The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended, requires institutions participating in the Title IV financial aid programs to disclose specified information to all current and prospective students and employees.  This page serves as a centralized location for access to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) consumer information and is intended to assist students, their families, and interested third parties in obtaining information about the University’s educational programs, costs, outcomes, etc.  For the most recent consumer information disclosure distributed to current students please click here.  The undergraduate prospective consumer information disclosure and the graduate prospective consumer information disclosure are provided via the admission process.

If you need assistance or paper copies, please contact the Student Financial Service Center (SFSC) at finances@uwm.edu or by writing to us at:

Student Financial Service Center
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
P.O. Box 469
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0469

Please indicate the subject to be Consumer Information Request. Staff will contact the appropriate campus department/office to gather the requested information and will respond in a timely manner.

General Information

Academic Programs – List of current degree and other education programs.

Accreditation, Approval, and Licensure of Institution and Programs – Agencies and governmental bodies which accredit, approve or license the University and its programs.  UW-Milwaukee is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
Toll free: 1-800-621-7440

Articulation Agreements – Information on specific program-to-program transfer agreement contracts with established conditions.

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Articulation Agreements

Center for Student Experience & Talent – The Center for Student Experience & Talent provides career and placement services to students during and after enrollment.

College Scorecard – The U.S. Department of Education’s planning tool to help students and their families make more educated decisions about college. Students and their families can look up the cost and assess the value of colleges. Each scorecard highlights five key pieces of data about a college: costs, graduation rate, loan default rate, average amount borrowed, and employment.

Constitution Day – Information regarding commemorating the signing of the Constitution.

Consumer Information on College Navigator Website – The U.S. Department of Education is required to post 26 items on the College Navigator website for each school.

Copyright Infringement Policies and Sanctions – Policies and sanctions related to copyright infringement.

Facilities and Services for Students with Disabilities – UWM’s Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) provides a variety of services and accommodations for the campus community.

Gainful Employment Programs – The following non-degree certificate programs are subject to the U.S. Department of Education’s gainful employment (GE) regulations (effective July 1, 2024).

Graduate

Undergraduate

Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) – The objectives of the GLBA standards for safeguarding are to: 1) Ensure the security and confidentiality of student information; 2) Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information; and 3) Protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any student.

Instructional Facilities – Campus maps of facilities.

Faculty & Instructional Personnel – Listings of current faculty and other instructional personnel.

Privacy of Student Records – The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects your rights to your individual educational records.  It includes the right to review and inspect educational records, amend or correct education records, and control the disclosure of certain portions of your educational records.  Students first registering for classes for any given term are sent a FERPA disclosure to their UWM email address.

Net Price Calculator – Provides estimated information about the net price of attendance.

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing – Provides information to enrolled and prospective students regarding institutional policies related to unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, including disciplinary actions that are taken against students who engage in illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using the institution’s information technology system.

Professional Licensure – State specific professional licensure information for students based on the state in which a student is located.  Specific programs send notifications to enrolled students every semester.  Newly admitted students receive a notification from the Admissions Office.  Please see example provided to newly admitted students in the Nursing program.  Copies of notifications for other programs can be provided upon request.

Refund Policy, Withdrawal, and Return of Title IV Financial AidInformation regarding institutional refund policy, procedures for officially withdrawing from the institution, and the requirements for Return of Title IV funds.

State Authorization – UWM is part of the Universities of Wisconsin, which is authorized by the Wisconsin State Legislature.  If a student has a compliant that involves distance education, they should first contact the UWM Dean of Students.  If no resolution is reached, they may file a complaint with the Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board (DLAB), please see Student Complaint Process heading below.

Student Activities – Information about student activities in which students can participate.

Student Complaint Process – Provides information to students regarding their rights to file complaints and grievances.

Student Diversity – Information regarding student body diversity including the percentage of enrolled full-time students by gender, ethnicity and recipients of the Federal Pell Grant.

Textbook Information – Information on textbooks which provides greater transparency of textbook pricing information and assists with calculating a reasonable estimate of textbook prices for courses.  The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price information of required and recommended textbooks and supplemental materials can be accessed via PAWS.

