Sony Audio Institute Launches Scholarships for Graduate Students

Established through a strategic partnership between NYU Steinhardt and Sony, the Sony Audio Institute (SAI) has a scholarship program to help support graduate students at Steinhardt who are interested in careers or research in the audio industry.

Awarded based on a combination of financial need and academic merit, the Sony Audio Institute Scholarship is open to master’s and advanced certificate students in NYU Steinhardt’s Music Business and Music Technology programs. Designated as SAI Scholars, awardees will be given between $5,000 and $10,000 for the following semester; in addition to the funding, they will also be invited to participate in the SAI Student Think Tank to gain early insight into Sony’s development of new initiatives, events, and products and services.

“The Sony Audio Institute is intended to extend and deepen what we at NYU Steinhardt already do in these two long-standing, best-in-class academic programs,” says Larry S. Miller, clinical professor of music business and executive director of the Sony Audio Institute. “Through the scholarship, Sony seeks to not only support the next generation of audio industry professionals, but also to leverage and learn from the community of music creators, music businesspeople, and music technologists that we uniquely have here at NYU.”

“The Sony Audio Institute was created to bridge education and industry, and we are honored to support NYU Steinhardt students who bring passion and vision to the field,” says Jordy Freed, head of brand, business development and strategy for Sony Corporation of America. “Innovation begins with investing in people, and this scholarship will help open doors for students who will help to shape the future of sound and music creation.”

Launched earlier this year, the Sony Audio Institute serves as a premier hub for bridging academic study with real-world music industry experience. Located at NYU’s Brooklyn campus, the studio features student-driven programming that integrates workshops, internships, and special events, fostering meaningful engagement between education and professional practice.

In the future, the Sony Audio Institute also plans to make these scholarships available to undergraduates as well.

“We are thrilled to launch this new scholarship program, which opens exciting new doors for graduate students passionate about shaping the future of the audio industry,” says Jack H. Knott, Gale and Ira Drukier Dean at NYU Steinhardt. “At NYU Steinhardt and at Sony, innovation and creativity are in our collective DNA—and this partnership reflects our deep commitment to supporting the next generation of audio pioneers.”

Applications for the first cohort of SAI Scholars are open through October 1, 2025, for awards to be used in the Spring 2026 semester. Learn more about the SAI Scholarship and apply today.