The Medici Scholars Program is funded by generous gifts to the College of Fine Arts from members of the Medici Circle to support talented young artists and scholars who show outstanding academic and artistic potential in their areas of study. 

The program also creates opportunities for interaction between students and the community of arts patrons –distinctive point of difference for our donors and our students. Each of our four Schools select their Medici Scholar award recipients.

Medici Scholar funds are awarded at the end of spring semester. The entire application process is completed online and requires approval of a faculty mentor. The award process is competitive and funds are limited.

Project Guidelines

Submit a project that would further training/education in your discipline.

Examples of projects the program won’t support

• Private lessons or study with a University of Arizona faculty member.
• Purchase of supplies or instruments needed for normal course work.
• Anything related to job searches (i.e., head shots, resumes, travel for interviews, etc.).

Qualifications and requirements

• To qualify for this program you must submit the summer project in which you intend to participate, and be a student returning for the Fall of 2026 semester.
• Medici Scholar awards are funded by gifts from members of the Medici Circle who choose to support a student in their areas of interest. Communication with the donor about the progress of your project is a critical and required component of this program.
• All applications must be approved electronically by a faculty mentor before they will be submitted to your School scholarship or administrative office.
• Any later changes to a student’s approved project must be submitted in writing to the Scholarship office of your School to authorize the change.
• Students must pay all encumbrances (i.e., fees, fines, etc.) to the UA before receiving the award money by May 8, 2026
• Note – It is strongly recommended that students apply for, and include information about, a second summer program option if not yet accepted to the chosen project at the time of application. This should be incorporated into a single application as an alternate project pending acceptance to the program(s).

Online Application Process

1. Your entire project will be submitted via the CFA Console. The application requires your acceptance of a number of conditions of the award, and the upload of three required documents:
   • Project Description
   • Detailed project budget estimate
   • Resume
2. You will receive an email confirmation, which you should save.
3. Application will be sent electronically to faculty mentor for review and approval – or, denial with feedback to allow for improvement and resubmittal of the application. As noted above, it is recommended that the student:
   • work with the faculty mentor before submitting the application
   • submit a week or more before the deadline to allow time to revise and resubmit if needed
4. Students must submit completed application online by 11:59 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2026. The portal will close at this time – no exceptions.

More Information