Resources
Fine Arts Fees (FAF) Grants
Any College of Fine Arts' student group that is registered with ASUU may apply for funding from the Fine Arts Fees Grants Funding Committee for noncredit activities that 1) enhance student learning and/or 2) enhance the student experience for the larger University community and/or 3) create or host fine arts events on campus and in the greater Salt Lake City area. Projects must originate in the College of Fine Arts, be advised by a College of Fine Arts faculty member and the department chair or director, and may involve students from other colleges.
CFA Dean’s Fund for Excellence: Rolling Deadline
DESCRIPTION
The Dean will provide Fund for Excellence Awards on a first-come-first-served basis for projects that illustrate work of particularly high quality, as measured by the criteria listed below. Although the funds are primarily intended for student projects, in certain circumstances particularly worthy faculty projects that benefit students may also be considered. All proposed projects should illustrate extraordinary learning and/or research activities. The Fund for Excellence is supported entirely by contributions from generous donors to the College of Fine Arts.
CRITERIA
Financial Matters
- In order to receive a Fund for Excellence Award, other College funds must not be available for the project (e.g., FAF, grad travel).
- Fund for Excellence Awards are not meant to replace what should be covered in the department's/school's base budget.
- The relevant department/school must provide some funding for the project.
The High Caliber of Fund For Excellence Projects
- A Fund for Excellence Award is an indicator of the high caliber of the CFA, as measured by our disciplines. Evidence of high caliber includes, but is not limited to:
- National/international dissemination and impact
- Top-tier location/venue
- A Fund for Excellence Award will be an activity we can report to campus and our disciplines to illustrate the excellence of CFA students
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications will be accepted at any time, but please keep in mind that:
- A Fund for Excellence application must be made well in advance of the event
- A truly excellent opportunity generally will not be "last minute"
- The Dean will review Fund for Excellence applications approximately once a month
A Fund for Excellence application must include a clear, detailed, and complete budget and a statement of support from your Chair/Director.
CFA Individual Student Travel Grants: Rolling Deadline
This travel fund is to support Individual Undergraduate or Graduate Students' travel to present or perform their scholarly or creative research at national or international venues. There is a limit of $750 International/$500 National per academic year for each applicant.
This fund is available on a first-come, first-served basis and will close once the funds are exhausted in this academic year - July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Travel Fund requests for the next academic year (travel after July 1, 2027) will not be accepted until June 1, 2027.
All international travel fund requests must be received by the Dean’s office at least 4 weeks prior to the trip departure date. All non-international travel fund requests must be received by the Dean's office at least 3 week prior to the trip departure date.
Please e-mail a completed application form to Associate Dean Lien Shen and be sure to include a copy of the formal invitation to present or a link to the conference/presenting organization's website listing you as a presenter/performer or be sure to include a paragraph from your department chair, school director, or faculty advisor explaining why this presentation/performance is important to your graduate career and/or education.
Please direct any questions about the Individual Student Travel Grants to CFA Dean's Office Administrative Assistant at
Please note that the Dean's Office Graduate Student Travel Fund is not available for opportunities that could be funded by the CFA FAF Grants.
Individual Student Travel Fund Application 2026-27 (FILLABLE) updated 7/22/26
Undergraduate scholarships
Scholarships are offered at the department-, college-, and university-levels to help fund your education. To be eligible for any scholarship, you must first be an admitted student to the University. The five academic units in the College of Fine Arts offer more than 120 scholarships each year collectively. Learn more about the scholarship opportunities in your area of study: Department of Art & Art History, School of Dance, Department of Film & Media Arts, School of Music, or Department of Theatre. Learn more about University of Utah Scholarships here.
The College of Fine Arts also awards scholarships. All CFA scholarship applications for the 2027-28 academic year will open on December 1, 2026. Recipients of each scholarship are typically notified in May. Please find the online application and deadline for each CFA scholarship below.
