Falcon Scholars
Phone: 715-425-3304
Email: falconscholars@uwrf.edu 
Location: 231 Rodli Hall
Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Falcon Scholars

Developed in partnership with UWRF Student Senate, the Falcon Scholars program aims to:

  • enrich learning (and subsequent employment readiness and leadership capacity) for students.
  • raise the academic standards among students.
  • support engagement and excellence among faculty and staff.

Upon admission, incoming first-year students with a record of academic success can apply to become a Falcon Scholar. Qualifying students who continue to maintain a 2.75 GPA will be offered renewable, four-year scholarship support ($1,000/year; $4,000 total), funded by donors. Differential tuition funds of $2,000 will be used to support international study abroad and/or participation in undergraduate research, scholarly or creative activity for Falcon Scholars attending UWRF full-time.

Falcon Scholars makes unique educational opportunities available to more students across a range of disciplines and reduces the need for students to pursue off-campus jobs, allowing them to focus on academics, all while keeping a UWRF education affordable for recipients. 


Requirements

This scholarship supports new, incoming students with strong academic performance and leadership qualities. To be eligible, you must:

  • Must have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher OR 
  • Rank in the top 25% of your high school class OR 
  • Have an 25 ACT (1200 SAT) or higher

Recipients are provided a $1,000 scholarship for up to four years and up to a $2,000 stipend for undergraduate research or study abroad during your junior or senior year.


Benefits

In addition to the financial benefits, being a Falcon Scholar offers additional perks. As a scholar, you'll have access to the Chancellor's Scholars, Honors Program and Falcon Scholars interaction space located in 231 Rodli Hall. The space is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and provides comfortable furniture, beanbag seating, computers, fridge, microwave, tea and cocoa! The inviting atmosphere provides a space where you can relax, study and enjoy the company of your peers.


Using Your Falcon Scholars Stipend

Falcon Scholars in good standing are eligible to receive a stipend of up to $2,000 to be used toward a campus-sanctioned international study abroad experience through the Office of International Education, an undergraduate research project through our Undergraduate Research Scholarly and Creative Activity (URSCA) Office or a combination of the two.  

All Falcon Scholars are strongly encouraged to speak with the Office of International Education and/or URSCA before submitting the intent form to the Falcon Scholars and Honors Program Office in 231 Rodli Hall. 

Office of International Education: 174 Rodli Hall, 715-425-4891 or studyabroad@uwrf.edu

URSCA: 235 Rodli Hall, 715-425-3902 or ursca@uwrf.edu 

  • Earned at least 45 credits overall, with at least 15 taken after becoming a full-time UWRF student OR have earned at least 30 credits overall and completed two semesters of coursework after becoming a full-time UWRF student.
  • Enrolled full-time.
  • Minimum of a 2.75 GPA.
  • Completion and approval of the Falcon Scholars Stipend Intent form.
    • Study Abroad Experience: Program must be approved through the Office of International Education and the Falcon Scholars Office. Guidelines are available on this page under "Guidelines for Selecting a Study Abroad Experience Using Falcon Scholars Funds."
      • State money may only be applied to those study abroad experiences sanctioned through the UWRF Office of International Education. This stipend can only pay for those funds billed through eSIS, therefore, if your eSIS bill is for less than $2,000, you'll receive only what appears on your bill. 
      • You'll be asked to submit a copy of your Student Billing invoice before the stipend is released. 
    • Undergraduate Research: When submitting your intent form, you must also submit the URSCA Research Proposal for Falcon Scholars before your stipend can be processed. Once your project is completed, you must submit the URSCA Final Approval document as well as a copy of your project (i.e. poster, paper, report, etc.) before the second half of your stipend can be processed. 
    • The intent form does not guarantee that the stipend will be disbursed, rather the form is a way for the Falcon Scholars Office to track which experience you intend to pursue and when, so that your eligibility can be determined. The intent form needs to be submitted as soon as you decide on a program to allow for processing. Information regarding disbursement of the funds can be found under the "Disbursements" section of this webpage.
  • Study Abroad Funds: For programs sanctioned through the Office of International Education, the stipend will be applied to your account in the term in which the education abroad experience occurs. The disbursement date of the stipend must be the same date as all other UWRF Financial Aid disbursements. If you commit to a program in which the Falcon Scholars money has been disbursed but then either cancel or don't complete the program, you'll be required to return the funds and won't be eligible to receive the funds again. 
  • URSCA Funds: If you use your stipend for an URSCA project, you may receive funds (1) through payroll as a stipend in two disbursements - one when the project is approved by the Director of Falcon Scholars and the second when a faculty mentor agrees that the project is complete; (2) through Accounts Receivable for expenses incurred during the project; or (3) both, depending on the nature of the project. Students should consult the Financial Aid Office to find out which of these options is appropriate for the project. Note: Monies paid through payroll are subject to appropriate tax withholding.  

When the Falcon Scholars program was established, the funds designated to assist students in a global travel experience were earmarked for study and education abroad through programs sanctioned through the UW-River Falls Office of International Education (OIE). Therefore, only programs that demonstrate an academic focus and that are sanctioned through OIE will be approved for funding. Additionally, the following guidelines will be used to determine whether or not a study/education abroad experience qualifies for the Falcon Scholars stipend:

  • File your intent form with the Falcon Scholars office. To ensure time for processing, forms should be submitted at least three months prior to the program start date.
  • State money may only be applied to those study abroad experiences sanctioned through OIE and only for expenses billed through UWRF. State money cannot be used for "third party vendors." For the purposes of this policy, "third party vendor" is defined as a non-UWRF, or non-Universities of Wisconsin program. Exchange and similar programs (e.g. Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching--COST) approved as partner schools are eligible for Falcon Scholars stipends. 
  • Opportunities offered through the Universities of Wisconsin consortium may also be funded if the experience is approved for university insurance and is vetted by the Universities of Wisconsin. These experiences involve careful oversight by our faculty, staff and administration in the system and are academically focused.
  • No study/education abroad experience will be approved for funding if any travel warnings have been issued for that country or location in the last three months and/or if the faculty, staff or administration believe that the experience will endanger the well-being of the student.
  • The final approval for whether or not a program will be supported by Falcon Scholars money will be determined by the Director of the Falcon Scholars Program in conjunction with the Director of the Office of International Education, with the Provost being consulted as necessary.