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Madison College Foundation Scholarships

Fall 2026 Scholarships
Applications for fall 2026 scholarships will be open March 23rd through April 29th. Award notifications will be sent to Madison College email accounts by August 2026.
Scholarship Policies >>
Spring 2027 Scholarships
Applications for spring 2027 scholarships will be open October 26th through December 1st. Award notifications will be sent to Madison College email accounts by February 2027.

Madison College Foundation’s vision is to support Madison College in its commitment to increase access so that no student will be denied an education due to financial barriers.

 

New Students
New Students
If you will have completed less than 6 credits at Madison College for the semester you are applying for scholarships for, you are considered a new student.
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Continuing Students
Continuing Students
If you will have completed 6 or more credits at Madison College at the start of the term you are apply for scholarships for, you are considered a continuing student.
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Special Applications
Special Applications
Scholarships listed on this page have an application that is managed outside the general application process online. Deadlines for each will vary.
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Branch Campus Scholarships
Branch Campus Scholarships
Some campuses have scholarships that are managed outside the general application process or have special steps within that process. Learn more about campus specific opportunities.
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Madison College Foundation Scholarship Tips

  • Complete every section of the application. Treat the scholarship application like an exam — leaving sections blank can reduce your overall score and weaken your application.
  • Use the essay questions to tell your story. This is your chance to share your educational goals, career plans, challenges you’ve overcome, and why receiving a scholarship will make a difference for you. Scholarships are funded by individuals and local organizations who want to invest in students and in the future of our community, and your application helps them understand why you are a strong candidate.
  • Draft your essays in a Word document or similar tool first. Writing outside the scholarship portal helps ensure your work is saved, allows you to use grammar and spell‑check tools, and lets you keep a copy of your essays for future scholarship applications or other opportunities.
  • Plan ahead for letters of recommendation. If a scholarship requires a recommendation, ask early and choose someone who knows you well (such as an instructor, advisor, employer, or program staff). Give your recommender plenty of time and share helpful details about your goals, accomplishments, and the scholarship you are applying for.

Sample Letters of Recommendations

  • Ask someone to review your application. Visit the Writing Center or ask an instructor, advisor, friend, or family member to review your essays for clarity, organization, and errors before submitting.
  • Submit early whenever possible. Waiting until the last day increases the risk of technical issues or unexpected personal conflicts. Late applications cannot be considered.

✅ Before You Click Submit: Final Checklist

☐ All required questions and essays are completed
☐ Essays answer the prompt clearly and reflect your personal story
☐ Spelling and grammar have been checked
☐ You saved copies of your essays for future use
☐ You reviewed your application for completeness and accuracy
☐ You confirmed all information and documents are correct before submitting

 

Scholarship FAQs

If there are circumstances beyond your control, like petitioning for a program, please reach out to Ruth directly. We are happy to work with you and grant you as much time as possible to enroll. Even if we are able to give you extra time to enroll, your scholarship application must be submitted by the posted scholarship deadline.

No, the Foundation works with the Financial Aid office so they are already aware of all Foundation awards.

Yes, it is a requirement to submit a thank you note to the donor for all scholarships before they are disbursed.

Scholarships will be applied directly to student accounts approximately 3 weeks after the start of classes to students who have completed the required steps of the acceptance process. Specific details for timeline and disbursement can be found in your scholarship offer email.

A number of scholarships consider financial need as one of the selection criteria. In order to be considered for some need based scholarships you must complete a 2026-2027 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), if eligible.

NOT completing the FAFSA information will not affect your consideration for other scholarships.

AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) may be used to support the writing process—such as refining spelling, grammar, sentence structure, or assisting with general structural organization—provided the content remains the student’s original work. Students should not use artificial intelligence technology to generate the responses submitted for scholarship applications.

Review authenticity policy and tips for how AI can be used for Madison College Foundation scholarships

Scholarships are open twice a year and current deadlines can always be found at www.supportmadisoncollege.org/madison-college-foundation-scholarships

By completing the general application you will automatically be matched with a majority of the scholarship opportunities we offer. Once you submit the general application go to the opportunities tab and select “ours”. The scholarships that have an orange “apply” button next to them are scholarships you must take additional steps to apply and you can choose which ones to complete.

Any Madison College student, that is a Wisconsin Resident enrolled in at least 6 credits for the semester they are applying to and has a 2.0 GPA.

Award notifications will be sent to Madison College email accounts.

Yes, you can make an appointment with the Writing Center at https://madisoncollege.edu/writing-center