Transfer of Credit Policies – Information regarding UWM’s transfer of credit policies.

Voter Registration – The State of Wisconsin allows all eligible voters to register on-site the day of elections.  For additional information on voting and upcoming elections, please utilize the following resources:

Written Arrangements – Information regarding programs that are designed to be offered by another entity.

UW-Milwaukee/UW-Parkside Consortial Nursing Program

Student Financial Assistance

Applying for Aid – Eligibility and procedures for applying for aid.

Assistance Available from Federal, State, Local, and Institutional Programs – Information on need-based and non-need-based federal, state, private and institutional financial assistance programs.

Award Information – Criteria for selecting recipients and determining award amounts for scholarships, grants, loans, and employment.

Award Offers – UWM has signed the College Cost Transparency Initiative agreeing to follow a set of principles and standards that ensure transparency, clarity, and understanding around communicating student financial aid offers.

Code of Conduct for Education Loans – The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines to prevent conflicts of interest between employees and educational loan lenders. Annually appropriate staff are reminded of their responsibility in following the Code of Conduct for Education Loans, please see a copy of the most recent notification.

Cohort Default Rate (CDR) – UWM’s CDR as calculated by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is 0.00 percent for the FY 2020 cohort. This information is as September 2023 and is the same as the national average. Per the Common Data Set, 67 percent of the students in the 2023 undergraduate class who started at UWM as first-time students and received a bachelor’s degree between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, borrowed any type of loan.

Contact Information for the Student Financial Services Center (SFSC) – Contact information for assistance in obtaining institutional or financial aid information.

Cost of Attendance – Information regarding the estimated cost of attending the institution including tuition and fees, books (course materials, supplies, and equipment), food and housing, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses.  The COA may also include federal student loan fees and costs associated with professional licensure, certification or a first professional credential.  Additional educational related costs may also be added with a budget adjustment, please see Professional Judgment heading below.

Disbursement of Aid – Methods and frequency of disbursements of aid including information regarding disbursements to obtain books (course materials, supplies, and equipment).  Financial aid disbursement begins ten days before the first day of the semester.  Students counting on excess financial aid to purchase books and supplies will need to make sure to submit all requested paperwork in a timely fashion and keep an eye on their UWM e-mail.  Students should receive funds with ample time to make their purchases prior to the first day of classes provided all required paperwork is submitted.

Entrance Counseling for Student Loan Borrowers – First-time borrowers of a Federal Direct Student Loan must complete entrance counseling.  In addition, TEACH grant recipients must also complete Initial and Subsequent TEACH Grant Counseling and an Agreement to Serve.

Exit Counseling for Student Loan Borrowers – Borrowers of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Nursing Loan must complete exit counseling anytime the borrower is enrolled less than half-time, withdraws, or graduates.  In addition, TEACH grant recipients must also complete TEACH Grant Exit Counseling.

Federal Student Aid Ombudsman – The Ombudsman Group is dedicated to helping resolve disputes related to the federal student aid programs, including Federal Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and federal grant programs.

Federal Work Study – Information regarding general conditions and terms applicable to employment provided as part of a financial aid package.

Financial Literacy – Information regarding loan and debt repayment, how to pay for college, and money management resources to assist students at various stages of enrollment.

  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – Tools and resources to assist students in making informed financial decisions.
  • GradReady – A financial literacy tool where individuals can learn more about managing tuition, budget and bills.

Loan Information – Information regarding terms of loans, sample loan repayment schedule and the necessity for repaying loans.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) – Students should use studentaid.gov to view information about all their federal loans and grants.  Once logged in, students can get information on their outstanding loan balances, loan statuses and disbursements as well as servicer information. Students and/or parents who borrow a Federal Direct Loan and/or a Federal Perkins Loan will have their loan information be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).  This information will be accessible by guaranty agencies, lenders, and schools determined to be authorized users of the data system.

Preferred Lender List – UWM provides a listing of loan options for students to research.  Students may borrow from any lender and are not restricted to this list.  UWM encourages all students to complete the FAFSA in order to seek out Title IV aid programs that may be more favorable than private education loans.

Principles of Excellence – UWM has agreed to adopt the Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members.

