Wisconsin Scholarships

Wisconsin residents in their second year or above of dental, medical, psychiatry, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner programs who intend to practice in a Wisconsin Health Shortage Area may apply. Scholarships provide up to $30,000 per academic year for dentists, primary care physicians, and psychiatrists, or up to $25,000 for PAs and NPs, renewable for up to four years. Recipients agree to practice in a designated shortage area for 18 months per year of funding accepted. Apply through the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB). Awards are based on application postmark date.

The James H. Thompson Merit Scholarship provides renewable awards of $13,500 per academic year for up to eight semesters to Wisconsin residents directly admitted to the UW-Madison College of Engineering, plus a one-time $2,500 enrichment fund for undergraduate research. Two Wisconsin residents are selected each fall through automatic review of admission materials with no separate scholarship application. Recipients participate in the Engineering Student Scholars Program and must maintain full-time enrollment, a 3.0 GPA, and satisfactory progress toward an engineering degree to retain the award.

LGBTQ+ students at least 17 years old who are from or attending school in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or Native Nations within those states may apply for PFund Foundation scholarships. Awards range from $1,000 to $12,000 for students pursuing a GED, community college, four-year college, graduate school, trade school, certificate program, or apprenticeship. Funds are distributed directly to recipients. Apply online during the annual application window, typically mid-January through early March. Submit proof of enrollment or admission for the coming academic year. Recipients must provide an IRS Form W9. A community review panel selects awardees notified in June.

U.S. citizens pursuing campus-based study in the 2027-2028 academic year may apply to one or more stand-alone UNICO Foundation scholarships if they meet each fund's criteria. Most require Italian descent; several funds are open to all ethnicities. Award sizes vary by named fund, from about $1,000 to $10,000, covering high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate entrants, nursing, medical school, study abroad in Italy, and field-specific awards. Online applications are due March 15, 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic year. Applicants generally must reside in or hold chapter sponsorship from listed states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, or Wisconsin), with limited exceptions. UNICO National is an Italian-American service organization whose foundation promotes education, culture, and charitable projects nationwide.

The Bridge Award at Northern Michigan University reduces the out-of-state tuition gap for non-Michigan residents from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, or Indiana who are admitted as first-year students with a high school GPA between 2.75 and 2.99. The award provides five thousand six hundred dollars per year and is assigned automatically at admission with no separate application. It stacks with Wildcat Merit scholarships for students with higher GPAs. Recipients must enroll full-time and maintain a 2.75 cumulative NMU GPA for renewal for up to eight consecutive semesters or until completing their first bachelor's degree.

Young women ages 16 to 19 in the six-county greater Milwaukee metro area (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Ozaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties) may apply. Applicants should show commitment to volunteer service, leadership achievements, and dedication to empowering women through advocacy. The Zonta Club of Milwaukee awards a local scholarship and forwards the winner's application to Zonta District 6 for possible consideration among Zonta International awards of $5,000 each. Complete the Young Women in Public Affairs application with details of volunteer service, leadership, and advocacy efforts.

Students in grades 6 through 12 who reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin may enter ADL Midwest's annual First Amendment Freedoms Art and Essay Contest. Submit a two-page essay or artwork on a First Amendment theme. Up to eight prizes are awarded, with first-place winners receiving up to $5,000 and second-place winners $1,000 by grade category. Judges score creativity, originality, and understanding of the First Amendment.

Wisconsin statewide scholarship for pre-law or law students with interest in cooperative law, honoring electric cooperative attorney Charles Van Sickle. One $5,000 award is made each spring through the Federated Youth Foundation. Applicants submit the official application to the Foundation office in Middleton, Wisconsin. Preference is given to students interested in cooperative law. The scholarship is funded by an endowment established in 2013 and is open to Wisconsin residents pursuing legal education.

Recognized master traditional artists in Wisconsin cultural communities may apply as the instructing mentor for a folk or traditional arts apprenticeship. Apprentices must have some prior experience, motivation to deepen skills, and commitment to continuing the art form; immediate family apprentices under 18 are ineligible. Both mentor and apprentice should share membership in the cultural community. Maximum awards are $3,500 paid to the instructing artist (or fiscal receiver) in two installments: $2,500 at start and the balance after a required public presentation and final report. Funds cover instructor fees, supplies, materials, and limited travel. Applications are due March 19 for apprenticeships running July 1 through May 30 of the following year, submitted through the SmartSimple online system. FY27 deadline is March 19, 2026. The Wisconsin Arts Board is the state agency preserving folk and traditional arts through master-apprentice instruction grants.

High school seniors or undergraduate or graduate students in business continuity, cybersecurity, governance risk and compliance, or physical security programs who reside in or attend school in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin may apply. Twelve awards are granted: four at $3,000 and eight at $1,000. UMSA board members, foundation staff, committee members, and their immediate family are not eligible. Submit the online application and essay by February 28. Finalists may be phone-interviewed in March.