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 2026-2027 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/lived experience, creative accomplishment, and/or strength of character. Diversity is broadly defined and includes coming from a low-income family, being a first-generation student, being the first in your family seeking to graduate from a four-year college in the U.S., coming from an underserved urban, rural, or farming community, attending a school with a limited college preparatory curriculum, attending a district in an area with high poverty concentration, or other family circumstances that have impacted educational opportunities.

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 2026/Spring 2027.

Application Period: December 5, 2025 – February 16, 2026

Information Sessions:

- Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM, virtual event on Zoom, registration required to attend.
- Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM, on-campus, location to be determined.

Other Opportunities Available 2025-2026 (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 2026 term.

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

Application Period: September 9, 2025 – October 19, 2025

Apply here: go.wisc.edu/thompson25

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 2026 (spring 2026),
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):

Date is forthcoming, session will be on Zoom.

Nomination Period: September 30, 2025 – October 20, 2025

Application Period: October 24, 2025 – January 25, 2026

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 2026/Spring 2027.

Nomination Period: November 3, 2025 – November 21, 2025

Application Period: November 21, 2025 – January 25, 2026

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 2026/Spring 2027.

Application Period: November 21, 2025 – February 1, 2026

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 2026/Fall 2026.