Private Education Loan Disclosures – Disclosures for lenders listed on UWM’s preferred lender list are located in FASTChoice, which is a tool that will allow you to compare and research several lenders terms and conditions prior to applying for a private loan.  You will find individual lender disclosures by selecting one or more lenders within FASTChoice and selecting compare.  Under the loan rates and fees section of each lender, select the View 10K Disclosure link, which will direct you to the appropriate disclosure form.

Private Education Self-Certification Form – Instructions regarding completing the Self-Certification Form can be found here.

Professional Judgement – Financial aid administrators can adjust student’s and/or parent’s financial information based on special or unusual circumstances to reflect their current financial or unusual situation more closely.

  • Special circumstances can include loss or change of job, one-time lump sum payment, divorce, separation or death of a parent or a spouse. Students may also request a budget adjustment if they feel the amounts used in their cost of attendance do not reflect their current situation. Please see the special circumstance and budget adjustment forms for the appropriate award year for additional information.
  • Unusual circumstances refer to a situation in which an adjustment to a student’s dependency status may need to be made based on a unique situation such as parent abandonment, abusive home situation, incarceration, human trafficking, refugee or asylee status.  For an initial dependency override appeal, students must meet with a financial aid advisor and can make an appointment here.

Rights and Responsibilities – Information regarding the rights and responsibilities of students receiving Title IV student financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) – Information regarding the requirements students need to maintain to be considered making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree to remain eligible to receive federal student financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) – Flexible Option Program (FLEX) – Information regarding the requirements FLEX students need to maintain to be considered making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree to remain eligible to receive federal student financial aid.

Study Abroad – Enrollment in a study abroad program approved for credit by UWM may be considered for purposes of applying for federal student financial aid.

Health & Safety

Campus Security Policies, Crime Statistics and Crime Log – Provides information about the institution’s policies and statistics relating to security and fire safety.  In addition, provides policy regarding missing student notification.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program – Information and resources on the standards of conduct that clearly prohibit the unlawful possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees on the school’s property or as part of any of the school’s activities.

2020-2022 Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program Biennial Review – Provides information about the effectiveness of the program, the number of drug and alcohol-related violations and the number and type of sanctions that are imposed.

Vaccination Policies – Information about UWM’s policies regarding vaccinations.

Student Outcomes

Completion and Graduation Rates – Information about completion and graduation rates of certificate or degree-seeking, first-time, undergraduate students.  In addition, completion and graduation rates for students receiving athletically related student aid.

Graduate Outcome Information – Information about outcomes and types of employment obtained by graduates.

Graduate and Professional Education – Information on types of graduate and professional education in which graduates enroll.

Intercollegiate Athletic Program Participation Rates and Financial Support (Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act – EADA) – Provides information on men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic programs.  Individuals can search the U.S. Department of Education Equity in Athletics Data Analysis (EADA) portal.

Materials Used in Recruitment – Information provided to prospective students that may include job placement rates, licensure rates, salary information, etc.  Departments making claims are responsible for providing the most recent data available and information necessary to substantiate the truthfulness of the claims.

Licensure Pass Rates – Provides information regarding licensure pass rates for undergraduate and graduate students.

Retention Rate – Provides retention rate information for certificate or degree seeking, first-time, undergraduate students as reported to IPEDS.

Teacher Preparation Program Report – Annual report containing school and state-level information that states must make available to the public.

Teacher Preparation Program Report 2021-2022

Transfer-out Rates (Student Right-to-Know-Act) – Information about the transfer-out rate, which is the percentage of the full-time, first-time students who transferred to another institution.  UWM is not required to report as only institutions with a mission to prepare students to transfer are required to report such information.

Universities of Wisconsin Accountability Dashboard – Provides a broad spectrum of higher education performance measures reflecting UW System’s (including UWM) strategic priorities to include access, progress & completion, student affordability, etc. 

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Emergency Grant – March 2020

Report and Disclosure (30 Day) – May 13, 2020

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) signed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) the Certification and Agreement form and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than the required amount of funds received to provide Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants to students.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) received a Grant Award Notification (GAN) from ED on April 22, 2020, to award to enrolled students $8,462,833 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants, which is 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  Additionally, a Grant Award Notification for Institutional funds was received on May 8, 2020, for $8,462,833.

