs and Scholarships.

Special thanks to the generous benefactors of the Idyllwild Arts Native American Arts Program, who make these scholarships possible:

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians | Cahuilla Band of Indians | Chickasaw Nation | Morongo Band of Mission Indians | San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians | San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians | Soboba Foundation/Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians | Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations | Anonymous Foundation

Affiliated Programs

The L-Fund is a non-profit organization located in Palm Springs, CA, that provides funding to Lesbians/Translesbians for Education, Financial Assistance, Health and Wellness, and the Arts. For more information, visit their website or contact info@l-fund.org or 760-304-8487.