Exclusive Scholarships for Wisconsin Students to Apply for in 2025

About scholarships in Wisconsin

Of the nearly 5.9 million Wisconsin residents, 320,411 are current college students earning either their undergraduate or graduate degree. About 88% of the students enrolled in upper education are undergraduate students, and the other 12% are graduate students. Because of the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, college students have been involved in more online classes. 73.7% of undergraduates in Wisconsin are enrolled in some sort of online course due to the changes brought on by COVID-19. The pandemic has put stress on college students because of educational changes. Financial stresses only add to these complications, but scholarships can help lessen some of the burden students face when paying for college expenses.

Wisconsin students and student debt

Throughout the entire country, college costs have been increasing. They have gone up 16.1%, when adjusted for inflation, since the beginning of the new century. As a result of the rising educational prices, the current student loan debt is at a national total of $1.75 trillion. To help alleviate the stress of student debt, scholarship programs are created in order to help students afford higher education.

Wisconsin student demographics

In Wisconsin, the gender distribution is weighted similarly to that of the nation. Of the college students in Wisconsin, 57.7% are women, closely resembling the national percentage of 59.5%. Consequently, the percentage of male Wisconsin college students is 42.3%. There are fewer men enrolled in upper education than women in Wisconsin, which mirrors the trend of the country, where there are more female students pursuing college degrees.

When it comes to ethnic diversity, Wisconsin colleges are largely comprised of white students, with 72.8% identifying as white. As for the United States, 54.3% of students are white, making Wisconsin's percentage 18.5% higher. This means there is a significantly lower percentage of students in Wisconsin who are of racial minorities. 8.2% of college students in Wisconsin identify as Black/African American.

Wisconsin colleges

The average acceptance rate of Wisconsin colleges is 77.7%. Wisconsin is home to 106 universities, 37 of which are public and the other 69 of which are private institutions. These schools provide options for graduating high school seniors planning to take a more traditional degree path, with up to eight semesters at an eligible college. However, Wisconsin also provides over 500 technical school options through the Wisconsin Technical College System.

As Wisconsin high school seniors plan for their college education, there are different schools they can consider, ranging from 2-year and 4-year degree programs at public or private schools to Wisconsin technical institution options. Some of the more well-known colleges in Wisconsin include the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marquette University, Lawrence University, other University of Wisconsin locations, and more. Whether you are a graduating high school senior planning to attend college for the first time or one of many transfer students preparing to enroll in Wisconsin institutions, take the time to research what schools are best for you.

Cost of education in Wisconsin

For the 2020-2021 school year, the average cost of tuition for attending college in Wisconsin is $6,571 for in-state students and $20,927 for students enrolled from out of state. Wisconsin is relatively close to the national average tuition costs, but while Wisconsin's in-state average is less than a hundred dollars lower than the national average, the state's out-of-state's costs are almost $3,000 higher than the national tuition average for out-of-state students.

Between these tuition costs, the cost of living, and other fees associated with attending college, receiving higher education can be expensive. To combat these costs, Wisconsin students enrolled in a college or university can find financial aid opportunities to help them. These opportunities may be general or for a specific Wisconsin school.

Student debt in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has one of the lowest student debt averages in the country, ranking as the 45th state down on the list of states with the most debt. 44 states have higher student debt costs than Wisconsin. The average student loan balance is $30,023per borrower. This is 18% lower than the national average per student in debt. Wisconsin's total combined debt is $24.2 billion. While Wisconsin's average loan debt is lower than the national average, this collective outstanding debt goes to show that Wisconsin students would still greatly benefit from financial aid.

Use scholarships and grants to help fund your education so that you don't have as much student loan debt when leaving college.

The best scholarships for Wisconsin students

There are so many scholarship opportunities out there that it can be hard to know where to begin looking. High schoolers preparing for college expenses, college students currently trying to pay for college, and adults in their careers who have student debt are all able to apply for scholarships. But how do you find scholarships that fit your education level, background, interests, and experiences? That's where Bold.org can help you find scholarships that are specific to you.

Additional scholarships that students in Wisconsin should consider

Every student's journey is different, so that's why it's important to focus on finding the opportunities that work best for where you are at. The choice of how you pursue scholarships is up to you, so utilize scholarships available for Wisconsin students and those open to a wider range of students.

Pay attention to what opportunities are offered through your own school, in the local area where you live, and those pertaining to organizations you've participated in. At the same time, find out what scholarships are offered at the college you attend or are planning to attend. Individual colleges often have opportunities meant to help students in their programs. Stay aware of the ways you can make the most of your financial aid opportunities.

Take a look at some scholarships available for you to apply for now:

1. Focus Forward Scholarship
2. Carlynn’s Comic Scholarship
3. “A Courageous Spirit” No-Essay Scholarship
4. 100 Bold Points No-Essay Scholarship
5. Bold Hope for the Future Scholarship
6. Bold Motivation Scholarship

Scholarships for high school students in Wisconsin

Whether you know what you want to do with the rest of your life or are just beginning to explore options for after high school, there are opportunities for you to begin saving up for your college education. Take a look at general high school scholarships, or see what possibilities are available for your individual grade level. See your specific page to find scholarships that work for you.

• Scholarships for high school students
• Scholarships for high school freshmen
• Scholarships for high school sophomores
• Scholarships for high school juniors
• Scholarships for high school seniors

These groups help give high school students a starting point when looking for scholarships to apply for. If you want to find more high school scholarships that fit your major, interests, or background, use the filters on the scholarship search page to narrow down your search. The education level filter can help you find scholarships for students currently in high school.