Per the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR), the official spring 2020 enrollment was 24,084.  Based upon students who have completed the 2019-20 or 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), it is estimated that roughly 15,600 would be eligible under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.  This estimate is based upon the spring 2020 enrollment being roughly 24,000 students and generally 65 percent of students being offered some type of Title IV assistance.  Provided these students meet all the other eligibility criteria noted, they would be eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.

After receiving guidance from ED on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, policies and procedures were finalized with input from campus stakeholders.  Below can be found information about eligibility criteria, communications sent to students and information about the awarding criteria and actual awards disbursed.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a CARES grant, you must:

  • Have been financially impacted by the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.  Eligible expenses include food, housing, course materials, laptops and other technology, health care and child care.  Here are some examples:
    • Signing up for home internet service to complete your online coursework.
    • Buying a laptop or other computer equipment to do coursework.
    • Buying groceries after campus dining operations closed.
    • Paying a fee to end your lease early or rent for an apartment that you are no longer living in.
  • Be enrolled in a degree or certificate program eligible for federal (Title IV) financial aid.
  • Have filed a 2019-20 or 2020-21 FAFSA in order to document eligibility to participate in federal (Title IV) programs.  Primary eligibility requirements include having a valid Social Security number, being a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, and if required, being registered with the Selective Service.
  • Not enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020, when President Trump issued his “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak” proclamation.

Communications

A webpage was developed on the Dean of Students (DOS) website.  Additionally, multiple notifications were included on the campus COVID-19 webpage on April 28th  and May 8th .

Students were also sent multiple communications as noted below:

  • April 28th email from DOS to all students.
  • April 28th email from Financial Aid Office (FAO) to Federal Pell Grant eligible students.
  • April 28th email from DOS to UWM Emergency Grant waitlist students. Three similar emails from DOS were sent to students on May 11th and May 12th.
  • May 6th email sent from Deans to students within their College.
  • May 8th email from FAO to Federal Pell Grant eligible students.
  • May 8th email from University Relations.
  • May 11th email from University Relations.
  • May 11th text from Student Success Center to undergraduate students.
  • May 11th email from Graduate College to students within their College.

Award Information

As of the 30-day report, no Emergency Financial Aid Grants had been distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.  The priority application period concluded on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, and applications are currently being reviewed.

ED has given discretion to determine how the Emergency Grants will be disbursed to eligible students.  Many of UWM’s students have experienced financial hardships as a result of the pandemic.  In accordance with the directive from Secretary DeVos, UWM will prioritize funding for those students with the greatest need, those determined to be awarded a Federal Pell Grant in the spring 2020 term, whether or not they have completed an application.

UWM will use the information submitted via the short CARES application to determine which non-Federal Pell Grant eligible students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.  Additionally, the information provided by students will be used to determine the appropriate award amount.  The goal is to distribute grants as widely as possible, yet providing a meaningful award amount to those students impacted.

Update – May 19, 2020

After considering various distribution plans, UWM decided to award a standard amount ($950) to all eligible applicants and eligible Pell grant-recipients who did not apply for CARES funding.  This approach allowed for a significant number of eligible students to receive CARES funding while providing a consistent dollar amount for all recipients.  Recipients were asked to request a dollar amount within the application which allowed UWM to determine a meaningful award amount for recipients that would also benefit the maximum number of students.  Awarding the standard amount of $950 allowed for a level of consistency across student recipients and greatly expedited the time to get the funding to students.

We are confident that all Federal Pell Grant recipients had at least $950 in pandemic-related need regardless of whether they applied for CARES funding.  Given the upheaval to campus operations, on-campus housing and off-campus living situations, and daily life, we also considered that many lower-income students might not have had the immediate ability to apply before we distributed the CARES funds.  All Federal Pell Grant recipients for the spring 2020 term were awarded a Federal Emergency Grant if they also met the following criteria:

  • Were enrolled at UWM on or after March 14, 2020, which was the day after President Trump issued his “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak” proclamation; and
  • Not enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020, when President Trump issued his “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak” proclamation.

