The School of Human Ecology awards 200 scholarships annually to its students, ranging in amounts depending on the type of scholarship. We encourage all of our undergraduate students to explore these resources.
All School of Human Ecology scholarships are processed through the Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA). Check with the OSFA to learn if there will be any negative impact on your financial aid package before accepting awards. International students may be subject to a 14% tax on their scholarship award.
If you have questions on the scholarship application, please contact the School of Human Ecology scholarship coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Scholarships & emergency financial support
Yearly Human Ecology scholarships
The fall School of Human Ecology scholarship application process opens October 1st and closes on February 1st. All current Human Ecology students will receive email communication with more information when the fall application opens.
The school awards 100 scholarships totaling ~$260,000 each fall to School of Human Ecology students.
Scholarship eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Enrolled in one of the seven School of Human Ecology majors
- In good academic standing (not on academic probation; a 2.0+ cumulative GPA)
- Enrolled in at least six credits during the next fall semester when the scholarship will be applied to your fall semester
- Awards are applied to the following fall semester.
Incoming freshmen and transfer students at UW–Madison are NOT eligible to apply for the Yearly Human Ecology scholarships. Freshman and transfer students can apply in their first year at UW–Madison and potentially receive it the following year.
Scholarship application process
Human Ecology uses the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) to promote available scholarships and collect applications. Apply using the general application in WiSH to be matched with the Human Ecology application and other scholarships for which you meet the criteria.
Selection process and notification
The awards committee reviews applications annually. The School of Human Ecology uses a Pool and Match system to award students. Students are assessed based on their academics, essay responses, volunteer & work experiences, and written recommendation. This scoring determines who will or will not receive a scholarship. After that, students are matched to specific donor funds. Students are notified of scholarship application decisions via email by July.
Application questions
Please contact the Human Ecology scholarship coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Internship scholarships
Human Ecology is proud to offer internship scholarships ranging in amount from $1,000 to $5,500 to students engaging in unpaid and/or out-of-state internships for credit.
Scholarship eligibility
Applicants must meet the internship-for-credit criteria and enroll in the required internship course, Inter-HE 601. Review the internship-for-credit requirements. Students are only eligible to receive the internship scholarship once.
Scholarship application process
School of Human Ecology students can access the application on the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) site.
Scholarship Application Window:
- Summer opens in March
- Fall opens in August
- Spring opens in December
There are two rounds per cycle to allow for students to apply based on when an internship is secured for the following term. Each cycle will offer an early deadline roughly one month prior to the start of the term, and another when internship verification forms are due, which is one week prior to the start of the term.
Selection process and notification
Members of the Human Ecology Advising & Career Center review all applications. Scholarship awards are based on criteria that includes factors such as internship location, whether the internship position is paid or unpaid, overall expenses, unmet need, etc. Students will be notified of award decisions by email.
Application questions
Please contact the Human Ecology scholarship coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Research scholarships
Human Ecology is proud to offer research scholarships ranging in amount from $1,000 to $5,500 to students engaging in unpaid and/or out-of-state research for credit.
Scholarship eligibility
Applicants must be completing research to meet their internship or high impact practices requirement in the School of Human Ecology and enroll in a research course for credit.
Research courses must be approved by a Human Ecology academic advisor before applying. Students are only eligible to receive the research scholarship once.
Scholarship application process
School of Human Ecology students who have secured a research position approved for credit can access the application on the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) site. The scholarship application for summer opens in March, fall opens in August, and spring opens in November, each with its own deadline.
Selection process and notification
Members of the Advising & Career Center review all applications. Scholarship awards are based on criteria that include factors such as research location, payment status of the experience (paid vs. unpaid), unmet financial need, etc. Students will be notified of award decisions by email.
Application questions
Please contact the Human Ecology scholarship coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Ongoing scholarships
Career & Leadership Development Scholarship
The Human Ecology Career & Leadership Development Scholarship may be used to support travel to conferences or other career and/or leadership development training opportunities, programs, and events that help build career readiness skills and complement the curriculum to further prepare students for their careers after graduation.
Current School of Human Ecology students may apply for up to $1,000 to support actual costs associated with participating in an activity (i.e. travel, lodging, registration fees, professional materials for engagement, food, etc). However, students should only request the amount needed to cover costs, and may not exceed the cost of attending.
Scholarships are available year-round. However, applications should be submitted through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) site at least four weeks in advance of an opportunity to allow time for the request to be reviewed and processed prior to departure. Preference will be given to students who have not received this scholarship previously.
This scholarship may not be used to fund student internships or study abroad and may only be received once during their undergraduate experience. For students looking for internship support, those students should apply for a Human Ecology Internship or Unpaid Research Scholarship for workplace experiences.
Application questions
Contact Jon Hetzel, assistant director of career services, at jon.hetzel@wisc.edu.
Senior Thesis Professional Development Scholarship
The Senior Thesis Professional Development Scholarship may be used to support the costs associated with developing a senior thesis project for the Textiles & Fashion Design (TFD) program. Currently enrolled TFD students may apply for up to $500 to help cover project costs.
To apply, please download and read this overview of the Senior Thesis Professional Development Scholarship for more information on what is required and then apply through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) site by October 15 for fall term or February 15 for spring term.
Application questions
Contact Jon Hetzel, assistant director of career services, at jon.hetzel@wisc.edu.
Emergency financial support
Students experiencing specific financial hardship (e.g., food or housing insecurity, or difficulty purchasing school supplies) should contact the School of Human Ecology Academic Dean’s Services at deansservices@sohe.wisc.edu to schedule an appointment to discuss financial need and available support.
Students experiencing urgent financial need are encouraged to look into the following resources:
- School of Human Ecology Emergency Support
- Basic Needs Student Support (food, health, housing, and more)
- BadgerFARE Program (food assistance)
- Emergency financial support
- Go to your MyUW Student Center
- Select the ‘Student eForms’ tile
- Select the ‘Financial Aid Folder’
- Complete the ‘Emergency Support’ Form
For parenting students, there is additional tuition and childcare emergency support available through the Office of Child Care and Family Resources.
Summer Scholarships
These scholarships are not offered by the School of Human Ecology, however they can be a helpful resource for a School of Human Ecology student looking to complete summer coursework here at UW-Madison. The UW-Madison Summer Term office offers a variety of summer based scholarships for students enrolled in a summer course at UW-Madison. Please check their website for specific scholarship information and deadlines. In general most open in February and will close in Early April. Any questions regarding these scholarships should be directed to summerterm@wisc.edu.