Scholarships

FSYO has a strong commitment to the community, and we will never refuse a student the opportunity to participate because of an inability to pay the Membership Tuition. No qualifying student will be turned away from FSYO because of financial capacity. FSYO fundraises to provide Tuition Financial Aid for musicians whose families demonstrate need. Financial Aid is not available for the Audition Payment, Concert Tickets, or cost of Uniform.

Below are a list of possible scholarship opportunities:

Regular Tuition Scholarships

Upon acceptance to an FSYO ensemble all members will need to submit their Letter of Intent along with a $100 Seat Deposit. Once a member has accepted their seat, they may complete a Scholarship Application.

Regular tuition scholarship applications are due September 15th, and scholarship award notifications will be released by the end of October. Before any application is reviewed, the member must have submited the $100 Seat Deposit along with their signed Letter of Intent accepting their seat in the 69th Season on file with FSYO.
Ursula Oyler Sunshine Endowment Scholarship

About: Ursula Sonnenschein was born in Germany in 1928 and demonstrated a remarkable talent for music from a young age. However, due to the Second World War, her musical education faced interruptions. She was able to resume her studies later in life after marrying Melvin Oyler and relocating to the United States. Upon her retirement, Ursula began offering piano lessons to children and adults in her community. In honor of her dedication to music and education, the Ursula Oyler Sunshine Endowment was established with the Central Florida Foundation. This endowment is committed to supporting music programs that benefit underprivileged children and young adults, continuing Ursula’s legacy of uplifting the next generation through music.

In partnership with FSYO, the Ursula Oyler Sunshine Endowment has created an annual scholarship program that provides qualified members who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to music the opportunity to participate in FSYO, even when they may otherwise face challenges in doing so. Recipients of this scholarship will receive funding that covers 100% of all costs related to FSYO's regular season membership including Seat Deposit, tuition, and Outdoor concert Polo.

Eligibility: Members who wish to be considered must audition and be accepted into an FSYO ensemble, as well as complete the scholarship application. This application requires a brief video essay wherein the student discusses their musical background and the significance of the scholarship to them. Additionally, pertinent financial information will need to be submitted to assess financial need.

Before an application is reviewed, the member must have submitted their $100 Seat Deposit along with their signed Letter of Intent accepting their seat in the 69th Season.

Application: Applications are due by August 18, 2025 with selected students announced the week of September 2, 2025.

To view the audition requirements and register for an audition, please click HERE.

After decisions are released, any Audition Payment or Seat Deposit that has already been paid will be reimbursed.

The scholarship application can be found here: Ursuala Oyler Sunshine Scholarship.