Music is the most accessible gateway to Judaism, and cantors bring Jewish communities together through prayer. That’s why at JTS we invest in you as you prepare for a life of sacred service as a cantor and why we commit to ensuring that qualified candidates can successfully attend JTS from a place of financial stability.

All prospective students are encouraged to apply for financial aid.

Making an Outstanding Education Affordable

JTS’s record of financial support is excellent, with generous aid packages that include grants, loans, and fellowships. This support, combined with our successful record of professional placement upon investiture, ensures that students can enroll feeling financially secure.

  • The average financial aid award to H. L. Miller Cantorial School students is $31,098

Aid for First- and Second-Year Students

JTS provides incoming cantorial students with $10,000 per year in supplemental support for each of their first two years—three semesters at JTS in New York and a fourth semester in Israel. This stipend will be provided on top of our existing need-based financial aid, which JTS sustains during the three to five years of cantorial training. 

Need-Based Aid: Grants and Loans

Financial aid is awarded based on an applicant’s demonstrated need, established by means of the FAFSA form (JTS Code 002740) and other documentation for American citizens, and by other means for international applicants. The Office of Financial Aid works with applicants individually to make this process as transparent and efficient as possible.

Students who qualify for financial aid receive a package that—depending on circumstances—may include a generous tuition grant and authorization for federal loans. The JTS Financial Aid Office will help you determine your appropriate debt level, and will facilitate all loan applications for you.

Our financial aid office is always available to talk through the intersection of merit-based fellowships and need-based financial aid.

The deadline for financial aid applications is March 1.

Merit Fellowships for Entering Students

We encourage all eligible applicants to apply separately for the Nachshon Project Graduate Fellowship “Launchpad” track. Applications are due by March 1 of the admissions season that you are applying in. Please note: The Nachshon Project Graduate Fellowship Launchpad Track offers a second pipeline to the Nachshon Project Graduate Fellowship for those who did not participate in the Nachshon Project undergraduate fellowship.

Undergraduates considering future graduate level Jewish study should consider the Nachshon Project Fellowship by their junior year. The fellowship includes study and training at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and eligibility for generous graduate fellowships.

We also encourage all applicants to apply separately for the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. Students may apply prior to, and during, the first year of study. Please Note: The Wexner Graduate Fellowship is not currently accepting applications for the 2023-2024 academic year.

 

Additional Merit Fellowships

H. L. Miller Cantorial School’s Office of the Dean awards individual students merit fellowships based on recipients’ academic promise and achievement. Some merit fellowships provide additional financial support toward cantorial studies, and others secure a student’s place in a specific training program with distinct internships and mentoring. For example:

  • The Bernstein Israel Study Fellowship supports students during their semester of study in Israel.
  • The Paul Kaplan Fellowship supports students during their training in Clinical Pastoral Education.
  • The Shapiro Fellowship augments the pay of students working at Camp Ramah.

Opportunities for Employment

JTS cantorial students are highly sought after for pulpit work in the New York region and beyond. JTS maintains a student placement service that helps cantorial students find annual and seasonal work. 

Additional Support for International Students

JTS has a limited number of fellowships for international students. Some fellowships are available to international students on a highly competitive basis through the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. 

More Information

For more information about these opportunities, please contact the Admissions Office at csadmissions@jtsa.edu. You can find detailed information about financial aid at JTS and applying for aid as a cantorial student on the Financial Aid page.