Proposed legislation in the state capitol would build on the success of the Bucky’s Tuition Promise program, which guarantees full tuition and fee coverage for more than 5,000 low-income Wisconsin residents attending UW–Madison. The legislation would expand the popular program to all Universities of Wisconsin institutions.
Bucky’s Tuition Promise was launched in 2018 as part of UW–Madison’s commitment to affordability. The program guarantees full tuition and fee payment for Wisconsin-resident students who are admitted to UW–Madison and whose household adjusted gross income is $65,000 or less. The promise is a last-dollar award, covering the gap between scholarships and grants awarded to undergraduate students and the full cost of their tuition and fees for four years.
A recent study of Bucky’s Tuition Promise shows that it boosts student retention rates for low-income students. At UW–Madison, the cost of the program is covered by private contributions to the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, with no funds coming from taxpayer dollars.
Over the past several years, the Universities of Wisconsin offered funding for a tuition promise program, but it was not sustainable due to inconsistent funding. The proposed legislation — the Higher Education Powers Wisconsin Pledge — would expand the program to all Universities of Wisconsin institutions and appropriate state tax dollars to cover the cost of the program. The expanded program bill was introduced this month and could be considered in the Wisconsin State Senate this fall.
