Madison Reporter

University of Wisconsin officials are touting the creation of a new initiative set to kick in this fall that is designed to ensure that more underserved local students are able to attend one of the UW System universities free of charge.

UW System President Jay Rothman recently announced the creation of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise, adding the overall goal of the program is to grow the number of state residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree, especially first-generation students and those from low-to-moderate income families throughout Wisconsin.

“The benefits of a college education are unassailable,” Rothman said in a press release. “A college degree needs to be within reach for every Wisconsin citizen as a path to a better life, and the Wisconsin Tuition Promise will provide these opportunities. It is also how we can close the skills gap that now limits Wisconsin’s potential to thrive in a global economy.”

With the amount of assistance given to each student varying based on need, the program will benefit students whose families make less than $62,000 a year and will be structured to serve as last dollar funding, meaning it will provide coverage for student's tuition bills after all scholarships, federal funding and any other aid they qualify for.

Eligible students include state residents, first time enrollees or transfers and full-time students at any of UW’s twelve regional schools. Students will be automatically considered for funding when they file for federal financial aid, with more than 8,000 students ultimately expected to be impacted.

Eligible students will be awarded an average of $4,500 over four years and school officials indicate they plan to fund the first year of the program in academic year 2023-24 at $13.8 million and seek state investment for subsequent years.