General Instructions and Inquiries:

Students are invited to apply for College of Letters & Science scholarships listed below by logging into WiSH (Wisconsin Scholarship Hub).

Email your questions and inquiries to scholarships@saa.ls.wisc.edu.

Annual Applications for College of Letters & Science Scholarships

Vary from $500 – $5,000

Over 200 scholarships awarded each cycle.

Requirements:

Must be a currently enrolled first year student, sophomore, junior, or senior who plans to enroll for the 2025-2026 year,
Must be a student pursuing an L&S degree,
Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50, and
Must complete the scholarship application by the deadline.
Essays, activity/involvement records, and transcripts are required.
Successful applicants demonstrate strength in 2-3 of the following areas: academic excellence, service, leadership, diversity, creative accomplishment, and/or strength of character.

Many scholarships also require financial need as determined by a completed FAFSA on file with UW-Madison.

Log into WiSH to apply. Applicants may need to complete the WiSH general application before the L&S Continuing Student application appears.

Awarded scholarships are typically paid out in Fall 2025/Spring 2026.

Application Period: December 6, 2024 – February 18, 2025

Information Sessions:

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 from 5:30-6:30 PM Central Time – Zoom, registration required.
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 5:30-6:30 PM Central Time, in-person, Union South, TITU.

Other Opportunities Available 2024-2025 (with Distinct Applications)

Tommy Thompson Leadership Scholarship

$2,300

The Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership offers one scholarship award to one student per academic year. Scholarships are intended for undergraduates who have shown public leadership in their lives in a way that reflects the general legacy of Governor Tommy G. Thompson.

Governor Thompson was a broad thinker who offered common sense solutions to tackle big problems through teamwork and an unending zeal to make our state a better place. We seek high quality applicants who reflect Tommy’s spirit, have demonstrated leadership during their time in college, and will continue to lead in the future.

The Tommy Thompson Center is a statewide center and UW campuses from all over the state forward up to three finalists to the Center. Last year, one UW-Madison finalist was awarded. Award is paid out in the Spring 2025 term.

This opportunity is open to all UW-Madison undergraduate students, not just those enrolled in L&S.

Application Period: September 9, 2024 – October 20, 2024

The Wolff Fellowship Award

$45,000

The Wolff Fellows program provides an award of approximately $45,000 to an outstanding graduating senior for a year-long travel, service, or study-abroad experience. Letters & Science graduates will be empowered to take on a year of travel and service as part of a new fellowship opportunity, made possible by a generous gift from Paul Martin Wolff and Rhea S. Schwartz.

Requirements:

Must be a student in L&S,
Must be a graduating senior in May 2025 (spring 2025),
Must be a student who has attended UW-Madison for the entirety of their undergraduate career (transfer students are ineligible for this opportunity),
Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75 (required at time of application), and
Must have distinguished themselves by demonstrating academic achievement, service to the University, and service to the greater world community.

Information Session(s):

Wednesday, November 20, 2024 from 5:30-6:30 PM Central Time – Zoom, registration required.

Nomination Period: September 8, 2024 – October 15, 2024

Application Period: October 25, 2024 – January 26, 2025

Manny Ross Great Thinkers Scholarships

$5,000-$10,000

The scholarship will support undergraduate students in their intellectual pursuit of literary criticism, philosophy, and great thinkers. Examples of great thinkers may include but are not limited to Shakespeare, Freud, and Churchill. The scholarship will be a merit-based award that is given annually to a student in the top 10% GPA (3.90 and above) in the College of Letters & Science with a demonstrated interest in humanities and/or humanistic social sciences.

Requirements:

Must be a student in L&S,
Must show interest in the humanities and/or social sciences,
Must be in the top 10% GPA in L&S

Awards to finalists will paid out at the start of the spring term.

Application Period: September 13, 2024 – October 27, 2024

Key Into Public Service Scholarship

$5,000

**This scholarship is not managed by the College of Letters & Science. It is externally managed through Phi Beta Kappa (PBK).

The Phi Beta Kappa Society is a leading national advocate for the value of arts and sciences education. The Key into Public Service program and scholarship opportunity highlights the wide range of opportunities for arts, humanities, natural science, social science, and mathematics majors to pursue rewarding careers in local, state, and federal government.

Each scholar will receive a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and will participate in a conference that provides training, mentoring, and reflection on pathways into local, state, and federal government careers.

Requirements:

Must be an enrolled undergraduate student at one of Phi Beta Kappa’s chapter institutions (UW-Madison is a chapter institution). Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is not required for eligibility,
Must plan to graduate between December 1, 2025 and August 1, 2027,
Must be an arts, humanities, natural science, social science, and/or mathematics major (L&S student),
Must earn at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, and
Must commit to attend a conference for all award recipients taking place in Washington, D.C. in June 2025. This mandatory conference will provide training and mentoring opportunities and showcase pathways from arts and sciences education into active citizenship and public service. The Society will provide transportation, lodging, and meal per diems.

Successful applicants must demonstrate an interest in working in local, state, or federal government service and demonstrate breadth and depth across the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. This is demonstrated through essays, activities, letter(s) of recommendation, and other application materials.

Application Period: November 4, 2024 – January 21, 2025

Richard Ralph Winter Phoenix Rising Humanitarian Scholarship

Up to $5,000

This scholarship rewards humanitarian achievement and service, encourages excellence and commitment in the application of humanitarian ideals, and affirms the moral obligation to provide for human welfare. This scholarship is made available by the generosity of Charles Manthey Winter and the Richard Ralph Winter Rising Phoenix Humanitarian Scholarship.

Requirements:

Must be second- or third-year L&S student with a strong record of community/humanitarian service.
Recommendations are required from those selected as a finalist.
Finalists are required to participate in an individual interview.

Awards are paid out in Fall 2025/Spring 2026.

Nomination Period: November 1, 2024 – November 15, 2024

Application Period: November 15, 2024 – January 26, 2025

Lawless Louis and Mathea Helen Mollere Pre-Medicine Scholarship

Up to $10,000

This scholarship supports a L&S junior or senior who is an aspiring physician and is in pursuit of attending medical school. Student must also have financial need.

Requirements:

Must be second- or third-year L&S student at the time of application,
Must demonstrate excellent academic records with evidence of progress in pre-med course work and service to the campus and/or Madison community, and
Student must demonstrate financial need as determined by a completed FAFSA on file with UW-Madison.
There is a preference for students who demonstrate breadth in the liberal arts outside of the biological sciences with donor preference for recipients who do not smoke or use alcohol or drugs.
Recommendations are required.

The scholarship is paid out in Fall 2025/Spring 2026.

Application Period: November 22, 2024 – February 2, 2025

Paul R. Ebling Pre-Medicine Scholarship

Up to $5,000

This scholarship supports an aspiring physician committed to attend the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). This opportunity is open to all UW-Madison undergraduate students, not just those enrolled in L&S.

**Please note, this scholarship no longer requires an application. All eligible SMPH students will be reviewed via their admissions applications.

Requirements:

Must be a graduate of a Wisconsin high school,
Must be current UW graduating senior,
Must have excellent academic records with evidence of progress in pre-med course work and service to the campus and/or Madison community, and
Must demonstrate reasonable progress towards admission at UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health for the next academic year.
Recommendations are required.

Awards are paid out in Spring 2025/Fall 2026.