The Wisconsin Tuition Promise is an initiative created by the Universities of Wisconsin to ensure underserved Wisconsin students can attend any UW university without paying tuition or fees.
If you are a student who is a recipient of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise and need information, please contact your university’s campus Financial Aid Office. Contact information for each UW Financial Aid Office is on the Wisconsin Tuition Promise home page.
Eligibility
Undergraduate students (new first–year and transfer students) with family Adjusted Gross Incomes (AGI) ≤ $55,000 who enroll at participating UWs in fall 2025 will be eligible. In order to participate in and remain eligible for the Wisconsin Tuition Promise students must:
- Be Wisconsin residents from start to finish;
- Be first–time associate degree–seeking or bachelor’s degree–seeking (first–year or transfer) students;
- Enroll full–time and/or complete 24 credit hours each academic year;
- Complete a FAFSA each year and in the first year have an AGI of ≤ $55,000;
- Be continuously enrolled (however, students will have the opportunity to appeal to place their Wisconsin Tuition Promise on hold on the basis of extenuating circumstances); and,
- Meet Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) and other Title IV eligibility requirements.
Unless authorized, the Wisconsin Tuition Promise is available for fall and spring term enrollment only.
NOTE: Students who enroll at UW-Milwaukee in 2025-2026 will fall under the Milwaukee Tuition Promise and should refer to that webpage for important eligibility requirement information.
Yes. All eligible students are required to submit the appropriate year FAFSA and are required to do so in a timely fashion on an annual basis. Any additional documents requested by financial aid offices to complete review of the file per the federal and state regulations (i.e., federal tax forms, citizenship documentation, etc.) also need to be submitted in a timely fashion.
No. Students who are admitted into a UW associate or bachelor’s degree program and complete the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year will automatically be considered
For dependent students as determined by the FAFSA, AGI would be the parent’s AGI as reported on the FAFSA. For independent students as determined by the FAFSA, AGI would be the student’s and spouse (if married) AGI as reported on the FAFSA. The FAFSA uses prior-prior year AGI. Therefore, for fall 2025, the 2025-26 FAFSA will collect 2023 federal tax information.
If the AGI reported on the FAFSA is no longer reflective of your situation, you may qualify to have your financial aid file reviewed. Please check with each UW university to which you have been admitted and are applying for financial aid on what documentation would need to be submitted, as it may differ from university to university.
Determination of Funding
Wisconsin resident tuition (up to 18 credits), tuition differentials charged to all students (or in a specific academic program) and segregated fees are covered by the Wisconsin Tuition Promise.
Housing, meal plans, additional course fees, books, book rental fees, and any other charge a student may incur above tuition, tuition differentials, and segregated fees are not covered.
Tuition, differentials, and segregated fees vary depending on the campus you attend; therefore, the Wisconsin Tuition Promise Grant will also vary. Eligibility for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) also varies by campus, based upon its available federal allocation and student population.
Enrollment
The 2025 Wisconsin Tuition Promise applies to new undergraduate students who first enroll starting with the fall 2025 term.
Yes, undergraduate students who meet all the eligibility requirements would be eligible if their first term of enrollment is spring 2026.
No, currently enrolled students would not be eligible. To be eligible, a student’s first term of enrollment must be fall 2025 or spring 2026.
NOTE: Students who enrolled in 2023-2024 might have been eligible for the 2023 Wisconsin Tuition Promise. Undergraduates enrolled at UW-Madison might be eligible for Bucky’s Tuition Promise.
Yes, online students are eligible for the Wisconsin Tuition Promise. All other eligibility criteria (i.e., Wisconsin resident) still apply.
Yes, Flexible Option students are eligible for the Wisconsin Tuition Promise. All other eligibility criteria (i.e., Wisconsin resident) still apply.
Additional FAQs
Depends on the eligibility criteria. If there has been a change in AGI, students should pursue the process of addressing such changes with their university (see question #7). If a student has used their eight semesters of eligibility but requires an additional term to graduate, a student may appeal for additional term(s) of eligibility.
State residency will be determined during the admission application process. If a student is deemed to be eligible for Wisconsin in-state tuition, they would be considered for the Wisconsin Tuition Promise.
Students enrolled in a study abroad program would still be eligible, but the Wisconsin Tuition Promise grant would be calculated on the Wisconsin resident tuition (up to 18 credits), tuition differentials charged to all students (or in a specific academic program), and segregated fees. The Wisconsin Tuition Promise grant would not be based upon additional tuition and fees associated with the study abroad program.
Yes, students previously enrolled as high school students are still eligible and treated as first-time students.
Yes. Students who begin enrollment in the summer term as part of a program that requires them to enroll prior to the start of the fall term will receive consideration for the Wisconsin Tuition Promise.
Contact information for each UW university Financial Aid Office is on the Wisconsin Tuition Promise home page.