Additionally, students who submitted the online application before the priority deadline, were awarded the Federal Emergency Grant if they met the following criteria:

  • Were enrolled at UWM on or after March 14, 2020, which was the day after President Trump issued his “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak” proclamation;
  • Not enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020, when President Trump issued his “Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak” proclamation;
  • Indicated on the application that they had been financially impacted by the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus.  Eligible expenses included food, housing, course materials, laptops and other technology, health care and child care; and
  • Was determined to be eligible to participate in federal (Title IV) financial aid, Section 484 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.

CARES Emergency Grants were disbursed to 8,236 students totaling $7,824,200.

Update – June 8, 2020

Eligibility was reviewed for those students who completed an application between May 13, 2020 and May 28, 2020.  It was determined that 651 students were eligible and based upon the remaining funds, all were awarded the same $950 as the initial application group.

Report and Disclosure (45 Day) – June 27, 2020

As of the subsequent 45-day reporting requirement, all $8,462,833 of CARES funds have been awarded and disbursed to 8,911 eligible students.  Awards of $950 were made to 8,908 students who had received a Federal Pell Grant in the spring 2020 term or submitted a CARES application prior to May 28, 2020, and met all other eligibility requirements.  An additional three awards, two for $78 and one for $77, were made to students who expressed an interest in the CARES funds, completed the CARES application after May 28, 2020, and were determined to meet all other eligibility requirements.  The final three award amounts were based solely upon remaining funds that had not yet been committed.

Report and Disclosure (Quarterly Report) – July 10, 2020
No changes from prior report.

Report and Disclosure (Quarterly Report) – October 10, 2020 No changes from prior report.

Report and Disclosure (Quarterly Report) – January 5, 2021 Due to some students not cashing checks previously provided in May/June, twenty-six checks were cancelled.  The students were sent multiple communications via email, text and phone, encouraging them to cash the checks.  Once the checks were cancelled, the funds were awarded and disbursed to other students on the waiting list in the order in which their application was completed and submitted.

There are a total of 8,909 awards, of which 8,907 are for $950 and there is one each for $592 and $591.  This brings the total amount of the funds awarded and disbursed to $8,462,833, which is the entire allocation for student awards.

CARES Institutional Portion

Per the U.S. Department of Education guidance, below can be found information on the institutional portion of money received by UWM from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

Quarterly Report Through September 30, 2020 – Submitted October 20, 2020

Quarterly Report Through December 31, 2020 – Submitted January 28, 2021

Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) Emergency Grant – December 2020

Report and Disclosure (30 Day) – February 23, 2021

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) signed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) the Certification and Agreement form and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than the required amount of funds received to provide Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants to students.

UWM received two supplemental Grant Award Notifications (GAN) from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on Sunday, January 17, 2021.  UWM is committed to award the supplemental award amount of $8,462,833 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to eligible students.  UWM also is receiving a supplemental award of $19,780,477 for the Institutional Portion.
Per the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR), the official spring 2021 enrollment was 22,708. Per the original guidance from ED, students needed to be able to document being a U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen. Removing the 948 international students identified by OAIR, for which we know who are not a U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen, this would bring the total number of students possibly eligible to receive HEERF two funds to 21,760.

At this time, no awards have been made, thus the following information noted below is not available. Once available, an update will be posted.

  • The total amount of HEERF grants distributed to students.
  • The total number of students who have received an HEERF grant.
  • The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive HEERF grants and how much they would receive.
  • Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the HEERF grants.

Update – March 19, 2021

Based upon current guidance from ED, policies and procedures were finalized with input from campus stakeholders.  It should be noted, that additional guidance may still be provided by ED, thus information is subject to change.  Below can be found information about eligibility criteria, communications sent to students and staff and award information.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a Higher Education Emergency Relief grant, you must:

  • Have incurred emergency expenses due to COVID-19 on or after December 27, 2020 (the date the legislation was signed) for any item included in your Spring 2021 Cost of Attendance (COA), such as tuition, food, housing, health care and childcare.
  • Have been enrolled for the Spring 2021 term at the conclusion of the add/drop period, February 6, 2021.  It should be noted this may vary slightly for students enrolled in the Flexible Option Program.
  • Have filed a 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to document being a U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen.

