Policies

We’re currently in the process of updating all information for the 2025-2026 academic year. The information published below is subject to change between now and August 2026. For the most up-to-date information, please contact the admissions team at admissions@omahacm.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you’ll find answers to some of your common enrollment questions as well as updated policies.

Missed Lessons

Communication with your instructor is key. When students need to miss a scheduled lesson, they are encouraged to reach out to other students in the same studio to swap lesson times or request a virtual lesson. While virtual lessons can look different than a typical lesson, they’re still rich in educational content. If no student can swap or a student cannot make a virtual lesson possible, they are marked absent when they miss the lesson. There is no additional time to make up the lesson. Please notify your Artist-Faculty if you swap lessons. If a student is absent without notification, the teacher will attempt to contact the student. After the second consecutive missed lesson without notice, OCoM reserves the right to dismiss the student, with the date of the second lesson as the official withdrawal date.

We understand that school productions, sports, and academic schedules can create temporary or permanent conflicts with your lesson time. Here’s how to handle each situation:

If you need to miss several lessons in a row due to a theater production or other temporary commitments (Temporary Conflict):

If you anticipate missing multiple weeks due to a short-term commitment—like a theater production, school event, or family travel—and need a temporary new time for your lessons, talk with your teacher first to discuss possible scheduling adjustments. Once you communicate with your teacher and they can accommodate a temporary change:

1. Email the Admissions Team at [admissions@omahacm.org] and CC your teacher.
2. Admissions will confirm the change with your Artist-Faculty member and update your schedule in Opus1.

If you need to make a permanent change to your lesson time or length (permanent change):

Permanent adjustments are absolutely possible at the start of a new school year or when your schedule shifts long-term.

1. Talk to your teacher first to explore available options and agree on a new plan.
2. Once confirmed, email the Admissions Team and CC your teacher to submit the request.
3. Admissions will process the update and confirm the new schedule in Opus1.

Keeping your teacher in the loop from the beginning ensures a smoother scheduling process—and helps us continue supporting your musical progress without interruption. Including admissions ensures that your Opus calendar and billing remain accurate.

Teacher Absences

If an Artist-Faculty member needs to miss a lesson, there are a couple of options. Teachers are allowed to reschedule a limited number of lessons each year. If a reschedule is possible, your teacher will contact you to find a new time. A lesson credit will appear in your Opus1 account, and once the new time is confirmed, the credit will be converted into a scheduled lesson on your calendar. Rescheduled lessons occur within our academic calendar, which runs from early August through late June and is reflected in your Opus1 schedule.

If rescheduling isn’t possible, your teacher may use Paid Time Off (PTO) — an important and intentional part of OCoM’s academic model. PTO allows our Artist-Faculty to tend to personal, family, or professional needs while maintaining the energy and excellence they bring to their teaching. PTO is already built into our tuition and calendar planning. When a teacher’s absence is due to a professional engagement, they will also offer personalized guidance or resources to support your student’s continued progress outside the lesson.

In addition, students receive a Seminar credit in Opus 1, valid for 18 months, which can be redeemed for a Seminar, an enriching, faculty-led group learning experience that complements their private study and connects them to the broader OCoM community. In most cases, families should expect no more than two PTO-related Seminar credits per academic year.

Tardiness

Students who are late may not receive their full lesson time. Instructors will wait for one-third of the scheduled lesson time. Students are asked to do the same if their teacher is late.

Dismissal

The Omaha Conservatory reserves the right to dismiss any student due to frequent absences, disciplinary problems, overdue tuition payments and/or noncompliance with the Omaha Conservatory’s policies.

Withdrawal/Refund Policy

You can request to withdraw at any time. If written notice is received before the 15th of the month, you’re only responsible for that month’s tuition. If notice is given on or after the 15th, you’ll be charged for both the current and following month.

For example: withdraw on April 7, pay April only. Withdraw on April 17, pay April and May.

To withdraw from lessons, follow the process below:

• Email admissions@omahacm.org, and CC your instructor
• The Admissions team will send you a link to a form to fill out indicating your withdrawal

Written notice is required for individual lessons, and verbal or text notifications are not accepted.

You will be charged a $25 withdrawal fee during the academic year outside of enrollment periods.

Why am I paying for lessons I will not receive? (i.e., only receiving one lesson in December, but being charged for the whole month)

OCoM’s tuition operates similarly to a subscription service and is calculated on an annual basis, not per lesson. The total tuition for the academic year is divided into 11 equal monthly payments, meaning you are charged the same amount each month, regardless of the number of lessons in that specific month. This means the last payment for services received occurs after the services themselves. For example, the tuition due in the month of July finishes paying for the lessons received over the school year.

