Financial aid
A page within Graduate Education
Wondering where to start?
Financial assistance for graduate students
Financial Aid options
UWL will pay the graduate school application fee for McNair Scholars. To receive this benefit, request an application fee payment form from your undergraduate McNair Scholars contact or download a copy.
When completing the UW System application, simply skip the application fee payment section. Completed fee forms should be emailed directly to UWL Graduate Admissions admissions@uwlax.edu or mailed to the address below. Once we receive your form, your application will be updated in our system to confirm the payment requirement has been completed.
Graduate Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
AOP Grants recognize strong academic achievement and potential among newly admitted or continuing students who show financial need. These grants provide graduate tuition support for eligible Wisconsin residents for tuition purposes from traditionally underrepresented minority and non-minority groups (African American, American Indian, Latinx, designated Southeast Asian) and/or economically disadvantaged students in advanced degree programs. Award recipients must be US citizens or permanent residents. Finally, AOP awards are competitive and need-based (FAFSA required).
Receiving an AOP award will require Wisconsin residency for tuition purposes, so please be sure to answer the eApp questions related to residency very carefully if you intend to apply for AOP.
AOP applications will be accepted starting in October of each academic year and evaluated in March; notifications of awards will be sent by late March. Contact Graduate & Extended Learning for more information.
Graduate Assistantships are available for students in many UWL graduate programs. They recognize strong academic and scholarly achievement or potential, relative to the expectations in the discipline and/or demonstrated leadership potential. Teaching, project, and research assistantships provide funding to support full-time studies and assist with healthcare costs. Contact your program director for more information.
Non-resident tuition waivers are available for students in many UWL graduate programs. They recognize strong academic achievement and potential among newly admitted or continuing graduate students who are non-residents for tuition purposes. If you are considering applying to UWL, please contact your program's graduate program director ASAP for more information.
All students, including those who receive non-resident tuition waivers, must pay in-state tuition and fees.
Note: Minnesota residents may qualify for lower than regular non-resident tuition rates at UW-La Crosse, due to the reciprocity agreement between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Information about how to apply is available on the Financial Aid Office's Minnesota reciprocity webpage. If you are starting in the summer, apply for reciprocity for both the current and the upcoming school year.
You can explore scholarship resources linked below. You must complete the FAFSA to be considered some of these scholarships.
UWL has a dedicated office for veteran services to help navigate the process of transitioning from military to university life. This office is also a great resource for financial information related to veteran educational benefits. Visit the Veteran Services website for more detailed information.
Some veteran benefits require Wisconsin residency for tuition purposes, so please be sure to answer eApp questions related to residency very carefully if you intend to use veteran benefits to help fund your graduate studies.
Graduate students may have eligibility to borrow under the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and/or the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan programs to assist with the cost of their attendance. Both programs require a completed FAFSA. While UWL encourages students to only borrow ‘what they need’, loans are available to ease the burden of paying for graduate education and can be a worthwhile investment. Visit the Financial Aid website for more detailed information.
Note that federal loan eligibility at UWL requires enrollment in 5+ credits. Initially, only one 3-credit class will be offered per term for each certificate. A student enrolled in more than one certificate program could qualify for federal loans.
Students who need additional funds for education, beyond what was awarded on their financial aid award letter, might consider a private student loan. These loans are private educational loans from a lender and are not guaranteed by the federal government. Approval of a private student loan is based on creditworthiness. Most students will require a co-signer.
Part-time on-campus employment may be an option to assist with expenses during graduate school. While federal work study positions are not available for graduate students, other part-time jobs are available on campus. Check out the opportunities listed on our online job board.
UWL employees should inquire about the possibility of the Employee Educational Assistance Program covering parts of tuition. Employees must be in at least 0.50 FTE positions. Graduate assistants are not covered by this policy.
The Office of Student Life has compiled a wide range of resources related to supporting students facing financial difficulties and other challenges. Many of these apply most directly to on-campus students. There are also emergency funds available to support students impacted by COVID-19, whether they are enrolled in on-campus, online, or hybrid programs.