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The Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program

Who Are We? 

The Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program at UW-Madison, established 40 years ago, offers a four-year merit-based scholarship to academically talented and outstanding students who have experienced hardship or disadvantages, which have impacted their educational opportunities. Students are chosen from a national pool of high school seniors for their potential to succeed in a rigorous academic environment. Please see our website for more information about our eligibility criteria. 

What Do We Offer? 

• Four-year, full-tuition scholarship
• Stipend (amount is contingent on annual budget availability, fall and spring semesters only; 8 semesters maximum)
• One-on-one high touch advising 
• Mentorship opportunities  
• Social and Volunteer events 
• Access to free learning support centers
• Monthly Program Meetings with distinguished faculty, staff, and alumni 
• A supportive community of scholars promoting community-building and intercultural understanding 

Selection Process 

The Office of Admissions & Recruitment reviews all applications to UW-Madison to determine eligibility and makes selections 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.

There is no separate scholarship application to be considered for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program. High school seniors must apply as a First-Year Student to UW-Madison either through the Common Application or the UW System Application. There is no preference between applications. Please see more information about the selection process and qualifications for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program on our website.

MJLSP_Outreach_Flyer (F26-blkver.) (1).pdf -- Click to download