Be a Wisconsin Idea Fellow Today
Wisconsin Idea Fellowship
The Wisconsin Idea is the driving mission to ensure that the work of UW–Madison is done in collaboration with and for the benefit of communities beyond our campus borders. Wisconsin Idea Fellowships are awarded annually to projects designed by an undergraduate student (or group of students) in collaboration with a community partner and a UW–Madison academic staff member.
These fellowships provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to use and expand their knowledge through work with local community organizations in Wisconsin. Students can also collaborate with domestic and international community partners on their Wisconsin Idea Fellowship projects.
The fellowship provides up to $7,000 for group projects and up to $5,000 for individual projects. Projects can last for a summer, a semester, or the entire academic year.
Students also enroll in a one-credit undergraduate seminar offered only for Wisconsin Idea Fellows to support students’ project work and professional growth. Student recipients present their work at the Undergraduate Symposium in the spring semester.
On average, 5 – 10 fellowships are awarded every year. Two special fellowships each year are specifically dedicated to projects addressing pressing issues in Wisconsin communities. This includes social entrepreneurship and the opportunity gap in Madison.
Questions? Contact the WIF team at wif@office365.wisc.edu.
What is Your Big Idea?
Since the start of the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship program in 1999, 238 community-engaged projects have been completed by 401 UW–Madison students across 16 cities in the state of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Idea Fellows also engaged in projects across international borders. Students have worked with communities across 18 countries.
“It was us reaching out to the community and asking, ‘What are the needs and goals?’ And they’re going to know the needs of the community much better than we can.”
Academic advisors are a key component to the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship program. Learn more about what potential mentors should know and expectations.
Students will have a regular point of contact who serves as their community partner advisor throughout the project. A community partner is a person, group, organization, or institution that is not affiliated with UW–Madison. Community partners work closely with and are closely aligned with a community to enact positive social change.
Community partners play a key role in successful Wisconsin Idea Fellowship projects. Here, we set some expectations for what will be asked from community partners who collaborate with students on a Wisconsin Idea Fellowship project.
Developing the project proposal:
- Community partners collaborate with students to identify and develop their project. Selected projects are often innovative and have potential to generate new, beneficial, and long-lasting contributions to knowledge and to the community. Successful projects ideally help extend or build upon existing community infrastructure.
- Community partners may provide feedback to strengthen students’ writing. Students are expected to be the writers of the application.
- Community partners provide a letter of support to be included in the student’s proposal. Letters help provide the selection committee with information about:
- The relationship between the student and the community members
- How will this project benefit the community and the student
- How the community and the student work together to identify project priorities
- How the community is supporting the project
- Who the other people and/or organizations that are going to be impacted by this project
Project implementation:
- Community partners help students identify and work with key stakeholders (people influencing or being impacted by the project).
- Community partners support students in meeting project goals by providing feedback throughout.
WIF program feedback: As fits your schedule, you may be asked to provide feedback and suggestions for improving the WIF program for future community partners.
Make a gift to The Michael Thornton and Nora Medina Social Innovation Award.
Supported by the generosity of Professor Michael Thornton and Nora Medina, the funds will be awarded to a project that demonstrates support for ethnically diverse communities regarding affordable housing and or issues to help close the academic resource gap.
The Fellowship Benefits and Requirements
In addition to completing their proposed project, students who accept the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship will join a community of Fellows. As a cohort, students participate in activities meant to support their intellectual growth and their development of their projects.
Learn more about the requirements and benefits of the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship program below. Contact the WIF Graduate Mentor Rosanne Luu with any questions.
To be eligible to apply for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship, you (and your student group, for group projects) must
- be enrolled as a UW–Madison undergraduate student at the time of application, and for the entire time of your project implementation
- have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 and be in good academic standing
- be able to enroll in a 1-credit seminar for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship during Fall (for projects implemented in Summer and Fall, or Fall only), or Fall and Spring (for academic year-long projects)
- submit only one application each year, either individually or as part of a group. Up to 5 students are welcome to apply together as a group.
