Taylor Swift did not attend college or earn a traditional master’s degree. However, she reportedly paid $360 million to reclaim the master recordings of her first six albums (per Billboard). Swift began high school at Hendersonville High School in Tennessee, then transferred to Aaron Academy to complete her education via homeschooling. This allowed her to balance school with her music career. She graduated one year early. Swift said in a speech (via Women’s Health Magazine):
I never got to have the normal college experience, per se. I went to public high school until tenth grade and finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals.
While she did not pursue a formal college education, Swift received an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from New York University (NYU) in 2022.
In terms of her master recordings, Swift acquired ownership from Shamrock Capital, which had bought them from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in 2020. According to Billboard, the Blank Space hitmaker purchased them for approximately $360 million, a figure “relatively close” to what Shamrock originally paid.
“I’ve been bursting into tears of joy at random intervals ever since I found out that this is really happening,” Swift told fans in an open letter. “All of the music I’ve ever made… now belongs to me.”
Everything To Know About Taylor Swift’s Honorary Doctorate Degree From NYU
In May 2022, Taylor Swift received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from New York University. This honorary doctorate was presented at NYU’s commencement ceremony held at Yankee Stadium, where Swift also delivered the graduation speech. Swift joked during her speech (via Women’s Health Magazine):
I’m 90% sure that the reason I’m here is because I have a song called ‘22.
She continued:
I’d like to thank NYU for making me technically, on paper at least, a doctor. Not the type of doctor you would want around in the event of an emergency.
An honorary degree is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to a field or society, without fulfilling traditional academic requirements. Swift did not study at NYU or attend any college classes. The degree is a symbolic recognition of her accomplishments in the arts.
Joe Alwyn, her partner at the time, called the recognition “an incredible honor” in an interview with Extra.
Why Taylor Swift Got an Honorary Doctorate and What She Said About It
NYU had been closely engaged with Taylor Swift’s work even before the honorary doctorate. In early 2022, the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music launched a course centered on Swift’s music, songwriting, and business strategy (see Forbes). The course also explored themes such as gender, race, and fandom in the music industry.
In its official press release, NYU described Swift as:
An 11-time Grammy winner, Ms. Swift is one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation. She is the only female artist in history to win the music industry’s highest honor, the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, three times.
The university highlighted her accolades. During her speech, Swift emphasized the importance of community and support systems (via Women’s Health Magazine):
Not a single one of us here today has done it alone… We are each a patchwork quilt of those who have loved us, those who have believed in our futures, those who showed us empathy and kindness or told us the truth even when it wasn’t easy to hear.
She also offered life advice:
You can’t carry all things, all grudges, all updates on your ex… Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go.
There is currently no indication that Swift refers to herself as “Dr. Swift” publicly. Her social media profiles and public appearances do not mention the honorary title.
All of Taylor Swift’s albums are available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music.
