Grants and Loans

Eligibility: Based on your financial need determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and whether you attend full-time or part-time.

Award: Maximum award for the 2022-23 year is $6,895. Award amounts are also based on your FAFSA and whether you attend full-time or part-time.

Eligibility: Based on Pell Grant eligibility. Must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits).

Award: Maximum award for the 2021-22 year is $500.

Who: Wisconsin resident undergraduates

Eligibility: Based on your financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits). Can be received for a maximum of 10 semesters.

Award: Maximum award for the 2022-23 year is $3,150. Award amounts are based on your FAFSA.

Who: Wisconsin resident undergraduate AND at least at sophomore level

Eligibility: Based on African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Southeast Asian ethnicity. Must be at least sophomore level. Must be enrolled full time. Must have cumulative GPA of at least 2.25. Can be received for a maximum of eight semesters. The application can be found in the UWRF Scholarship Application System. 

Award: Lawton Grant awards range from $1,000 to $2,000 per semester.

Who: Wisconsin resident undergraduates

Eligibility: First-year students are nominated by school financial aid offices or by counselors of the Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Programs (WEOP). To continue to receive the TIP Grant, you must be enrolled consecutive semesters at least half time (6 credits) and continue to show financial need. Can be received for a maximum of 10 semesters.

Award: Maximum award for the 2022-23 year is $1,800.

State: Wisconsin Indian Student Assistance

Tribal Grants: File application with tribe.

Who: Wisconsin resident students who will be participating in UWRF international study programs (study abroad)

Eligibility: Student must be a Wisconsin resident participating in a credit-bearing UWRF education abroad program (no third-party programs or other US university programs). Separate application is required. Contact the Office of International Education directly with questions.

Award: Grants will be made in the $1,000 (semester-length program) range or in the $500 (short-term program) range, depending on the availability of funds and the number of applicants.

Who: Minority graduate students or non-minority disadvantaged graduate students

Eligibility: Based on African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Southeast Asian ethnicity or being an economically disadvantaged non-minority graduate student. Must be admitted into a degree-seeking graduate program and must be enrolled in at least three credits per semester.

Apply: The application deadline is June 1, 2022, and requires successful completion of the 2022-23 FAFSA. Apply here. 

Award: Up to 100% of tuition/fee charges (at the Wisconsin resident rate for standard priced graduate programs) plus an amount for book/supplies each fall and spring semester. Summer grants are dependent on remaining funds.

State: Wisconsin Indian Student Assistance 

Tribal Grants: File application with tribe.

Borrower: Undergraduates who demonstrate financial need (must be enrolled at least half time, six credits).

Lender: Federal government

Loan Amount: Per academic year: up to $3,500 for freshman grade level, $4,500 for sophomore grade level and $5,500 for junior and senior grade levels.

Application process: Complete the FAFSA annually. Accept the Federal Direct Loan offer in your eSIS. Complete online Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note through studentaid.gov. Please see Loan Processing for instructions.

Interest Rates and Loan Origination Fees: For current rates and fees, please visit studentaid.gov.

Repayment: Repayment begins six months after graduation or after you cease to be enrolled at least half time (six credits). Each year while you are in repayment, you are required to pay at least $600 or the unpaid balance (whichever is less). Standard repayment is over a 10-year period, however, several repayment options are available that may extend the length of repayment. There is no penalty for early repayment. In order to assist you with your planning, the U.S. Department of Education provides budget and repayment calculators.

*Federal Stafford Loans allow for cancellation of all or part of the loan in return for certain types of teaching or public service. Click here for detailed information.

Borrower: Undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of financial need (must be enrolled at least half time: six credits for undergraduates and four credits for graduates).

Lender: Federal government

Loan Amount: Per academic year, undergraduates can receive up to $5,500 for freshman grade level, $6,500 for sophomore grade level and $7,500 for junior and senior grade levels. Amounts are higher for independent students.

Application process: Complete the FAFSA annually. Accept the Federal Direct Loan offer in your eSIS. Complete online Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note through studentaid.gov. Please see Loan Processing for instructions.

Interest Rates and Loan Origination Fees: For current rates and fees, please visit studentaid.gov.

