Community Youth Scholarship Program
PBT is committed to increasing equity, access and opportunity in the art of ballet. We strive to make PBT, PBT School and the art form more widely accessible to students and their families throughout the Pittsburgh region. Our Community Youth Scholarship program is need-based, supporting training at PBT School for talented young students who demonstrate financial eligibility. The program awards scholarships at an annual audition.
Join us for PBT School’s Community Youth Scholarship Audition!
Friday, May 2, 2025, 6 – 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Studios | Byham Center for Dance
2900 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Deadline to register: Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School invites children ages 7 – 9 to audition for full scholarships for the 2025 – 2026 school year! Students must be 7 – 9 years old as of Sept. 1, 2025.
Audition Process: The audition is a fun, age-appropriate dance class. From the audition, 15 students will be selected by a panel of ballet educators to participate in a PBT School Summer Workshop, June 9 – 12, 2025, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. The 15 selected students must be available to attend the Workshop. After the Workshop, seven students will then be selected to receive Community Youth Scholarship (CYS) scholarships for the 2025 – 2026 school year.
Audition Attire: Fitted, athletic clothing is recommended, such as a leotard and tights, or opaque leggings and a t-shirt. Socks or ballet shoes are recommended. (No outside shoes or bare feet is permitted.) Hair should be secured away from the face. Click here for PBT School’s Hair Guidelines and Tutorial.
Financial Eligibility: Family income should not exceed the income limits below. The limits listed are based the income levels for reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, plus 35%.
CYS Scholarship Income Level Eligibility for 2025/2026
| Household Size | Income Limit (Adjusted Gross Income on IRS Form 1040) |
| 2 | $52,822 |
| 3 | $66,559 |
| 4 | $80,292 |
| 5 | $94,031 |
| 6 | $107,767 |
| 7 | $121,504 |
| 8 | $135,240 |
Confirmation of Financial Eligibility
Caregivers must provide proof of income eligibility. Acceptable documentation includes:
- Federal income tax return for 2024 showing the student as a dependent (pages 1 and 2 only).
- Or confirmation of eligibility for one of the following:
- Section 8 Housing
- WIC
- SNAP
- Medical Assistance from PA
- Cash Assistance from PA
- Assistance from LIHEAP 1 or 2
- Refugee/Immigrant Assistance
- Eligibility for free and reduced price meals at your child’s school (does not apply to Pittsburgh Public Schools)
For more information, please contact education@pittsburghballet.org or 412-454-9109.
Make a Difference
Established in 2013 by the PBT Education team and PBT School, the Community Youth Scholarship program works to expose children to dance at an early age by providing need-based scholarships for young students with talent and drive. Scholarships focus on students from ages 7 to 9 – a pivotal stage to begin ballet training. PBT has awarded 86 scholarships to young dancers since the program’s inception.
Each scholarship covers year-round tuition, including summer training, as well as clothing, pointe shoes and any other costs incurred at PBT School.
This program is made possible by a founding endowment fund from the Ladies Hospital Aid Society, among others, and by many individual donors who value the power of dance to enrich the lives of children. If you’re inspired to support this important cause, please visit us at the link below to make a difference today.