CALS students receive more than $1.25 million annually in scholarship awards thanks to the generosity of our donors committed to the success of CALS students.
All CALS students who submit an application will be considered for all CALS scholarships, as appropriate, depending on some or all of the following: academic achievement, involvement level, financial need, residency, career interests, and/or major/program of interest. CALS scholarships are in addition to campus level financial aid awarded through the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Applying for CALS Scholarships
Incoming students are considered automatically for all CALS scholarships if they are admitted to CALS and have activated their NetID after submission of their UW-Madison application. More information can be found on this page.
Current CALS students must apply using the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) during the application period from early November to early February. One single application allows you to be considered for all CALS scholarships.
To be considered for scholarships with a financial need component, you must have a FAFSA on file at UW-Madison – the UW Madison School Code is 003895. More information on completing FAFSA can be found here.
All CALS Scholarship recipients must fulfill the thank you note requirement described in their award offer prior to receiving their funding.
Incoming students are considered automatically if they are admitted to CALS and have activated their NetID after submission of their UW-Madison application. More information can be found on this page.
Current CALS students should fill out a scholarship application using the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) during the application period which is early November to early February. Your application must be completed and submitted by the February deadline to be eligible for the next year’s awards.
Some specialized scholarships, including scholarships for QuickStart and Study Abroad, have their own application cycle.
CALS has over 240 funds from which we award scholarships due to the many very generous donors who value the future of CALS. A variety of criteria are used to match students with scholarship opportunities. Some will take GPA and other scholarly activity into account; others may look at financial need, area or major of interest, career plans, or residency.
Yes! Incoming students are considered automatically for CALS scholarships if they are admitted to CALS and have activated their NetID after submission of their UW-Madison application. More information can be found on this page.
Some CALS Scholarships are awarded based on financial need and some are not, so we encourage all students to apply. To be eligible for financial need-based scholarships, you must have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file at UW-Madison. More information about FAFSA can be found here.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.
When filling out your FAFSA, the UW-Madison school code is: 003895. More information about FAFSA can be found here.
At UW-Madison, campus level financial aid is administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid and is based on financial need of students, as assessed by FAFSA. There are many programs run through the Office of Student Financial Aid such as Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Chancellor-Knapp Scholars Program, all open to CALS students.
CALS Scholarships are funds administered by CALS to support CALS students, and may be awarded to students in addition to financial aid packages. Different CALS scholarships have different criteria to match with students – some will take GPA and other scholarly activity into account, others may look at financial need, area or major of interest, career plans, or residency.
Yes, many students receive a CALS Scholarship in addition to the financial aid received from the UW Student Financial Aid Office. Individual student situations (financial need, level of financial aid awarded) will determine eligibility for CALS Scholarships on top of financial aid awards.
The majority of CALS Scholarship notifications occur in mid-March and mid-April. However, students should monitor their emails and WiSH dashboards from January through August as awarding happens in cycles based on admissions, college, and departmental award decisions.
Specialized scholarship notification (e.g. for QuickStart and Study Abroad) will depend on the application cycle.
For students who are US citizens, scholarship funds will go to the bursar’s office and be applied to any outstanding balance in their student account. International student scholarships must be paid via the payroll system. The CALS Scholarship team will be able to assist all students to ensure you get your scholarship award.
Supporting CALS Students
Gifts to support CALS scholarships and programs enable students to get the most out of their CALS experience and assist them in making a strong start, gaining a global perspective, customizing their path of study, learning through hands-on, real world experiences, and building their community and networks.
Agricultural & Applied Economics, Agricultural Business Management
Abagail Catania BS ‘19
Abagail Catania couldn’t wait until graduation to make a difference in the lives of students like herself. So she didn’t. Instead, she established a scholarship for her peers before even having her diploma in hand. Guided by her enthusiasm for expanding opportunities, Catania says she wants students of color to feel there is a place for them in agricultural studies.
After reflecting on her experience at UW-Madison as a mixed, black woman in agriculture, Catania created the Abagail Catania Agricultural & Applied Economics/Agricultural Business Management Diversity Scholarship. Catania knows that any amount of money can make a huge difference in someone’s life here at UW.
Office of Academic Affairs
116 Agricultural Hall 1450 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706