- not be a previous awardee of a Wisconsin Idea Fellowship
- not simultaneously receive a Wisconsin Idea Fellowship and any of the 3 following awards, for the same project: Hilldale Research Fellowship, Holstrom Scholarship, or Kaufmann Entrepreneurship Community Internship
Each Wisconsin Idea Fellowship project collaborates with at least one community partner. A community partner is a person, group, organization, or institution that is not affiliated with the university and works closely with a community to enact positive social change. The community partner could be:
- A public agency, including governmental agencies and K-12 schools
- A private, nonprofit organization
- A private business or trade organization working on issues such as hunger a poverty, health care, the arts, criminal justice, the environment, community development and economic development
Successful projects demonstrate strong collaboration between undergraduate student(s), their academic advisor, and their community partner(s). Selected projects are often innovative and have potential to generate new, beneficial, and long-lasting contributions to knowledge and to the community.
International Partnership Criteria
If you are proposing an international project with travel, the UW–Madison International Resources, Guidelines and Policies 12.17 prohibit university-affiliated student travel to locations under a current U.S. Department of State (DoS) Level 3 (reconsider travel) or Level 4 (do not travel) advisory designation, those specifically designated as a “travel warning” location by the Provost, or that is under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Warning Level 3 notice. If any of the specific locations you are entering fall into the categories above, you will need to request a waiver no less than two months before embarking on your travel.
Students that are considering traveling to areas with Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisory designation should discuss their project plans with the International Academic Program’s Intern Abroad team at internships@international.wisc.edu. We also strongly encourage students to reach out to the WIF Team at wif@office365.wisc.edu to discuss your project ideas
Each Wisconsin Idea Fellowship project must include one academic advisor affiliated with UW–Madison. The academic advisor can be faculty, instructional staff, or academic staff. Graduate students, student assistant lecturers, or teaching assistants cannot serve as academic advisors. Academic advisors must agree to work with students before a proposal is submitted. Students have one official mentor, though you can consult as many faculty or instructional staff as you want for your project.
A WIF project can be based on an advisor’s current research or work or it can be a completely new endeavor. Some WIF projects have been used to allow students to help academic advisors further current work. Other projects are new ideas from students that academic advisors provide their support for.
Funded Wisconsin Idea Fellowship projects are intended to offer the following benefits for students, their academic advisors, and their community partner(s):
- Sustainable project impacts or outcomes
- Intellectual and professional growth for the student
- Value add to the community’s goals or priorities
- Contributions to existing community knowledge, resources, and/or infrastructure
- Collaboration among the student, academic advisor, and the community partner
- Project outcomes that work toward social change and justice for communities beyond campus borders
The Fellowship provides up to $7,000 for group projects and up to $5,000 for individual projects. Students can use all the funding for supplies and expenses to implement the project, or designate some of their award as a tuition scholarship. The amount students are able to receive and designate as scholarship varies based on the length of their project.
Projects must be implemented during one of the following timeframes.
- Summer
- Summer and Fall
- Fall
- Spring
- Full Academic Year
Funding for project development and implementation, as well as the student’s designated scholarship funds, will be sent directly to the student as a scholarship. Students are required to check their eligibility to receive the full funding amount requested with the Office of Student Financial Aid. In the application, students will be asked to report whether they have completed this step.
If students have further questions after checking with financial aid staff, they are welcome to contact the WIF team at wif@office365.wisc.edu.
If the maximum amount of funds is not needed for project supplies and expenses, students can designate a scholarship award of $1,000 – 5,000, depending on their project timeframe.
Project Funding Breakdown
Individual Projects
Summer – $2,000
– Up to $1,000 can be designated as scholarship
Fall Semester – $3,500
– Up to $1,500 can be designated as scholarship
Spring Semester – $3,500
– Up to $1,500 can be designated as scholarship
Summer & Fall – 4,500
– Up to $2,500 can be designated as scholarship
Academic Year – $5,000
– Up to $3,000 can be designated as scholarship
Group Projects
Summer – $3,500
– Up to $2,500 can be designated as scholarship
Fall semester – $5,000
– Up to $3,000 can be designated as scholarship
Spring Semester – $5,000
– Up to $3,000 can be designated as scholarship
Summer & Fall – $6,000
– Up to $4,000 can be designated as scholarship
Academic Year – $7,000
– Up to $5,000 can be designated as scholarship
In addition to completing their project, Wisconsin Idea Fellows will participate in the following activities to support their professional development and project implementation:
- Participate in fellowship program development activities to showcase project work on the Morgridge Center’s website and networks, as time allows.
- Spring orientation and community building meeting with prior WIF fellows
- A 1-credit seminar for each semester of project implementation, offered only for Wisconsin Idea Fellowship students.
