Costs & Financial Aid

Financial Aid & Support

Tuition and Costs

If you are an undergraduate student pursing the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the cost of attendance link gives an overview of the typical total cost per year for full-time study in a degree program, including room and board, books, and fees. Tuition is credit-based on state of residency.  

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 awards more than $400,000 in scholarships each year to admitted undergraduate nursing students. 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 Scholarships@UW–Madison system. There are several scholarships designated specifically for BSN@Home students. 

Each year the scholarship application will open in mid-October and close in early November for Accelerated BSN students to apply. The scholarship application for Traditional BSN students will open in mid-January and close in mid-February. All students will apply and submit through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub 

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:

  • Bucky’s Tuition Promise (for Wisconsin residents) guarantees a period of free tuition & segregated fees to incoming freshmen and transfer students whose family’s household adjusted gross income is $65,000 or less. 
  • Badger Promise (for first-generation Wisconsin residents) guarantees a period of free tuition & segregated fees to those who have successfully transferred from any of the two-year UW Colleges or select liberal arts associate degree programs. 
  • Bucky’s Pell Pathway is designed to assist Wisconsin Badgers from low-income households pay for college through a combination of grants, scholarships, and work-study. 
  • BANNER (Badger Aid for Non-Residents) is designed to assist Nonresident Badgers from low-income households pay for college through a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and some loan. 
  • Federal Pell Grant 
  • Federal Work Study 
  • Institutional Loans 

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. Public libraries and high school guidance departments are likely sources of information about these options. The School of Nursing lists additional scholarship opportunities on the website for students. In addition, the National League for Nursing (NLN) has a scholarship resource page. 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.  

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 the scholarship application will open on December 15 and close January 15 for graduate nursing students. 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. Students in the Psychiatric Mental Health certificate program are also not eligible for School of Nursing scholarships. They may be eligible for scholarships through the Adult Career and Special Student Services Office within the Division of Continuing Studies. 

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.