Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes Scholarship and Program Awards
WISLI Funding Application
How It Works: Apply Once, Access Multiple Awards
The WISLI Tuition Scholarship application form is the same one used to apply for the SASLI Half Fee Remission and SEALC Scholarship, allowing you to be considered for multiple competitions through a single application. You are encouraged to prepare application materials in advance.
WISLI Tuition Scholarship
All WISLI applicants are eligible to apply for a WISLI Tuition Scholarship, which would cover 50% of your tuition at WISLI. The WISLI Tuition Scholarship – made possible through the generous support of the International Division’s Office of the Dean – aims to broaden support for learning less commonly taught languages.
Program-specific Awards
Some programs offer their own awards of varying amounts, including the SASLI Half Fee Remission and SEALC Tuition Scholarship for SEASSI. These highly competitive awards are intended to support students with clear academic or career goals related to their language and world region. Based on your program, you will have the opportunity to simultaneously apply for a program-specific competition, if available, using the same application materials. While it’s possible to combine awards, receiving multiple awards is not guaranteed and may not be possible due to limited funds and differing program priorities and selection committees. We encourage applicants to plan accordingly.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include adult learners, domestic and international students, and students enrolled at UW–Madison or other colleges and universities. Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible for a WISLI Tuition Scholarship only. Wisconsin and Minnesota residents receive a smaller award since their tuition is already reduced, and students with a FLAS award are not eligible.
Awards are competitive. See the WISLI funding page for additional resources and suggestions for identifying other funding sources.
What an Award Does NOT Cover
Awards are limited to tuition costs and exclude expenses such as segregated fees, textbooks, living expenses, housing, incidentals, travel, health insurance, the one-time official document fee of $130.00, and other costs.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2026
Application Materials
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all application materials are complete and submitted on time. To apply for a WISLI Tuition Scholarship and/or a program-specific award, you will need to:
Prepare a Statement of Purpose (approximately 500-600 words) describing your personal, academic, and/or professional goals, and explain how these goals connect to your interest in language study at WISLI. Address the broader impact you hope your language study will have. (This statement may be the same one submitted for your general WISLI program application – no changes are needed!).
Prepare a brief Statement of Financial Need addressing any major sources of income for academic study, the financial support needed to participate in WISLI, and other circumstances that may demonstrate your need for support.
Solicit one letter of recommendation. The recommender must email their letter directly to wisli@lpo.wisc.edu. If your program or another financial aid application requires letters, those exact same letters can be re-submitted for this application.
Complete the general WISLI Funding Application.
NOTE: Applicants must complete separate applications if applying for multiple languages and address the rationale in their statement of purpose.
Award Notifications and Distribution
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the first round of notifications occurring in early March.
Award notifications and correspondence will be sent separately, based on the competition:
WISLI Tuition Scholarship: wisli@lpo.wisc.edu
SASLI Half Fee Remission: sasli@lpo.wisc.edu
SEALC Scholarship: seassi@lpo.wisc.edu
Those offered an award must accept or decline within two weeks of receiving the award letter.
Awards will be applied directly to tuition costs.
Award recipients must complete the entire 8-week program with a passing grade.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2026