This system not only enables us to maintain the quality and consistency of OCoM’s offerings, but also ensures that our Artist-Faculty can continue to teach and receive benefits such as a steady paycheck and paid time off! When you withdraw, you are responsible for tuition through the end of the current withdrawal period. Suppose you have paid the annual tuition in full. In that case, you will receive a refund for the months following your designated withdrawal period (i.e., if you withdraw on October 6, you will be refunded for November-July’s tuition, but if you withdraw on October 16, you will be refunded for December-July’s tuition).

Please see the FAQ for more information.

Class Withdrawal Policy

To withdraw from classes, a student must email admissions@omahacm.org as well as filling out the Asana form. A $25 withdrawal fee applies. Written notice is required for class withdrawal, and verbal or text notifications are not accepted. A refund will not be issued if withdrawal takes place after the class start date, and class tuition will remain due in full. If the student is on a monthly payment plan, they may choose to continue with the payment plan, or pay the amount in full at time of withdrawal.

Medical Leave

For serious health issues, students can withdraw per policy or continue paying tuition to hold their spot. The withdrawal fee may be waived in cases of hardship. Students may also work with their teacher to develop alternative musical explorations to accommodate an illness or injury (focus on theory or bowings only, only playing the left-hand piano part, etc.).

Recording

For Individual Lessons, Classes, and Coachings

Recording of individual lessons, classes, or coachings by students is prohibited without the consent of the instructor. Occasionally recording lessons or classes (or portions of lessons or classes) facilitates the educational nature of the Omaha Conservatory’s mission. In the event an individual lesson or class will be recorded, the instructor will obtain prior consent from the student if they are over 19. Otherwise, prior consent will be sought from the student’s caregiver.

Emergency School Closings

Change of Lesson Length

To change lesson length, begin by discussing the change with your teacher first. After confirming with them to make sure it fits in their schedule, please contact  admissions@omahacm.org with your teacher CC’d.

Anti-Discrimination Policy

Omaha Conservatory of Music continues its firm commitment to the principle of equal employment opportunity. We provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, age, sex, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited basis of discrimination under applicable local, state, or federal law. We make employment decisions consistent with this principle of equal opportunity. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

Virtual Lessons

To inquire about virtual lessons. contact admissions@omahacm.org.

Location

Set-up for virtual lessons must occur 10 minutes prior to the lesson so students are ready to join at lesson time. Test equipment prior to the first lesson and consult with your teacher as needed. Set-up for your virtual lesson should be in a common area of your house. If you are under 19, you must have your caregiver(s) within the vicinity of your set-up. If you are in your bedroom or other private area of your house, the instructor reserves the right to end the lesson and ask you to call back after an appropriate set-up has been made.

Attire

Please wear clothes that you would normally wear to school or an in-person lesson. Pajamas are not allowed. If a student is in their pajamas or other inappropriate clothing, the instructor has the right to end the lesson and ask the student to log back after they have changed clothing.

Online Etiquette

Be respectful. Be courteous. Be professional. Etiquette expectations for virtual and in-person lessons are the same.

Offensive Group Class Behavior

Offensive behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. Report offensive behavior directly to the instructor via email or by phone. Do not use the message boards in the virtual lesson window for this purpose.

Technology requirements

• Broadband or high-speed connection
• Access to a desktop, laptop, or smart phone with a built-in camera and microphone — headphones are suggested for clean audio reception.
• If on desktop or laptop, a browser such as Firefox or Chrome that will work with Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. (See Zoom’s web client recommendations here)
• In the event the Omaha Conservatory’s technology prevents a lesson from occurring, your instructor will reschedule the lesson. In the event the student’s technology is not functional, the lesson will follow the Omaha Conservatory’s make-up policy.

Recording

Students are strictly prohibited from recording individual lessons. Instructors cannot record a session without consent of the student (if over 19) or their caregiver. Occasionally, recording individual lessons and classes facilitates the educational nature of our mission. By participating in a group class, you have the option to turn off your video if you do not wish to be recorded. Sharing course content with others or publishing it is strictly prohibited. Should you share your course content with another person, your access to the lesson and all its material may be immediately revoked.

Photo Release

You grant and give to Omaha Conservatory of Music [“OCoM”] the absolute and irrevocable right and permission with respect to the photographs and video footage that OCoM or its agents or employees have taken or will take of you or my child in which he/she may be included with others during virtual lessons. You waive all rights you or your child may have to such photographs and video footage. The Omaha Conservatory will not use the student’s full name in relation to any video or photographs obtained during lessons or classes. You understand and acknowledge that since your child’s participation is completely voluntary, neither you nor your child will receive any financial compensation or remuneration for OCoM’s use of the photographs or video footage. You hereby relinquish any right that you or your minor child may have to examine or approve the completed product or products or the promotional copy or printed matter that may be used in conjunction therewith or the use to which it may be applied.