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To be eligible for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program, prospective students must: 

• Plan to enroll as a new freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall following graduation from high school. 

• Demonstrate outstanding academic performance (e.g., a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA out of a 4.0 scale). 

• Come from a background where applicants have experienced hardship / disadvantage that has impacted their educational opportunities* 

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. 

• Complete the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) 

*This can include backgrounds where applicants have experienced educational, cultural, economic, and/or social forms of hardship and/or disadvantage that have impacted their educational opportunities. Such backgrounds could include and are not limited to a background as a: low-income family, being a first-generation student, being the first in their family seeking to graduate from a four-year college in the U.S., coming from an underserved urban, rural, or farming community, attending a school with a limited college preparatory curriculum, attending a school district in an area with high poverty concentration, or other family circumstances that have impacted educational opportunities. 

Utilizing a holistic review process, the Office of Admissions & Recruitment reviews all applications to UW–Madison to determine eligibility for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program. Scholars are chosen for their demonstrated academic success in high school and intellectual curiosity, their leadership skills or capacity to grow as a leader, commitment to service and civic engagement, and potential to excel in the university’s rigorous educational environment. The program seeks students who will begin as freshmen at UW with aspirations to be part of and contribute to a thriving community that builds relationships with peers, faculty, and staff. 

Applicants who wish to apply to the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program should highlight these experiences and qualifications in their application/essay to UW-Madison. In addition, individuals completing letters of recommendation are encouraged to directly speak to applicant’s qualifications and characteristics aligned with this competitive scholarship. Below, we outline program values that are treasured by Mercile J. Lee scholars and guide our efforts in supporting students through their educational journey. 

• Intellectual Curiosity: MJL scholars take ownership and responsibility of their own learning, seeking out new experiences to engage in a rigorous educational environment. MJL Scholars demonstrate a deep interest and curiosity to explore complex topics and ideas and have a commitment to understanding and working with others with different perspectives to address current societal challenges. 
• Leadership Potential: MJL scholars are motivated to continue to grow as leaders and engage in this journey striving to enact different dimensions of leadership (solution-oriented mentality, inclusive approaches to leading, exploring new alternatives, commitment to overcome adversity or setbacks, energized by self-improvement, ethical leadership, self-awareness, etc). MJL scholars seek to create meaningful and sustainable change to improve communities through the state, country, and world. 
• Service and Civic Mindset: MJL scholars are passionate about extracurricular activities and demonstrate a concern for the public good through service and civic engagement.  MJL scholars are connected to their communities and have a strong sense of social responsibility to address challenges that create disparities across society. 
• Community Building Outlook: MJL scholars seek to belong to an academic community where individuals matter to one another, gaining valuable skills to engage in dialogue and reflection to build an inclusive community. MJL scholars support each other emotionally, socially, academically, and professionally, and seek to build each other through principles such as collaboration, empathy, resilience, problem solving, social responsibility, and innovation. 

 Please note that there is not a separate application to complete to be considered for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program. The Office of Admissions & Recruitment will review all aspects of a student’s application to UW-Madison (e.g., high school transcript, essay, letters of recommendation, etc.) to determine their eligibility and qualifications for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program. All questions regarding admission to UW-Madison and selection for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program should be directed to the Office of Admissions & Recruitment. 

Please contact the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program at mjl.scholars@wisc.edu or (608) 262-9315 with any questions pertaining to the program offerings. 