Repayment: Repayment begins six months after graduation or after you cease to be enrolled at least half time, which is six credits for undergraduates and four credits for graduates. Each year while you are in repayment, you are required to pay at least $600 or the unpaid balance (whichever is less). Standard repayment is over a 10-year period, however, several repayment options are available that may extend the length of repayment. There is no penalty for early repayment. In order to assist you with your planning, the U.S. Department of Education provides budget and repayment calculators.

*Federal Stafford Loans allow for cancellation of all or part of the loan in return for certain types of teaching or public service. Click here for detailed information.

Borrower: Parents of dependent undergraduates.

Lender: Federal government

Loan Amount: Up to the cost of attendance, minus any other aid the student has received. Note that an origination fee will be deducted from each loan disbursement.

Application process: The student must have a FAFSA on file with UWRF. The parent borrower must have an FSA ID from the U.S. Department of Education (the same FSA ID used to electronically sign the FAFSA). A stepparent may apply for a PLUS loan if the stepparent's information is included with the FAFSA. To apply, complete the Parent PLUS Application form and sign the Master Promissory Note. Instructions can be found on the Parent PLUS Loan Processing page.

Interest Rates and Loan Origination Fees: For current rates and fees, please visit studentaid.gov.

Repayment: Repayment of interest and principal begins within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. Standard repayment is over a 10-year period, however, several repayment options are available that may extend the length of repayment. The parent may choose to postpone repayment until six months after the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled at least half time, but interest will continue to accrue while repayment is postponed.

Borrower: Students, regardless of financial need (must be enrolled at least half-time, which is four credits)

Lender: Federal government

Loan Amount: Up to $20,500 per academic year

Application Process: Complete the FAFSA annually. Accept the unsubsidized loan offer in your eSIS. Complete online Entrance Counseling and/or sign Master Promissory Note on the Stafford Loan Processing page.

Interest Rate and Loan Origination Fees: For current rates and fees, please visit studentaid.gov.

Repayment: Repayment begins six months after graduation or after you cease to be enrolled at least half time, which is four credits. Each year while you are in repayment, you are required to pay at least $600 or the unpaid balance, whichever is less. You have up to 10 years to repay the loan. There is no penalty for early repayment. In order to assist you with your planning, the U.S. Department of Education provides budget and repayment calculators.

*Federal Stafford Loans allow for cancellations of all or part of the loan in return for certain types of teaching or public service. Please click here for detailed information.

Borrower: Students, regardless of financial need (must be enrolled at least half time, which is four credits)

Lender: Federal government

Loan Amount: Up to the cost of attendance, minus any other aid the student has received. Note that an origination fee will be deducted from each loan disbursement.

Application Process: You must have an FSA ID from the U.S. Department of Education (the same FSA ID used to electronically sign the FAFSA) and a FAFSA on file with UWRF. To apply for a Grad PLUS Loan, contact the UWRF Financial Aid Office at finaid@uwrf.edu or 715-425-3141. You’ll need to complete the PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Graduate/Professional Students at studentaid.gov once your Graduate PLUS loan is approved.

Interest Rate and Loan Origination Fees: For current rates and fees, please visit studentaid.gov.

Repayment: Repayment of interest and principal begins within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed and the repayment term is up to 10 years. You may choose to postpone repayment until six months after you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half time but interest will continue to accrue while repayment is postponed.

Borrower: Students, regardless of financial need. Meant to provide additional funds after you have applied for federal financial aid. Private loans often have higher interest rates and loan fees. For those reasons we highly recommend all students and families apply for federal financial aid through the FAFSA before applying for a private loan(s).

Lender: You choose between a variety of private banks and lenders on the online application.

Loan Amount: Up to your cost of attendance, minus any other aid you have received.

Application Process: Apply online using either FASTChoice or Credible. (Note: UWRF receives no compensation or consideration from these providers of private education loan comparison services. You are not limited to using the lenders listed on either FASTChoice or Credible for private education loans).

Interest Rate and Repayment: Unlike federal loans, the terms of private loans are set by the individual lenders. The interest rate and fees are determined by your credit history, your debt-to-income ratio and that of any co-signer. The interest rates for alternative loans are variable and are most often based on a range using the Prime or LIBOR as a base and add an additional percentage based on the borrower's credit. The current Prime and LIBOR rates are available at the Federal Reserve Statistical Release.