Tuition & Refund Policies

A $50.00 refundable deposit reserves the lesson; it is returned to you afterwards, or may be applied as credit towards a lesson package. Please give the office at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule: a trial lesson cancelled with less notice, or missed, forfeits the deposit.

Full tuition, together with a nonrefundable annual registration fee of $80.00 per student, is due at the time of registration. The registration fee applies to all packages and covers lesson books and supplies. Payment may be made by cash, credit card, check, or Zelle.

Current packages and rates are on our Admissions & Tuition page.

• Annual registration ($80). Per student, non-refundable, and applies to all packages. Covers lesson books and supplies.
• Concert fee ($75). Per student, for participation in NYCM concerts during the school year. Performances at major venues such as Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center may carry an additional performance fee.
• Refer a friend (5%). Receive a 5% discount on your next lesson package once your referred friend signs up.
• Sibling discount (5%). Families with more than one child enrolled at NYCM receive a 5% sibling discount on lesson packages.

Every lesson package requires at least one lesson per week. Students who want to move faster can take two lessons a week: a 16-lesson package then finishes in 8 weeks, an 8-lesson package in 4 weeks, and so on. Lessons every other week are not available on packages because they are too hard to schedule; biweekly requests can be booked as drop-in lessons only.

Package lessons are held weekly at a regular day and time mutually agreed upon at enrollment. Time changes are subject to faculty availability and confirmation.

Cancellations and time-change requests must be communicated to the office at least 24 hours before the next scheduled lesson. Late cancellations, late time-change requests, and no-shows result in forfeiture of the affected lesson.

Lesson freeze: for a break of more than one week, you may freeze your remaining lessons for a $50 fee per freeze. Let the office know at least 24 hours before your next lesson; with less notice, that week's lesson is forfeited. Frozen lessons remain available for one year from the start of the freeze, after which unused lessons are forfeited. Your weekly lesson time is released when the freeze begins; when you return, the office will help you find a new time, which depends on teacher availability. A single missed lesson is not a freeze; it falls under the make-up policy. It applies to all lesson packages, including the Semester package, but not to drop-in lessons. Effective November 9, 2026.

To withdraw from the school, a student must give written notification of withdrawal and a request for refund to the office at least seven working days prior to the withdrawal. Telling the teacher does not count as notice.

• There are no refunds of the registration fee.
• There is a returned-check fee of $30.00.
• There is no late fee, but if your balance is not received one week before your lesson package ends, your time slot may be given to another student.
• If lessons are placed on hold for any reason they must be completed within the year. There are no exceptions.

• The 16-week package, the Semester package, and the New Student Promotion include 2 make-up lessons; the 8-week package includes 1. Drop-in lessons are not made up.
• Make-up lessons require at least 24 hours’ notice to the office and must be completed before the last scheduled lesson of your package. If limited availability means we cannot schedule a make-up before then, the office will make an exception.
• Late cancellations and no-shows are not eligible for make-ups.
• Instructor cancellations are always rescheduled. If the instructor’s schedule does not permit a make-up, the office will work with you to find a suitable solution.
• Teachers are occasionally sick or away. When that happens, a substitute may teach your lesson.

Tuition, fees, and deposits paid on this website are processed securely by Stripe. Refunds approved under the policies above are returned to the original payment method; your bank may take several business days to show them. Questions about a charge? Contact the office at office@nyconservatoryofmusic.org or 212-717-9590.

The New York Conservatory of Music is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donations are not refundable, except that if a gift was made in error, such as a mistaken amount or a duplicate charge, we will correct it when you let us know promptly.

Monthly gifts continue until you cancel them. To cancel or change a monthly gift, contact the office at office@nyconservatoryofmusic.org or 212-717-9590; cancellation stops future gifts.

For anything about tuition, refunds, or your account, contact the office at office@nyconservatoryofmusic.org or 212-717-9590. Our privacy policy explains how we handle the information you share with us.