Graduate funding opportunities
CFA Graduate Research Grant (Academic Year 2025-2026): Fall Cycle: November 15, 2025; Spring Cycle: February 15, 2026
The College of Fine Arts Graduate Student Research (GSR) Grant is awarded on a competitive basis with the intent to support significant research (both scholarly and creative projects) across the CFA. This program will provide graduate students with individual grants up to $2,000 to support research projects. Proposals are evaluated on their significance, soundness, and merits. Proposals will also be considered in light of the student’s standing in their home department/school and the project’s impact on the student’s success in their graduate studies. Click here to be taken to the CFA Graduate Research Grant Application.
CFA Individual Student Travel Grants: Rolling Deadline
This travel fund is to support Individual Undergraduate or Graduate Students' travel to present or perform their scholarly or creative research at national or international venues. There is a limit of $750 International/$500 National per academic year for each applicant.
This fund is available on a first-come, first-served basis and will close once the funds are exhausted in this academic year - July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Travel Fund requests for the next academic year (travel after July 1, 2027) will not be accepted until June 1, 2027.
All international travel fund requests must be received by the Dean’s office at least 4 weeks prior to the trip departure date. All non-international travel fund requests must be received by the Dean's office at least 3 week prior to the trip departure date.
Please e-mail a completed application form to Associate Dean Lien Shen and be sure to include a copy of the formal invitation to present or a link to the conference/presenting organization's website listing you as a presenter/performer or be sure to include a paragraph from your department chair, school director, or faculty advisor explaining why this presentation/performance is important to your graduate career and/or education.
Please direct any questions about the Individual Student Travel Grants to CFA Dean's Office Administrative Assistant at
Please note that the Dean's Office Graduate Student Travel Fund is not available for opportunities that could be funded by the CFA FAF Grants.
Individual Student Travel Fund Application 2026-27 (FILLABLE) updated 7/22/26
CFA Dean’s Fund for Excellence: Rolling Deadline
DESCRIPTION
The Dean will provide Fund for Excellence Awards on a first-come-first-served basis for projects that illustrate work of particularly high quality, as measured by the criteria listed below. Although the funds are primarily intended for student projects, in certain circumstances particularly worthy faculty projects that benefit students may also be considered. All proposed projects should illustrate extraordinary learning and/or research activities. The Fund for Excellence is supported entirely by contributions from generous donors to the College of Fine Arts.
CRITERIA
Financial Matters
- In order to receive a Fund for Excellence Award, other College funds must not be available for the project (e.g., FAF, grad travel).
- Fund for Excellence Awards are not meant to replace what should be covered in the department's/school's base budget.
- The relevant department/school must provide some funding for the project.
The High Caliber of Fund For Excellence Projects
- A Fund for Excellence Award is an indicator of the high caliber of the CFA, as measured by our disciplines. Evidence of high caliber includes, but is not limited to:
- National/international dissemination and impact
- Top-tier location/venue
- A Fund for Excellence Award will be an activity we can report to campus and our disciplines to illustrate the excellence of CFA students
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications will be accepted at any time, but please keep in mind that:
- A Fund for Excellence application must be made well in advance of the event
- A truly excellent opportunity generally will not be "last minute"
- The Dean will review Fund for Excellence applications approximately once a month
A Fund for Excellence application must include a clear, detailed, and complete budget and a statement of support from your Chair/Director.
Endowed Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program Teaching Assistant: Due April 1
The Endowed Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program (BTSALP) Teaching Assistant (TA) is a fully funded assistantship granted to one outstanding graduate student in the CFA who is passionate about furthering the field of arts education both in research and in practice. Applicants do not need to be pursuing an arts teaching graduate degree in the CFA to be considered, but they must provide strong evidence of school or community-based pedagogical experience working with young people in grades K-12.
Apply here: BTSALP TA Application
University Graduate Fellowships
The university offers several fellowship opportunities. Click here to access the Graduate School website for additional information.