Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship
The Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship is automatically awarded to new first-year students based on the student’s unweighted final high school grade point average (GPA).
All domestic new first-year students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Milwaukee campus are eligible. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years, provided students maintain full-time enrollment at the undergraduate level. Qualified first-year students receive their scholarship automatically upon full-time enrollment and are notified of the award shortly after admission. No scholarship application is required.
The award may be combined with other scholarships and grants offered by 51ÁÔÆæ.
Eligibility Requirements
| Tier | High School GPA | Annual Award Amount | 4-Year Award Amount |
| Tier 1 | 4.00 | $1,500 | $6,000 |
| Tier 2 | 3.75 – 3.99 | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Tier 3 | 3.40 – 3.74 | $500 | $2,000 |
While the Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship uses a student’s high school GPA at the time of application for admission to initially determine the award amount, the student’s final unweighted high school GPA as reflected on their final high school transcript will determine the official award amount. Students must submit their final high school transcript to 51ÁÔÆæ by August 1. Changes to tiers will be processed before the first date of financial aid disbursement in August, just before the start of the fall semester.
The scholarship is renewable for up to four years, provided students maintain full-time enrollment at the undergraduate level. Students who drop below full-time enrollment will have the scholarship rescinded and be ineligible to receive it in future semesters.
FAQs
Admitted domestic new first-year bachelor’s degree-seeking students who enroll full-time at the Milwaukee campus are eligible. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years (eight individual fall/spring terms) if students continue full-time enrollment at the undergraduate level. Students who drop below full-time enrollment will have the scholarship rescinded and be ineligible to receive it in future semesters.
International new first-year bachelor’s degree-seeking students are not eligible for the Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship; however, they are considered for other admission-based awards by the 51ÁÔÆæ Center for International Education (CIE).
Transfer students are not eligible for this scholarship.
UW Flexible Option Degree students are not eligible for this scholarship.
No application is required. Students will automatically receive the offer based on their unweighted high school GPA.
Students are notified of their eligibility for the award via email shortly after admission. Details of the scholarship are shared in their financial aid award or offer email.
Students automatically receive the scholarship offer and will accept their award through the .
For high school transcripts that have a weighted GPA, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions recalculates the GPA to be on a 4.0 scale. The calculations used are as follows:
- 1-credit A = 4 grade points
- 1-credit B = 3 grade points
- 1-credit C = 2 grade points
- 1-credit D = 1 grade point
- 1-credit F = 0 grade points
Yes. While the Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship uses a student’s high school GPA at the time of application for admission to initially determine the award amount, the student’s final unweighted high school GPA as reflected on their final high school transcript will determine the official award amount. Students must submit their final high school transcript to 51ÁÔÆæ by August 1. Changes to tiers will be processed prior to the first date of financial aid disbursement in August just before the start of the fall semester.
Students enrolling in the associate degree program are not eligible for the award. If a student changes to a bachelor degree program before starting classes at 51ÁÔÆæ, they will be evaluated for eligibility.
Undergraduate students who matriculate to the graduate career lose eligibility for this scholarship. See the Eligibility Policy for details.
Yes, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements. Students deferring from fall to spring will need to notify the Office of Student Scholarships of their intent to defer so their award can be adjusted accordingly. Students who choose to take a gap year maintain eligibility as long as they do not take courses elsewhere.
Yes! Students can receive this award in combination with need-based programs or other scholarships.
Yes, if the high school transcript utilizes a letter grade system or numerical grade system with an explanatory key. Most high schools that don’t calculate GPAs prepare an extensive explanation of how their grading system works and this is included when the school sends a student’s transcript to 51ÁÔÆæ. The student’s coursework and application for admission are carefully reviewed by the 51ÁÔÆæ Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff to calculate a GPA equivalent (on a 4.0 scale) for the sole purpose of consideration for admission and merit-based scholarships.
Because the Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship is based on academic merit as defined by a GPA, if the transcript does not include typical letter or numerical grades, the student cannot be considered for the Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship. This includes individuals who hold a GED diploma or high school equivalency diploma (HSED).
Yes, summer applicants are eligible, but their award will not be applied to the summer term. The award will be applied to the fall and spring terms.
Yes, spring applicants are eligible, but they will only receive 50% of the annual award for that semester.
No. Students must have full-time continuous enrollment at the undergraduate level to be eligible for the award. Exceptions are outlined in the Scholarship Rescission and Cancellation Policy.
No. This award is exclusively for new first-year students pursuing a bachelor’s degree.