<p>I'm going into college as a music major. I'm not totally sure where I'm going yet, but I've been accepted everywhere I've auditioned so far. My biggest issue is that I need a new viola. I definitely got lucky by getting a brand new one when I got it, so it's relatively nice quality for a student viola, but it really can't go past high school. I was a big kid, so I got this viola when I was 10, and at 17, I'm still using it. It's the right size still and everything, and can create a decent enough tone for music admissions not to cringe, but they have all suggested I get a new one. A friend of mine told me where to go for my new instrument, I just need the money. My mom absolutely cannot afford it (at LEAST $3,000), and they don't offer financing options. So I was wondering if school loans and scholarships I receive that are allowed to be used on school supplies could be used to buy my new instrument.</p>
<p>Any insight (especially from other music majors/parents) would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Well…your school loans and scholarships will FIRST be used to pay your tuition, fees, room, board costs. Do you anticipate having $3000 left after that?</p>
<p>I don’t know at this point. I haven’t been informed if I’ve received any music scholarships, my financial aid applications haven’t been reviewed yet, and I’m still working on third-party scholarships. But my merit scholarships range from $9,000 to $12,000 depending on the school. So I think I may have some financial aid left over once I’ve been notified about all of my awards. Selling the viola I currently have will give me around $1,000, I believe.</p>
<p>If you can get a note from an instructor that a viola with specific qualities x, y, and z is required for the class, bingo it is required course material just like a specific textbook or specific brand of watercolors. A general “gee you probably ought to upgrade your viola” is not sufficiently specific.</p>
<p>KAnna, once you are accepted at the schools and then choose one to attend, you can make a special request of the financial aid office to increase your Cost of Attendance package to include the instrument. You may need “proof” that it is required, which your studio prof can assist you with. </p>
<p>However, PLEASE NOTE THAT Once they increase the COA by the estimated cost of the instrument, they may not actually give you any more “funding” for it. What that does is makes your family eligible to ask for the Parent Plus loan for the difference. The interest rate isn’t fabulous for the parent plus loan, but the payback is 10 years and that might be an affordable way for your mom to make a contribution to your study of music. </p>
<p>So, if you’re really stuck, that option should work out for you. You should also note that some music programs will require software such as Finale, and even possibly a macbook, depending on the school. These too can usually be added to the first year COA if documented – but don’t spend anything you don’t need to!</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>
<p>Thanks, kmcmom. This is very helpful, answers a question I have as well. Mostly because of the tax issue. I’ve been reading IRS pubs to try to understand the taxability of scholarships. It’s a bit vague, saying scholarship money used to pay for materials required by all students in your course of study are nontaxable, but not many concrete examples given. Since my D has a music scholarship on top of the non-taxable tuition/fee one, we are wondering how this will impact our taxes. She is an oboist and probably has to buy an English horn once at college. I think that one item will use up the music scholarship the first year. Sounds like if she can get the FAO to increase COA, that should make it OK with IRS.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest you post this question on the music major section of this forum. There are lots of seasoned parents there who encountered this question. </p>
<p>Our kid was also a music major. His scholarship money went directly to the university…we never had money “left over” to buy an instrument. The other question is a “need vs want” question. Your child clearly needs an instrument. Is an upgrade considered essential? Maybe.</p>
<p>Not everything covered by COA is non-taxable, so having it included in COA may make money available, but won’t won’t necessarily make it tax-free. Qualified expenses (those that are tax-free, and used to qualify for the American Opportunity Credit) include tuition, fees, and specifically required books and materials. Most STEM programs require the use of a computer, but the cost of a computer is not a qualified expense for those students either.</p>
<p>CTScoutmom, how do you know the computer is not a qualified expense for STEM? How can I find better info, short of actually calling someone at IRS(agghh,noooo)? I am seriously annoyed that they don’t give better guidelines for this. Is this something someone in financial aid would know?</p>
<p>The computer is not a qualified expense because they don’t actually require the student to purchase a computer - just to have access to one.</p>
<p>Per page 5 of IRS Publication 590 (Tax benefits for education):
</p>
<p>Pretty much anything you might need to know about taxes related to scholarship and education can be found in Pub 590.</p>
<p>I was reading that Pub 590, just didn’t know how to interpret. Well, my D will not have access to an English horn once she finishes youth orchestra end of May. Her prof is strongly suggesting she needs to acquire one once she gets to college. I guess we’ll have to talk over with him whether this constitutes an actual requirement.</p>
<p>Many oboe players do NOT own their own English horns. Some colleges actually have one for use when needed (we know this because we borrowed one for DD before we were able to purchase one for her). DS’s roommate was a music performance major on oboe. She did NOT own her own EH until she was an upperclassman. </p>
<p>Those music parents on the music major forum might have the answer. You might want to post this question there.</p>