<p>If you are not on scholarship or financial aid of any kind, do colleges have any prohibition against one performing in a band at various gigs while attending school? If it doesn’t get in the way of your grades or schoolwork, do you even have to disclose you are performing occasionally and getting paid for it? As a hypothetical, would it be a problem to perform a couple times a month, assuming your band is making low to mid four figures per performance.</p>
<p>Performing in a band is just like any other employment that you have during college. You have to report your earnings on your FAFSA report. But otherwise, have a great time. It’s nice to have a job that is so much fun.</p>
<p>Agree with megpmom. I’m wondering why you even are worried about this? Even if a student is on scholarship or financial aid, no reason s/he cannot make money in a part time job, or selling things on eBay or whatever.</p>
<p>That is quite different from an amateur athlete in competition, who cannot make $$ - playing that sport - and still be an amateur.</p>
<p>Why not? It is just like any other job. Obviously, you would have to report the income on your fafsa the following year. Other than that, why else would your school even need to know?</p>
<p>I don’t see any reason why this would be treated any differently than any other job a student might hold. Go for it and enjoy. If you are a music major at some schools, your gigs may actually start adding up to a significant amount. One of my D’s friends is at a school famous for their ensemble-class based groups. He has traveled the world and made enough to have no loans based on tours with his school group. This, however, is very rare.
OTOH, a student getting need-based absolutely needs to report all income.</p>
<p>ETA - Wow, a Mom-quartet!</p>
<p>You also need to report the income on your taxes. Agreed with others…it’s like any other job but is sounds like it’s one you would really enjoy.</p>
<p>The only comparison is if you’re a student athlete, you can’t get paid for your sport. Anything else is fair game.</p>
<p>And if you are an English major, you can sell your book to publisher. :)</p>
<p>Well, if you are a student at Bob Jones University, and the band is Warriors of Satan, there could be a problem.</p>
<p>I assume that part of the issue here is that the band is getting paid low four figures in crumpled small-denomination bills, and that these payments would not otherwise show up on 1099s or tax returns. Nevertheless, the answers above are correct: it goes on the 1040s, and it goes on the FAFSA. Good news: I don’t think you have to report drinks or food you get at the gigs.</p>