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Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

For students in the Bienen School of Music, the academic year runs from the Fall quarter through the Spring quarter. The Spring 2024 quarter is the last term of the 2023-2024 academic year. The Fall 2024 quarter is the first term of the 2024-2025 academic year.

 Your Cost of Attendance for the 2023-2024 academic year is the total of your direct and indirect costs as listed below. To determine your tuition cost, add the quarterly tuition rates for the enrollment category or for the number of credits/units you will be taking in each term. Add the fees. Then add the total indirect cost for the number of terms you will be enrolled.

*The U.S. Dept. of Education deducts origination fees from each federal student loan disbursement. These amounts represent the average quarterly loan fees for DMA students . Your actual loan fees will be based on the specific loan amount you borrow.
Direct (Fixed) Costs

These costs are set by the University and will appear on your  your Northwestern University Customer Account in CAESAR. IMPORTANT: All students must maintain health insurance that meets the University’s standards. You will have the opportunity to waive the Northwestern University Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP) via CAESAR if you have other comparable coverage. Students enrolled in the Fall quarter will be billed for the annual premium amount ($5,144) in the Fall term (for coverage from Sept 1 through Aug 31). Students admitted in subsequent terms will be charged a pro-rated premium amount based on the number of quarters of coverage remaining.

Tuition/Fees Fall 2023 Winter 2024 Spring 2024

Single credit/unit

$6,850 $6,850 $6,850

2 credits/units

$13,700 $13,700 $13,700

3 - 5 credits/units

$19,254 $19,254 $19,254

507/508/509 - Music - Continuing 7th quarter after initial registration

$220 $220 $220

510/511/512 - Music - Continuing 10th quarter after initial registration

$220 $220 $220

513/514/515 - Music - Continuing 13th quarter after initial registration

$275 $275 $275

516/517/518 - Music - Continuing 16th quarter after initial registration

$360 $360 $360

519/520/521 - Music - Continuing 19th quarter after initial registration

$474 $474 $474

Health Services Fee

$266 $266 $266
Indirect (Variable) Costs

These estimated costs are based on averages for each of the categories as determined by surveys completed by students in your program. These expenses are not billed on your Northwestern University Customer Account but can be used to help you budget your living expenses for the year. 

Category  Cost for 1 quarter Cost for 2 quarters Cost for 3 quarters
Housing & Food $5,000 $10,000 $15,000
Books $125 $250 $375
Personal Expenses $1,650 $3,300 $4,950
Transportation $625 $1,250 $1,875
Loan Fees* $318 $636 $954
Total Indirect Costs $7,718 $15,436 $23,154

 Your Cost of Attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year is the total of your direct and indirect costs as listed below. To determine your tuition cost, add the quarterly tuition rates for the enrollment category or for the number of credits/units you will be taking in each term. Add the fees. Then add the total indirect cost for the number of terms you will be enrolled.

*The U.S. Dept. of Education deducts origination fees from each federal student loan disbursement. These amounts represent the average quarterly loan fees for DMA students . Your actual loan fees will be based on the specific loan amount you borrow.
Direct (Fixed) Costs

These costs are set by the University and will appear on your  your Northwestern University Customer Account in CAESAR. IMPORTANT: All students must maintain health insurance that meets the University’s standards. You will have the opportunity to waive the Northwestern University Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP) via CAESAR if you have other comparable coverage. Students enrolled in the Fall quarter will be billed for the annual premium amount ($5,571) in the Fall term (for coverage from Sept 1 through Aug 31). Students admitted in subsequent terms will be charged a pro-rated premium amount based on the number of quarters of coverage remaining.

Tuition/Fees Fall 2024 Winter 2025 Spring 2025

Single credit/unit

$6,850 $6,850 $6,850

2 credits/units

$13,700 $13,700 $13,700

3 - 5 credits/units

$19,254 $19,254 $19,254

507/508/509 - Music - Continuing 7th quarter after initial registration

$232 $232 $232

510/511/512 - Music - Continuing 10th quarter after initial registration

$232 $232 $232

513/514/515 - Music - Continuing 13th quarter after initial registration

$288 $288 $288

516/517/518 - Music - Continuing 16th quarter after initial registration

$378 $378 $378

519/520/521 - Music - Continuing 19th quarter after initial registration

$498 $498 $498

Health Services Fee

$276 $276 $276
Indirect (Variable) Costs

These expenses are not billed on your Northwestern University Customer Account but can be used to help you budget your living expenses for the year. 

Category  Cost for 1 quarter Cost for 2 quarters Cost for 3 quarters
Housing & Food $7,050 $14,100 $21,150
Books $200 $400 $600
Personal Expenses $900 $1,800 $2,700
Transportation $516 $1,032 $1,548
Loan Fees* $312 $624 $936
Total Indirect Costs $8,978 $17,956 $26,934