Scholarships
We offer scholarships to students applying to or accepted to approved study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programs.
We aim to provide scholarships to as many students as possible.
Students who have previously received scholarships, or participated on the Global Gateway programs, may apply for scholarships again; however, students who have not received scholarships will be given priority.
You are encouraged to apply for scholarships to help pay for your program.
Before you begin
There are some important things to know before you begin searching and applying for scholarships:
- Most scholarships do not require you to be accepted to a program to be eligible to apply for the scholarship.
- Deadlines vary depending on who administers the award.
- Carefully read the scholarship criteria as you prepare your application
- Read our tips for writing scholarship essays.
- Apply to scholarships from a variety of sources to increase your chances of receiving funding.
- You should not rely on scholarships to fund your entire experience.
How to apply and timelines
How to apply
You apply to the scholarships below through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) by the appropriate term’s deadline.
Tip: Make sure you answer yes to this question in the General WiSH Application: “Do you plan to participate in an approved study abroad, intern abroad, or domestic study away program in the next two academic years.”
Once scholarships are open for your duration, they will automatically appear in your opportunities list.
- Verify you have updated the correct term and program if you have previously applied for study abroad scholarships in WiSH.
- Apply for all scholarships where you meet eligibility criteria. Our review process allows you to be considered for multiple opportunities. Applying for a scholarship does not guarantee you will receive one, and in most cases, we award no more than one UW–Madison study abroad scholarship per student.
- Students who have previously received scholarships or participated on the Global Gateway programs may apply for scholarships again. Students who have not received scholarships may be given priority.
We do not accept any late applications.
Timelines
Scholarships we administer typically have the following deadlines, regardless of when your program application deadline is:
| Program duration | Scholarship applications open | Deadline to apply | Award notifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic year, fall, and summer | Early January | Late February/early March | Mid-late March |
| Calendar year, spring, spring break, and winter intersession | Early September | Late September | Mid-October |
Tips for writing scholarship essays
Selection committees want to learn about you as an applicant so they can choose you as a recipient. They will only know what you tell them through your essay, so you will want to approach this essay differently from how you write in your classes.
Here are some tips for writing a compelling scholarship essay.
Search for scholarships
We encourage you to visit the scholarship chart early so you can review the awards, determine your eligibility, and apply.
Internship and research abroad awards
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Bucky’s Pell Pathway covers study abroad costs up to the cost of on-campus attendance. You should also make sure to apply for study abroad-specific scholarships, which can reduce or replace any offered loans.
The OMAI/First Wave scholarship will cover the program fee up to the equivalent of tuition based on a student’s residency on semester programs. Students should check with their Posse advisor for specifics.
This scholarship will not cover short-term programs (summer, winter intersession, spring break). Students should apply to the Global Scholars scholarship for these durations.
The Mercile J. Lee scholarship will cover qualified costs for semester-long or year-long study abroad programs. Qualified costs are listed on the cost sheet for each program. Students should check with their Mercile J. Lee advisor for specifics.
This scholarship will not cover short-term programs (summer, winter intersession, spring break). Students should apply to the Global Scholars scholarship for these durations.
The PEOPLE scholarship will cover the program fee up to the equivalent of in-state tuition for students on semester programs. Students should check with their PEOPLE advisor for specifics.
This scholarship will not cover short-term programs (summer, winter intersession, spring break). Students should apply to the Global Scholars scholarship for these durations.
The Posse scholarship will cover the program fee up to the equivalent of non-resident tuition for students on semester programs. Students should check with their Posse advisor for specifics.
This scholarship will not cover short-term programs (summer, winter intersession, spring break). Students should apply to the Global Scholars scholarship for these durations.
The BEL Tuition Scholarship will cover a scholar’s qualified costs when they are participating in approved UW–Madison study abroad programs. The amount covered for study abroad is based on a student’s residency status. Qualified costs are listed on a program cost sheet.
Check with the office that administers the scholarship to confirm it can be used for study abroad.
Other scholarships and grants that have been used study abroad previously are:
- Academic Excellence
- Byrd Scholarships
- Mayo Foundation
- Citizens Scholarships
- UW–Madison Grants Information Center: Located in the Reference Room on the 2nd floor of the Memorial Library and has materials about all types of funding. Ask reference librarians for help.
- Academic departments may also have scholarships available for study abroad. Consult with your major department.
- Consult with civic, social, or religious institutions for possible scholarships or grants (such as the Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, etc.)
- Check with your parents’ or guardians’ places of employment for possible funding opportunities.
- General funding websites:
Scholarship application, acceptance and disbursement
Yes, you do need to be full-time students for this scholarship.
We are asking for audio files, not videos. Try recording a voice memo or something similar and uploading.
This is often an issue with the naming convention of the file you’re trying to upload. I’d recommend naming the file something like LAST NAME_SCHOLARSHIP NAME or something similar that doesn’t have any special characters.
You have until 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date, but we do encourage you to submit your application earlier in case you run into technical difficulties.
We don’t list individual internships in the application, so you should chose the Worldwide International Internships option.
You can apply for the IAP Graduate and Professional student scholarship.
Yes, you should. If you decide not to go on the program, we will rescind the scholarship. Be sure to read all program cancellation policies as well.
Your scholarship will be posted to your UW student account for your program term. It will first be used to pay any balance due on your account. Any remaining funds will be refunded to you. We recommend having eRefund (Direct Deposit) set up to receive your funds more quickly. You can do so in your Student Center Financial Account.
International students: Scholarship payments are processed through payroll for tax purposes. To avoid delays, make sure your mailing address is up-to-date in your MyUW account.
Only scholarships that are awarded through WiSH will appear as anticipated aid. If you have a scholarship that does not appear in anticipated aid, it will be uploaded directly to your student account shortly after your study abroad bill is posted.
Scholarship questions
Please email scholarships@studyabroad.wisc.edu if you have questions about any scholarships administered through International Academic Programs.