The cost of obtaining a top-notch education continues to rise, and many students are concerned about financing their education. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a variety of financial support options for its students. For the undergraduate major, university-level financial aid is available; however, the school also offers a number of generous need- and merit-based scholarships.
Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication has one of the most generous scholarship programs on campus. In 2025, SJMC awarded 147 applicants with scholarships ranging from $500 to $18,000.
All current undergraduate students in the SJMC are eligible to apply, including seniors planning to graduate in the upcoming spring or summer terms. Students complete one application and the scholarship committee then matches them with the best scholarship. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, academics, area of study and involvement.
Applicants must write brief statements about their career goals, professional experience and campus/community involvement. A PDF version of your current resume is required.
Applications for the annual scholarship competition are open December 1. Deadline to apply is December 15. Recipients are announced no later than early April.
Need help?
For technical assistance with the WiSH scholarship application online hub, contact scholarships@finaid.wisc.edu . Someone from the financial aid office will return your inquiry promptly, to guide you through any questions you may have about the online application.
For all other questions, contact info@journalism.wisc.edu , and someone from the SJMC scholarship committee will get back to you ASAP.
For answers to other questions, see our FAQs below.
SJMC Undergraduate Scholarship Program FAQ
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When is the 2025-2026 undergraduate scholarship application available?
The 2025-2026 SJMC Scholarship Program application will be open from Monday, December 1 at 12:01 a.m. through Monday, December 15 at 11:59 p.m.
Who is eligible to apply?
All undergraduate School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) majors are eligible to apply. Even seniors graduating in May or August 2026 are eligible! Unfortunately, seniors graduating in December of 2025 are not eligible.
Is it really worth my time to apply?
Thanks to our generous alumni, SJMC has one of the most generous department-level scholarship programs on campus. Last year, we awarded $204,800 to 147 students, each recieving between $500 and $18,000 in scholarships. It is worth it to apply!
How do I apply?
To apply, login to the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) with your NetID.
Students must complete the General Application prior to being eligible to apply for SJMC scholarships. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication scholarship application will appear under ‘My Applications’ once the General Application is complete. Click on the application title to begin the process.
Since just one scholarship application is required, how are scholarship awards determined then?
Different scholarships have different parameters or requirements. The SJMC scholarship committee works diligently to match the best student with the best scholarship. Awards are granted based on financial need, academic merit, experience, and/or involvement.
What materials are needed to complete the application?
Students will need a PDF copy of their current resume. In addition, students need to submit three (3) different brief statements on their career goals, work experience, and involvement (e.g. volunteer work, student organization participation, etc.)
When will I find out whether or not I received a scholarship award?
Students will be notified of their scholarship status by April 2026.
Do I need to do anything else after applying?
A few of our scholarships require that the awarded student write a ‘thank you’ letter if the corresponding scholarship has a living donor. Students receiving an award with this requirement will be informed of this when they accept their award.
Scholarship recipients are asked to submit a photograph and brief statement about how their scholarship helped them and to fill out a release granting SJMC permission to use these materials to promote our scholarship program to future applicants. Participation in this promotion program is completely voluntary.
What if I have additional questions or need assistance with the online application?
For technical assistance with the WiSH scholarship application online hub, contact scholarships@finaid.wisc.edu. Someone from the financial aid office will return your inquiry promptly, to guide you through any questions you may have about the online application.
For all other questions, contact info@journalism.wisc.edu, and someone from the SJMC scholarship committee will get back to you as soon as possible.