- Present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) during the Spring semester.
The Application Process
Applications for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowships are typically accepted through our online application portal (on Qualtrics) starting early January. Final applications are due by early February every academic year. Acceptances are sent in late March.
A proposal feedback window is open between mid-November and January. During the feedback window, submitted applications are reviewed by the WIF Graduate Mentor and returned with suggestions for improvement. Students are strongly encouraged to submit a proposal draft during the proposal feedback window, but it is not a requirement to apply for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship. All proposal drafts submitted during the feedback window must be resubmitted to the online application portal to be considered for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship.
Key Application Dates and Information for 2027-28 WIF Applicants:
- Monday, Nov. 16, 2026 – Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027: Submission window for receiving proposal feedback
- Monday, Jan. 11, 2027: Portal open for accepting applications
- Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2027, 11:59pm CST: Final application deadline
- Late March 2027: Notifications released for accepted projects taking place 2027-28
Interested applicants should review our Canvas page for full details about the application process and where to submit applications.
How do I approach a prospective mentor?
If you don’t personally know your prospective mentor, research their areas of interest. If you can
explain how your WIF project idea connects with their field of research or priorities, you are much more likely to find a mentor. You can also talk to professors, faculty, or staff you do personally know and ask them if they can connect you with a possible mentor.
Remember that advisors are busy people, so contact them as early as possible. Make it clear that you are willing to meet them when and where it works best for them. Send clear and concise follow up emails if you haven’t heard back in a while.
What are some resources for connecting with community partners?
- Badger Volunteers webpage on the Morgridge Center website:
- Already established projects and initiative led by faculty, other students, RSOs
- VolunteerMatch.org
I’m not sure if this person fits the criteria for serving as an advisor or community partner.
Please reach out to the WIF team at wif@office365.wisc.edu. Our team is happy to help answer clarifying questions.
Can graduate students or graduating students apply for WIF?
No. Students on WIF projects, including all students working on a group project, must be enrolled as UW–Madison undergraduate students for the duration of project implementation.
Will a WIF award affect my financial aid?
Yes, the award will become part of your financial aid award. For further information, please contact the UW-Office of Financial Aid.
Will I have to pay tuition if my project occurs over the summer?
No, but you will have to enroll in the 1-credit seminar in the Fall (as well as in the Spring, if the project is an academic year-long project). Students should be mindful of enrollment unit maximums when planning their project.
Do proposal drafts submitted during the feedback window have to be complete?
No. You will receive feedback on all parts of the proposal draft that are submitted.
What can the WIF fund? Can WIF funds be used for donations, gifts, or stipends?
Because departments and situations are unique, it is difficult to answer this question directly. We should encourage students to have this conversation with their academic advisor and the financial contact in their advisor’s department during the application process, as students prepare their proposed budgets. Generally, it can be difficult for direct transactions to occur as donations or gifts, but there may be a number of things that are possible depending on the academic advisor’s situation and their department.
Can project applications apply for a project that extends beyond the academic year?
Yes, several students conduct WIF projects that are embedded within already ongoing community work that might continue on after the end of the WIF project timeline. We understand that community work does not fit neatly into an academic year and that students likely work with their community before the formal start and after the end of the WIF project. However, for the application process, strong applications demonstrate how the timeline for WIF and the proposed budget fits whatever activities that are proposed in that timeline. So, while we understand that timelines with community work are flexible, strong applications do demonstrate a clear understanding of how their WIF project will be conducted in a feasible and tangible manner.
- General questions about WIF & application process: Rosanne Luu, WIF Graduate Mentor, rlluu@wisc.edu
- Questions about international projects: Kimberly Harn, International Academic Programs Advisor, kimberly.harn@wisc.edu
- Office of Student Financial Aid: financialaid.wisc.edu
- Application portal and additional resources: canvas.wisc.edu/courses/482339
- Writing help: UW Writing Center, writing.wisc.edu
- Learn more about community engagement: morgridge.wisc.edu/get-connected-students/workshops-and-presentations
The Wisconsin Idea Fellowship in Social Entrepreneurship is generously supported by American Family Insurance.
The Michael Thornton and Nora Medina Social Innovation Award proudly supports projects targeting the opportunity gap in Madison.
Make a gift to the Michael Thornton and Nora Medina Fund.