Madison, Wis. – The Fund for Wisconsin Scholars has awarded need-based grants to more than 900 UW System students, including approximately 580 new four-year University of Wisconsin System students and 324 transfer students. It is the second year in a row that all eligible transfer students were funded.
The Fund for Wisconsin Scholars (FFWS) provides need-based grants to graduates of Wisconsin public high schools attending Wisconsin public colleges to support their access to and completion of college.
The FFWS is a private foundation established in 2007 by a founding gift of $167 million from John P. and Tashia F. Morgridge. Students who continue to have need and meet the FFWS criteria will automatically receive the FFWS grant each year. Students may be eligible for grants, which do not need to be repaid, for a maximum of 10 semesters.
“We are very grateful to the Morgridges for their continuing support of increasing higher educational opportunities for students,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “Expanding the number of citizens who complete post-secondary education will improve the quality of life for all Wisconsin citizens, benefiting both the individual and communities.”
Over the last 10 years, the FFWS has awarded about $65 million to eligible students through UW System four-year schools and $8 million to Wisconsin Technical College System students. Prior to the 2018 selection, the FFWS decided to provide awards to UW System students exclusively.
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The University of Wisconsin System serves more than 170,000 students. Awarding 36,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. More than 80 percent of UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System institutions also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.