Making education affordable
Financing your education is an important part of your responsibility as a college student and we in the School of Nursing are thankful to our gracious donors who help provide scholarships, campus-wide programs for need-based students, and other funding opportunities that continue making our undergraduate and graduate degrees affordable and accessible.
UW–Madison Costs & Tuition
Financial Aid & Support
Tuition and Costs
For students pursing the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the cost of attendance provides typical total cost per year for full-time study, including room and board, books, and fees. Tuition is credit-based on state of residency. Students in the Traditional BSN program will also incur a differential charge of $1,500 per year.
For students considering the Accelerated BSN as a second-degree student, the cost of attendance for tuition is a flat rate of $45,000 for Wisconsin residents (including reciprocity for Minnesota residents) and $60,000 for out of state residents. For this program, consider additional costs such as estimated living expenses, books & materials, travel, and miscellaneous expenses (the cost of attendance link may help). Some financial aid will be available, but federal and state aid is limited for second degrees.
Additional expenses for BSN Students (Year One/Year Two)
- Compliance: $150–$500/$100
- Textbooks (varies depending on source, eText or print versions, etc): $1,550/$200
- Required Electronic Resource Bundle (including Nursing Central and ExamSoft): $280/0
- Uniform: $60/0
- Stethoscope: $200/0
- Blood Pressure Cuff: $50/0
- Transportation to Clinical Sites: $100/$1300
- Laptop (if needed): $1500
- Clinical Placement Tracking & Onboarding Systems (including Typhon & MyCE): $90/0
School of Nursing Scholarship Opportunities
The School of Nursing has a generous scholarship program for admitted undergraduate nursing students. We highly encourage all nursing applicants and admitted nursing students to apply for scholarships.
Awards are based on both academic merit and financial need. Students are invited to apply to nursing specific scholarships, as well as campus-wide or non-nursing scholarships, through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH). There are several scholarships designated specifically for BSN@Home students.
Each year, scholarship application information is communicated with current nursing students and School of Nursing applicants.
UW–Madison Funding Opportunities
Need-based Aid
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for need-based scholarships, grants, or loans. The Office of Student Financial Aid assists students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and whose personal and family resources are insufficient to cover the costs of college. Awards through this office include loans (including Nursing Student Loans) that will need to be paid back, grants that do not need to be paid back, and work-study assistance that will make you more appealing to campus employers. The office also provides small short-term loans for emergency situations. Students who are parents may apply for the Child Care Tuition Assistance Program (CCTAP).
By completing the FAFSA, you will be considered for various types of financial aid from several sources including UW-Madison’s signature programs, as well as the following:
Other Funding Opportunities
Outside Organizations
Numerous organizations outside the School of Nursing offer scholarships to nursing students. Nursing associations, hospitals, ROTC (military recruiting), and the U.S. Department of Public Health are examples. The School of Nursing lists additional scholarship opportunities on the website for students.
Employer-Based Tuition Reimbursement
Many Registered Nurses are eligible for employer-based tuition reimbursement while completing courses that apply toward the BSN degree. Check with your human resources coordinator to determine if you are eligible.
Tuition and Costs
Graduate students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program pay a differential tuition. Tuition and fees vary by specialty track. DNP students in the five APRN tracks pay tuition based on the number of credits they are enrolled in each term. For the APRN tracks, see the Tuition Costs Per Credit page (select “Doctor of Nursing Practice” from the “Choose a program” menu). For the two non-APRN tracks, students pay the DNP online/distance tuition rate of $1,150 per credit. These two tracks are not assessed the segregated fees and will not have access to the associated services, programs, and facilities. The Graduate School Cost of Attendance may help in estimating costs; please be sure to substitute the DNP or DNP online/tuition rate.
Students in the Nursing PhD program pay the graduate student tuition rate based on the number of credits they are enrolled in each term. The Tuition Costs Per Credit page (select “Graduate or most Capstone Certificates” from the “Choose a program” menu) lists the tuition rates based on state of residency. The Graduate School Cost of Attendance page may help to estimate total cost of attendance.
Students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Certificate (PMHC) program pay the capstone certificate tuition rate. The Tuition Costs Per Credit page (select “Graduate or most Capstone Certificates” from the “Choose a program” menu) lists the tuition rates based on state of residency.
Additional expenses for DNP, PhD, and PMHC students
- Compliance (CastleBranch): $93 (one-time fee)
- Transportation to Clinical Sites: $1,000
- Clinical Placement Tracking System (Typhon): $90
- Onboarding Systems (including MyCE): Possible costs vary by site ($0-$75/semester)
School of Nursing Scholarship Opportunities
The School of Nursing awards many scholarships each year. Amounts vary according to the source of the award and student enrollment status (full-time or part-time) and are based on both academic merit and financial need. Each year, scholarship application information is communicated with current nursing students and School of Nursing applicants.
All students will apply through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub. Newly admitted DNP students can expect to receive a scholarship notification soon after they receive their admission decision in the spring. Continuing DNP students are notified of scholarships in August. For additional information on financial aid, contact scholarships@nursing.wisc.edu, the aid and funding service account.
PhD students are not eligible for School of Nursing scholarships; however, they may be eligible for UW-Madison scholarships or scholarships from external organizations.
School of Nursing Graduate Assistantship Opportunities
Graduate students can apply to work as graduate assistants; assistantships include project (PA), teaching (TA), and research (RA) positions. Graduate assistants work on research projects or assist faculty in teaching selected undergraduate courses and receive a stipend. Assistants who have an appointment at 33.3% or greater for a Fall or Spring term have their tuition waived and can participate in the State of Wisconsin health insurance plans. The assistantship application opens on November 1 and closes January 15. Students receive assistantship notifications mid-March and additional information from the School of Nursing HR department is released later in the spring. All PhD and DNP students are encouraged to apply for funding. Students in the Psychiatric Mental Health capstone certificate are not eligible for assistantships.
Read more about UW-Madison’s investment in graduate assistantships.
Fellowships
Eligible students are automatically considered for fellowships. A separate application is not required for consideration. Most fellowships cover tuition and fees and provide a monthly stipend.
- UW-Madison Graduate Research Scholar (GRS) Fellowships are awarded to underrepresented students. Eligible applicants will be automatically considered based on their application for admission.
- The Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship is given to a current School of Nursing PhD student who shows excellence and advanced progress in their area of research.
- PhD students may compete for federal National Research Service Awards (NRSA) individual predoctoral fellowships.
Nurse Faculty Loan Program for aspiring educators
Students pursuing careers in nursing education can borrow funds to cover tuition and other educational expenses from the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) through the Bureau of Health Workforce. After students graduate and are working as full-time faculty, up to 85 percent of the NFLP loan is forgiven over the next four-year period.
Need-Based Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to be considered for need-based scholarships, loans, or grants. The Office of Student Financial Aid assists students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and whose personal and family resources are insufficient to cover the costs of higher education.
Employer-Based Tuition Reimbursement
Many Registered Nurses are eligible for employer-based tuition reimbursement while completing their graduate nursing degree. Check with your human resources coordinator to determine if you are eligible.