Students admitted to the Wisconsin Idea Principal Preparation Program may be eligible for the Barbara S. and Glenn T. Thompson Graduate Award as well as the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Fellowships and Scholarships.
Barbara S. and Glenn T. Thompson Graduate Award
The Wisconsin Idea Principal Preparation Program acknowledges the pressing need for skilled educational leaders, particularly in rural communities. To cultivate the next generation of principals and remove financial barriers to advanced education, we provide substantial scholarship support for qualified candidates.
This prestigious scholarship program awards eight $8,000 scholarships annually to candidates working in rural schools upon their enrollment. These scholarships help overcome the financial challenges of graduate education while supporting leaders who will improve rural schools and communities.
For this scholarship, school rurality is defined as being part of a school district with a locale classification of town (31, 32, 33) or rural (41, 42, 43), according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The Wisconsin Public School Districts that meet this criteria for the 2025-2026 admission cycle are found in this Tableau Viz.
Scholarship applications become available to students after they have been admitted to the program. Candidates employed by rural school districts receive priority consideration, reflecting our commitment to strengthening leadership in underserved areas where the need is greatest.
Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis Fellowships and Scholarships
Applications for ELPA scholarships and fellowships are completed via the WiSH system. When applying, refer to the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Scholarship Application. The application system for Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis opens on March 1 and closes on April 15 each year. Applications are considered in early May each year and awarded for the following academic year. Please note that you need to apply to the program at least two months before the application deadline to allow ample time for submitting any scholarship applications.
You can find a list of ELPA scholarships on the ELPA website under the Admissions and Aid section.
To learn more about these opportunities, interested applicants can contact Program Director Tina Salzman at tmsalzman@wisc.edu or inquire through the form below.
Other options to consider as you plan your finances for graduate school.
- Student Loans: With low-interest rates, the Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan is the most common loan in many financial aid packages, but it may not cover all of your master’s degree expenses. Your next best loan option will be the Federal GradPLUS loan, which is approved based on your credit and can fill the gap between your other financial aid and your total cost. Private loans can be used to fill the gap as well, but they have fewer safeguards than the federal GradPLUS loan. When shopping for private loans, compare interest rates, repayment terms, and lender incentives. The Office of Student Financial Aid has a loan comparison link for private loans on its website, here.
- Scholarships and Grants: Explore the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub to see if you qualify for any graduate student scholarship or grant opportunities.
- Claim Tax Credits: Some graduate students can trim $2,000 from their tax bill every year with the Lifetime Learning Credit. Check the IRS website to see if you qualify.
- Student Loan Forgiveness: You may be eligible for Teacher Loan Forgiveness or Public Service Loan Forgiveness, depending on your employer and job title.
Explore all education financing options through the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Please note that, per university policy, students enrolled in the Wisconsin Idea Principal Preparation program are ineligible to accept teaching assistantships, project assistantships, research assistantships, or any other appointments at UW–Madison that provide a tuition waiver.