Career Transition For Dancers (CTFD) at the Entertainment Community Fund supports dancers who are expanding their professional platform to include additional streams of income and/or new careers.
CTFD’s Undergraduate Scholarship supports current and former dancers in pursuit of an undergraduate degree. Scholarships of up to $2,000 will be awarded to eligible applicants for their college tuition.
2026 Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Have a dance performance career spanning a minimum of five years within the last 15 years. Years need not be consecutive. Teaching experience does not apply.
- Demonstrate 70 weeks or more of paid dance employment. For non‐citizens, please provide 70 weeks of work in the U.S.
- Document total minimum gross earnings of $40,000.
- Submit a completed application with the required documentation.
Application Process
To apply for the CTFD Undergraduate Scholarship, please set aside enough dedicated time to go through the full application process below:
- Step 1: Attend an Orientation by the 1st of the month.
- A CTFD Orientation is offered on the first Wednesday of each month and is designed to share more detailed information about career counseling and scholarships specifically for dancers.
- If you are unable to attend the CTFD Orientation, you may alternatively attend The Career Center Orientation, offered on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the month.
- Step 2: Complete a Career Counselor Consultation by the 8th of the month.
- Schedule a career counselor consultation to discuss your career and education goals. A consultation must be completed prior to submitting your application and the required documentation for it to be considered.
- Step 3: Submit Complete Application with Required Materials by the 15th of the month.
- Only after your Career Counselor Consultation, submit your complete scholarship application and all required documentation by the application deadline.
Application Deadlines
June 15 and October 15
Required Documentation
- Proof of dance performance work is required to ensure a complete application. Submit all documents needed to verify five years of dance performance experience and demonstrate $40,000 in gross earnings/70 weeks of employment. Acceptable forms of documentation are:
- W-2/1099 forms
- Copies of contracts
- Union pension statements
- A statement on employer’s letterhead verifying years of employment, number of weeks worked and average compensation per week or year
- Submit your most recent performance resume
- Upload program information and tuition costs
- Submit the first page of your most recent checking and savings bank statements, including balance totals (cover account numbers)
Scholarship Processing Timeline
- Application Acceptance Windows: April 15–June 15 and August 15–October 15
- Award Announcements: Notifications go out 4–5 weeks after the application deadline
- Scholarship Checks: Mailed once required verification of mailing address is complete
- Payment to School: Must be provided by scholarship recipient within 60 days from the check processing date
To learn more, attend a CTFD Orientation or a weekly Career Center Orientation.
Get in touch:
No matter where you live in the U.S., we’re here to help. Get in touch with your nearest regional office at:
Eastern Region
212.221.7300 ext. 259
careercentereast@entertainmentcommunity.org
Central Region
312.880.1536
careercentercentral@entertainmentcommunity.org
Western Region
323.933.9244 ext. 450
careercenterwest@entertainmentcommunity.org