Brandon Arbuckle, a journalism and history major from Lyndon Station, Wis., went through the May ceremony but still needed one more 4-credit course in strategic communication to graduate.
Finishing his coursework was made possible by a Summer Term scholarship.
“I felt closure from commencement to a certain extent but getting to take this one additional class was a great epilogue to my education here at Madison,” says Arbuckle, who took an intensive, four-week course in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication with the help of a Summer Finish scholarship.
Scholarship options
Summer Term offers several scholarships designed to help cover costs of summer study:
- Undergraduate Scholarship for Summer Study. This award is open to UW–Madison undergraduates who are in good academic standing, have a cumulative GPA that reflects academic success and are enrolled in at least one UW–Madison summer course. In summer 2019, more than 900 students received $500-$1,500 scholarships. Apply by using your campus NetID and password to log into the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) application portal. Submit by 11:59pm on April 1, 2020.
- Transfer Scholars Summer Award. This award is automatically applied to the tuition bills of students who transferred to UW–Madison in spring 2020 and enroll in courses in summer 2020. No application necessary.
- Summer Finish. Available to students who can finish their UW–Madison degrees by enrolling in summer courses, this scholarship helps students reach the finish line with scholarships of $1,000. Apply by using your campus NetID and password to log into the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) application portal. Submit by 11:59pm on April 1, 2020.
Easy applications
“It’s a fairly painless process to apply for summer scholarships,” says Keri Johnson, assistant director of Summer Term. “Summer Term is an affordable way to stay on track for graduation or maybe even graduate early, saving money on tuition, housing and more down the road.”
For the Undergraduate Scholarship for Summer Study, supplemental questions include:
- Please describe your goals for this summer. What are you hoping to accomplish academically, personally, or professionally with your summer coursework and, if applicable, other summer activities?
- The four core concepts of the Wisconsin Experience are: Empathy & Humility, Relentless Curiosity, Intellectual Confidence, and Purposeful Action. Please describe how your summer plans relate to at least one of these four core concepts, and how you have engaged with that aspect of your Wisconsin Experience throughout your time at UW–Madison.
For Summer Finish, students must upload a signed letter from their academic advisor certifying that their summer course selection(s) will enable them to graduate in summer 2020. They will also answer this supplemental question: Please describe your post-graduation goals. What are you hoping to accomplish academically, personally, or professionally with your summer coursework and how will the Summer Finish Scholarship help you to meet those goals?
For more information and to apply for summer scholarships, visit the Summer Term scholarships and aid page or email summerterm@wisc.edu.