1. Do I need to submit an application to be considered for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program? No. The Office of Admissions & Recruitment uses a holistic review process to evaluate all UW–Madison applications and determine eligibility for the MJL Scholars Program.
2. What eligibility requirements must I meet to be considered for the MJL scholarship? To be eligible for the MJL scholarship, prospective students must:
   1. Plan to enroll as a new freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall following graduation from high school.
   2. Demonstrate outstanding academic performance (e.g., a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA out of a 4.0 scale).
   3. Come from a background where applicants have experienced hardship / disadvantage that has impacted their educational opportunities*
   4. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
   5. Complete the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Please complete your FAFSA by May 1. No exceptions will be made to this requirement.
3. When will I find out if I was awarded the MJL scholarship? All students selected for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program will be notified by May 1 via email.
4. Does participation in the Bucky’s Tuition Promise, Bucky’s Pell Pathway, BANNER or the WI Tribal Education Promise program affect my MJL scholarship? No, participation in these programs will not affect your MJL scholarship.
   1. For Bucky’s Pell Pathway and BANNER: The MJL scholarship would be awarded as usual and Bucky’s Pell Pathway/Banner would cover the remainder of your financial need (CoA minus SAI – Student Aid Index).
   2. For WI Tribal Education Promise: The MJL scholarship would be awarded as usual and the WI Tribal Education Promise would cover the remaining cost of attendance.
   3. For Bucky’s Tuition Promise: The MJL scholarship would be awarded as usual (i.e., tuition and segregated fees, plus book stipend).
5. How long does the MJL scholarship last? The MJL scholarship provides funding for up to 8 consecutive semesters (excluding summer). The award can only be applied to fall and spring semesters.
6. I’ve been offered the MJL scholarship. When will it be reflected on my financial aid offer?  To see the MJL scholarship reflected on your financial aid offer, you must accept the MJL scholarship offer in WiSH. Your financial aid offer will be updated within a few business days of accepting the scholarship offer.
7. When is the deadline to accept the MJL scholarship? The deadline to accept the MJL scholarship in WiSH is May 1.
8. I’ve been offered the MJL scholarship. What do I need to do next? To confirm your spot in the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program, accept your scholarship offer in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) and accept your offer of admission to UW-Madison in the Student Center by May 1. Please note, the MJL tuition scholarship and book stipend appear as separate award offers in WiSH. Because the tuition scholarship and book stipend together make up the full MJL scholarship package, you must accept (or decline) both awards in WiSH. After completing these steps, review and complete all items outlined on the Admitted First-Year Student Checklist. Additional details about required events/activities for incoming scholars will be sent to you via email.
9. What requirements must I fulfill to maintain the MJL scholarship? MJL scholars need to:
   1. Be enrolled full-time each fall and spring semester (i.e., 12 credits minimum). While not required, it is strongly recommended to enroll in 14-16 credits per semester to complete degree requirements within four years, in alignment with the four-year scholarship award
   2. Maintain a 3.0 term and cumulative GPA
   3. Fulfill program participation requirements (this includes monthly class meetings, program meetings/events and semesterly appointments with your MJLSP advisor)
   4. Meet program standards for “good citizenship” as a member of the campus community
10. Will my MJL scholarship be affected if I switch majors at UW-Madison? No, changing majors does not affect your MJL scholarship. Please note, if your expected graduation term changes as a result of switching majors, you should devise a plan to cover any semester beyond the eight semesters of MJLSP funding you’re eligible for. Petitions for additional funding beyond eight semesters are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and contingent on budget availability.
11. Can I defer my selection for MJLSP? Students selected for MJLSP are expected to enroll at UW–Madison for the semester in which they were admitted. Deferrals are only considered under extenuating circumstances. If you believe your situation qualifies, please email mjl.scholars@wisc.edu to discuss the possibility of deferring your spot in the program. To request a deferral of your admission to UW–Madison, you must contact the Office of Admissions & Recruitment directly.
12. Can the MJL scholarship be applied to fully online degree programs at UW-Madison? No, the MJL scholarship cannot be applied to fully online degree programs at UW-Madison.
13. I’m a Minnesota resident and was offered the MJL scholarship. Do I still need to apply for tuition reciprocity? Yes, you do. Receiving the MJL scholarship does not automatically grant tuition reciprocity. To ensure you receive tuition reciprocity, you must submit an application through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE).
14. I have more questions about the program. What can I do? Please email us at mjl.scholars@wisc.edu if you have more questions, or would like to schedule a time to meet with a MJLSP staff member to learn more about the program.