Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program for Undergraduate Students

• Besides submitting the FAFSA®, Native Nation students will need to submit official documentation from a Tribal Enrollment Department to certify they are a member of one of the 11 federally recognized Wisconsin American Indian tribes to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Each Wisconsin American Indian Tribe has their own formal process to enroll members.
• Beginning on February 1st, 2024, students can submit official documentation via the ‘WI Tribal Educational Promise‘ eForm in their Student Center. Once in the Student Center, students should select the Student eForms tile and then click on the Financial Aid folder. 

Yes. All Native Nations students eligible for the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and are required to do so on an annual basis. 

Native Nations students should complete their FAFSA® each year and as soon as possible after it becomes available. UW-Madison will not have a priority deadline due to the delayed release of the 2024-25 FAFSA®, but we expect it will return in future years. 

The Office of Student Financial Aid will be holding their FAFSA® Frenzy throughout the spring semester to assist students with completing the new FAFSA®. 

To be considered a Wisconsin resident, Native Nations students must be bona fide residents of Wisconsin for a full calendar year prior to their enrollment at UW-Madison. Residence status for tuition purposes is reviewed and determined by the Office of the Registrar. Students can review their residence status (if it has been determined) through their My UW Student Center under Profile. In most cases, students living in a different state are not eligible to be considered Wisconsin residents for tuition purposes and therefore are not eligible for the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise. The residency team within the Office of the Registrar can answer any other residency questions: ResidenceForTuition@registrar.wisc.edu.

Only Wisconsin residents who are verified as an enrolled member of any one of the 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes in Wisconsin are eligible. If a Native Nations student’s residency status changes from Wisconsin resident to nonresident, they would no longer be eligible.  

Similarly, if a Native Nations student’s residency status changes from a nonresident to Wisconsin resident and they are verified as an enrolled member to a federally recognized American Indian tribe in Wisconsin, then they would be eligible.

Residence for Tuition Purposes is determined by the Registrar’s Office. Learn More>>

The Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program provides additional financial support to fund the difference between any previous financial aid received and the full in-state cost of attendance, regardless of financial need. 

For 2023-24, our undergraduate tuition is $11,216 and our full expected in-state cost of attendance (COA) is $28,916. We would therefore fund in full the difference between any other scholarships and grants from all sources given to a student and $28,916 (or whatever the estimated COA is for a given year).

We strongly encourage students to maintain full-time enrollment; however, the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program will cover the student’s cost of attendance (COA) less their other financial aid, so long as they enroll in at least 6 or more credits (half-time) each semester. Students enrolled in less than 6 credits may be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant, but no other financial aid. 

Because the program only guarantees funding for eight consecutive semesters (four years) for incoming first-year Native Nations students and four consecutive semesters (two years) for new transfer Native Nations students, students can make the most of their financial aid by maintaining full-time enrollment.

Yes, summer financial aid is available to Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program Scholars that have completed at least one semester at UW-Madison and are enrolled in at least three credits for summer term will receive combined grant and scholarship funds to cover the tuition and fees for three credits. Work-study and loans may also be offered to you. You can use the loans to cover additional expenses; however, the loans may not be enough to cover your costs for the entire summer. 

There is no application needed for summer financial aid if you’re taking the classes at UW-Madison. 

Enrolling in the summer term does not count against your total number of eligible semesters.

Another option for summer school is to take classes at another campus (such as Madison College or another UW system school). If you’d like to do this, please be sure to consult your academic advisor. You will also need to complete and submit additional paperwork called a consortium agreement. 

You will not get as much financial aid over the summer as you do during the academic year – plan accordingly. 

Yes, Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Scholars are provided funding to study abroad for one semester. The semester spent abroad will be included in the total eligibility of eight consecutive semesters (four years) of support for Native Nation students who enter as incoming first-year students or four semesters (two years) of support for Native Nation students who enter as new transfer students. 

Co-op students tend to enroll in only one credit during the semester they participate. Since receipt of Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program support requires students to be enrolled in a minimum of six credits per semester, in most cases, students participating in a co-op will not meet this minimum enrollment requirement. If a Native Nation student must pause receipt of Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program during a co-op semester, that semester will not be counted toward the Program’s 4- or 8-semester limit. 

Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to retain eligibility for the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program. 

Academic records are reviewed at the end of each academic year (late May/early June).

University Housing has the Indigenous Theme Community, a housing community for Indigenous students and allies (by application). Other support includes the Indigenous Student Center — home to several Indigenous student organizations, including Wunk Sheek — as well as Academic Coaching to Thrive and Succeed, which provides tutoring and academic support for Indigenous students through the Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement. 

If a student reaches the semester limit of the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program prior to earning their degree, they may receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid based on the FAFSA to complete their studies.