SUBMISSIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 21, 2026
Global Student Creator Challenge
Yamaha and ISME teamed up with CommonTime Pathways to give young music creators a bigger stage. The Global Student Creator Challenge invites creators ages 13–25 to share original work for a chance to win cash prizes and get recognized.
It all begins with a love of music and the desire to go to college.
Music is, and should be, a way for families to both access and afford a quality postsecondary education.
Our Mission
The mission of CommonTime Education is to change the economic and educational landscape for young musicians in two very critical ways:
1. Fundraising to support scholarship awards for musicians seeking further musical ensemble experience in a higher education setting.
2. Development of world-class content to empower young musicians to navigate the college search, scholarship, auditions, and admissions processes as well as career pathways.
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THE CONCEPT
Paying for college is more difficult than ever before. While athletics is a well established and publicized avenue to pay for college, MUSIC is a lesser known yet even more available and accessible pathway to preferential admissions and scholarships.
An impressive sum of approximately three billion dollars was awarded to D1 and D2 athletes last season, yet performing arts-related scholarships for majors and non-majors reached an estimated FIVE billion dollars in the same year.
CommonTime Education is here to disseminate information about those scholarships in a searchable and filterable database in addition to providing its own scholarship fund to support the education of college musicians.
THE VISION
Athletes have always had myriad opportunities and affordable options to access the network of scouts, recruiters, and scholarships from colleges while musicians have been stuck hoping to connect with a professor at highly competitive festivals or expensive summer camps.
CommonTime Education is an opportunity for skilled young musicians to fund their musical and educational goals in whichever direction their passion leads them.
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CommonTime Education aims to give away between two (2) and ten (10) NO-FEE and NO-ESSAY scholarship awards totaling up to $20,000.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to receive an award and for their future higher education institution to receive funds from CommonTime Education.
1) Have an active and up-to-date free recruiting account on CommonTime Pathways
2) Have a posted video of their solo performance on their recruiting profile
3) Complete the “Musician’s Statement” part of the recruiting profile.
4) Demonstrate that their gross household income does not exceed $300,000 annually
5) Once awarded, funds will only be released directly to the student upon proof of enrollment in a higher education institution.
Through a deep connection to CommonTime Pathways, our students demonstrate musical excellence and the initiative to find musical opportunities to access a college education.
Make an impact today
by changing the life of a young musician
and their family.
CommonTime Education is designated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) in
accordance with US Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN is 39-4553708.
Scholarship Fund
Support the next generation of musical talent with a donation. Choose $50, $250, $500, or more to help provide scholarships opportunities for non-majors and music majors alike. Your gift makes auditions fairer, access broader, and careers possible—thank you for investing in future musicians.
To avoid fees, donors may write checks to “CommonTime Education”
and send to 867 Boylston Street Fifth Floor 232 Boston, MA 02116 USA
CommonTime Education is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization as
defined under section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code.