The University of Wisconsin–Madison continues to be a leading choice for local, out-of-state, and international students alike. In September, the university welcomed nearly 9,900 new freshmen and transfer students, more than 1,200 of whom are attending the UW with scholarships and grants provided through UW–Madison. This fortunate cohort is receiving monetary support from impactful initiatives made possible through donor generosity — that means an access program is assisting one in eight students.
Bucky’s Tuition Promise, which provides full tuition to in-state students from families whose income is at or below the state median, has aided more than 6,500 Badgers since its launch in 2018. Bucky’s Pell Pathway, now in its second year, provides tuition and the full cost of attendance for Pell Grant–eligible Wisconsin students and has been awarded to 3,750 students with financial need. Announced in December 2023, the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program covers the total cost of earning an undergraduate degree for state residents who are registered members of federally recognized Indian tribes of Wisconsin, regardless of financial need.
The UW recently enrolled its second-largest freshman class. This year’s incoming class includes:
- 9,891 new students comprising
- 8,516 freshmen and
- 1,375 transfer students; and
- 1,931 students with “promise” scholarships, including
- 750 on Bucky’s Tuition Promise,
- 1,150 on Bucky’s Pell Pathway,
- 31 on the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program.
Hayden Leonard x’28 is one of this year’s Bucky’s Pell Pathway recipients. He had been torn between UW–Madison and another top engineering school until the UW’s financial aid package came through. “I couldn’t believe it,” Leonard says of Bucky’s Pell Pathway. “It was the deciding factor. It’s amazing not to have to worry about finances.”
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin is thrilled that these exceptional students have chosen the UW as their higher-education home. “In return, we commit to providing them with what has been this university’s hallmark for 175 years — a world-class education that prepares students to take on society’s toughest challenges and become transformative leaders in their professions and their communities,” Mnookin says. “We are also proud to welcome so many students from Wisconsin and to be able to remove financial barriers for those who may not otherwise be able to attend UW–Madison.”