Scholarships for current college students in Wisconsin

Scholarships don't stop after graduating from high school. You don't need any prior experience applying for scholarships in order to start now. When looking for scholarships, college students can look on a broader scale, such as for all college students, or on a local scale. You can find college scholarships by using the education filter on the scholarship search page. 

If you are an undergraduate student, you can find scholarships for your degree level by exploring scholarships for undergraduate students. For those in the first couple years of their degree, there are scholarships specifically for college freshmen and scholarships for college sophomores. Use your first couple of years to plan ahead and look into scholarship opportunities before you've acquired too much debt.

If you're pursuing a degree further than your bachelor's, there are scholarships for students in graduate school that help students with or without student debt who are still earning their education. No matter where you're at in your college career, there are available options intended for college students looking to limit potential or current student debt.

Scholarships in Wisconsin for Education majors

Teachers have an important job, passing on knowledge to the next generation. In order to encourage future teachers, there are scholarships that education majors can apply for. See the compiled list of scholarships for future teachers exclusively on Bold.org. College students pursuing a career in teaching can find scholarships that support their futures.

Scholarships in Wisconsin for minorities

Bold.org puts an emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion. This includes offering scholarships specifically for minority students. There are opportunities for a wider range of minority students, as listed on the scholarships for minorities page. At the same time, scholarships for minority students of different ethnic backgrounds are offered. A list of the ethnicity categories currently included is included below.

• Scholarships for minorities
• Scholarships for Black students
• Scholarships for Hispanic students
• Scholarships for Asian Americans and Pacific Islander students
• Native American scholarships

If you want to find even more scholarships for minorities, look on the scholarship search page under the category filter listed "Diversity and Inclusion."

Scholarships for women in Wisconsin

Young college-bound women studying in Wisconsin have many scholarship opportunities to empower women pursuing higher education. Female students of all ages and all interests can look into the variety of scholarships for women that are available on Bold.org. 

Scholarships for women in STEM are available. These scholarships exist in order to help encourage female students to pursue their STEM passions, despite the gender gap in fields that tend to be male-dominated.

Scholarships for single moms in Wisconsin

Being a mom is already a huge job, so earning an education on top of it can be challenging. However, single mothers should have the same opportunities as any other student. To help single moms balance the dual roles of being a parent and student, there are scholarships for single moms that can assist with the financial burden of earning a college education.

Scholarships in Wisconsin for nursing students

Nursing is a crucial field. The need for nurses was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. The future of the nursing field is strong thanks to students passionate about using the medical field to help people. Many donors want to support nursing students, so there are plenty of scholarships for future nurses that provide nursing students of all education levels the chance to receive financial aid.

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Wisconsin

As you go through the scholarship process, questions are bound to arise, especially if it's your first time seriously applying. In order to help Wisconsin students as they apply for scholarships, this section will answer some of the questions asked most often about scholarships.

How to apply for scholarships in Wisconsin

Applying for Wisconsin scholarships is easy through Bold.org. In order to earn access to Bold.org's exclusive scholarship opportunities, create your free account. Clicking on any of the listed scholarships will take you to the page that guides you through creating your Bold.org account. Take some time to fill in your profile, noting your educational experience, interests, and involvement in order to allow you to apply to the most scholarships possible.

From there, begin looking for scholarships that are best for you. The scholarship search page will help you find all sorts of scholarships. Utilize features such as the 'Category' filter that lists scholarships specific to certain majors, interests, activities, and backgrounds. You can also filter by education level to find scholarships for students in your schooling bracket. Look for the scholarships in which you fit the eligibility requirements. Remember that scholarships with more requirements have a smaller pool of applicants, giving you a better chance of being successful in winning the scholarship.

Different scholarships require different types of applications. Bold.org offers no-essay scholarships that require only a couple of simple clicks to apply for. Most scholarships require an essay. If you struggle with writing a good scholarship essay, check out Bold.org's tips for writing a good scholarship essay.

Take the time to learn about the scholarship application process so that you are prepared when you start seeking financial aid.

Are there Wisconsin merit scholarships?

Merit-based scholarships are dependent on the school you choose to attend. Some Wisconsin schools have higher or more merit-based scholarships than other schools. The best way to get merit-based scholarships in Wisconsin is to be successful in school and to do research on what is offered at your specific school. Ask the office of financial aid at your college in order to get more information on what merit-based scholarships are available for you.

To start searching for merit-based scholarships now, look at our page for merit-based scholarships.

How to maximize scholarship money in Wisconsin

The best way to maximize scholarship money in Wisconsin is to look into all of your options. This means finding scholarships on both a local scale and a wide scale. Use opportunities on Bold.org to find scholarships that are open all year. This way, you are consistently applying to scholarships and putting yourself out there. At the same time, local scholarships, which aren't usually open year-round, are great to look into. Since these scholarships are specific to a certain area, fewer people apply, giving you a better chance of winning.

If you want to make the most of scholarships, the key is to apply to as many as you're able, while still putting in effort to the opportunities you are most confident in.

Is a scholarship taxable in Wisconsin?

Scholarship money is not taxable because when students win a scholarship, the money is sent directly to the winner's college or university. Students who are not enrolled in a college already will have their scholarship money held in an account until they enroll.

When can I start applying?

It is never too soon to begin looking for scholarships to help pay for college. Once students are 14 years old, they can create a Bold.org account and begin their scholarship search. Bold.org has scholarships open year-round, so keep looking for scholarships as they open. No matter the time of year, you can look for scholarships that can help you fund your college education.