Financial Assistance
If you’re a returning adult student with a significant break in your education, Adult Career and Special Student Services can provide you with financial aid information including:
Adult Student Awards, Grants, and Scholarships
You may be eligible for scholarships, grants, and awards specifically designed for nontraditional and returning adult students:
- Outstanding Returning Adult Student Awards
- Continuing Education Grants for Less than Half-time Study
- Nontraditional Student Scholarships for Returning Adults and Single Parents
- Other scholarships for nontraditional students
UW-Madison Financial Assistance
UW-Madison's Office of Student Financial Aid: Services are available to all undergraduate and graduate students, including returning adults. Some Special nondegree students admitted by Adult Career and Special Student Services are eligible for federal financial aid. Go to scholarships for School and College academic scholarships, scholarships fostering diversity, and scholarships for students with disabilities. Contact finaid@finaid.wisc.edu or call 608-262-3060.
Graduate School Fellowships: Fellowships are available through the Graduate School Fellowships Office (608-262-5837): graduate students should contact your academic departments for information about fellowships and assistantships.
Child Care Assistance: The Child Care Tuition Assistance Program (CCTAP) assists eligible low-income student-parents with childcare costs while they attend UW-Madison. See their website for deadlines, eligibility requirements, and applications.
Grants Information Collection at the UW-Madison Memorial Library: The collection includes grantsmanship and educational and research funding, as well as literature on proposal-writing, fundraising, nonprofit management, and philanthropy. Non-students may obtain a day pass to access this information.
McBurney Disability Resource Center: Scholarships may be available for undergraduate, graduate, or Special students with a disability. Contact mcburney@studentlife.wisc.edu or call 608-263-2741.
Tax Credit for Education
HOPE Scholarship Tax Credit can be claimed for students in their first two years of college or vocational school and who are enrolled on at least a half-time basis in a degree or certificate program for any portion of the year.
Lifetime Learning Tax Credit is for adults who want to go back to school, change careers or upgrade skills by taking a course or two.
Web Resources for Financial Assistance and Adult Students
www.fastweb.com - The largest and most complete source of scholarships available
www.scholarsite.com - Detailed, up-to-date information on approximately 600,000 financial aid opportunities
www.students.gov - Student gateway to the U.S. government
Adult Student Sites
www.collegeispossible.org - American Council on Education site
www.mappingyourfuture.org - career, college, financial aid, and money management