We’re excited that you are considering UW–Madison for graduate school! The Graduate School offers a limited number of application fee grants to make sure that the application fee is not a barrier for students from our key recruiting initiatives.
Eligibility
Fee grants are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who can document that they meet one of these eligibility criteria:
- participated in one or more of these selected pipeline programs designed to prepare students for graduate studies:
- Big Ten Academic Alliance (formerly CIC) Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)
- U.S. Department of Education Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program
- UW–Madison Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)
- financial background from a low-income family prior to or during college. You can document this:
- by demonstrating that you had an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of less than $2,000 on your FAFSA, took out a Perkins Loan, or took out a subsidized loan in each of the most recent two academic years of undergraduate studies. Your undergraduate financial aid office will need to confirm this.
- by demonstrating that you qualified for SNAP, SSI, TANF, or WIC sometime during the most recent two academic years of undergraduate studies. You may do this by providing documentation showing you qualified for one of these programs such as a letter or approval email.
- or, by providing a description of your upbringing in a substantially low-income/economically disadvantaged family.
If either of the above criteria apply, start the coupon code request process as early as possible.
Fee Grant Application Process
Deadline: Submit your completed application, including any needed verification from your program director or undergraduate financial aid office, at least five business days prior to your earliest application deadline.
- Complete the Fee Grant Verification Form.
- For most pipeline programs, your program director will need to complete an online verification form delivered via email to confirm your participation.
- For some low-income eligibility categories, your undergraduate financial aid office will need to complete an online verification form delivered via email to confirm your status. If they will not sign forms verifying your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), please indicate that on your application and upload any documentation you have to support the low-income category you selected (e.g., FAFSA print-off indicating EFC<$2,000 in your most recent two academic years of undergraduate studies).
- Once submitted, the Graduate School will review the completed application and notify you within five (5) business days if you have been approved for a fee grant.
- Applicants approved for a fee grant will receive a coupon code to cover the application fee.
- Enter your coupon code on the payment page before you submit your graduate application. Once paid, we cannot refund application fees.
You may only receive one application fee grant from the Graduate School no matter how many eligibility categories you qualify for.
The Graduate School only provides fee grants for programs that use the Graduate School application. The Wisconsin School of Business, School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Law School all offer post-baccalaureate professional degrees that are solely administered by their home school. For more information on the availability of fee grants for these programs, contact the admissions team for the school that houses the program to which you are applying.
Questions
Email feegrants@grad.wisc.edu with any questions or concerns.