Institutions are required to prioritize grants to students demonstrating exceptional financial need. Exceptional financial need will be determined based upon applications submitted and using the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the FAFSA.

Communications

A webpage was developed on the Dean of Students (DOS) website.  Additionally, multiple notifications, as noted below, were sent to students and staff informing them of the Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students.

  • February 22th email from DOS to all students.
  • February 24th notice in UWM Report for Faculty and Staff.
  • February 25th email sent from Deans to students within their College.
  • March 1st email from DOS to all students.
  • March 3rd text from Student Success Center to undergraduate students.
  • March 5th email from DOS to all currently enrolled students who had applied for a UWM emergency grant since the onset of the pandemic.
  • March 8th email from DOS to all students.

Award Information

Based upon guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), eligibility for each applicant who submitted an application by the March 9, 2021 deadline was reviewed and the results were provided to a small working group tasked with providing a recommendation to campus leadership.  The work group considered various awarding and distribution plans.

In accordance with guidance from ED, students with exceptional need were prioritized.  For this purpose, exceptional need was defined as those students who completed a 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and had an expected family contribution (EFC) of 5,711 or less, which is the EFC cut-off for a full-time undergraduate student to receive a Federal Pell Grant.  Students who had received a Federal Pell Grant disbursement during the spring 2021 term as of March 12, 2021, were awarded a grant whether or not they completed an application.  The work group is confident that all Federal Pell Grant recipients incurred pandemic-related educational expenses regardless of whether they applied.

For those students who completed an application and were determined to be eligible, keeping in the mind the exceptional need guidance, the work group divided students into three tiers based upon the EFC as calculated by the 2020-21 FAFSA as of March 11, 2021 (EFC’s are subject to change).  As noted below, award amounts varied based upon the tier.

  • Tier 1 – Students with an EFC of 5,711 or below were awarded grants of $1,115. The previously mentioned Federal Pell Grant recipients would be included within this tier.  It should be noted that based upon funds remaining, the final two students were awarded grants of $659.
  • Tier 2 – Students with an EFC of 5,712 to 24,652 were awarded grants of $715. This would include those students above the Federal Pell Grant eligibility up to the cost of attendance (COA) used for an undergraduate Wisconsin resident who is full-time student and living on or off-campus (not with parents).
  • Tier 3 – Students with an EFC greater than 24,652 were awarded grants of $315. Using the EFC per the FAFSA is the most consistent manner to determine need, but it must be noted that the 2020-21 FAFSA used 2018 federal tax information, thus it may no longer be reflective of the student’s current situation.  Therefore, as these students completed the application and certified they incurred emergency expenses due to COVID-19 on or after December 27, 2020 (the date the legislation was signed) it was determined that they should also receive an award.

Therefore, 8,883 students received awards totaling, $8,462,833.  Below can be found details on the number of awards within each tier.

TierAward AmountPopulation# of StudentsTotal
1$1,115EFC <57126,197$6,909,655
1$659EFC <57122$1,318
2$715EFC 5712-24,6521,766$1,262,690
3$315EFC >24,652918$289,170
   8883$8,462,833

Report and Disclosure (First Quarter Report) – June 17, 2021 No changes from prior information reported above.

Report and Disclosure (Second Quarter Report) – June 30, 2021 No changes from prior information reported above.

Report and Disclosure (Third Quarter Report) – October 6, 2021

Report and Disclosure (Fourth Quarter Report) – October 26, 2021

Institutional Portion

Per the U.S. Department of Education guidance, below can be found information on the institutional portion of money received by UWM from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

First Quarter Report (January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021) – Submitted June 21, 2021

Second Quarter Report (April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021) – Submitted July 8, 2021

Third Quarter Report (July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021) – Submitted October 6, 2021

Third Quarter Report (July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021) – Revised November 16, 2021

Fourth Quarter Report (October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021) – Submitted November 16, 2021

American Rescue Plan (ARP) Emergency Grant – March 2021

Report and Disclosure (30 Day) – June 16, 2021

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) signed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) the Certification and Agreement form and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than the required amount of funds received to provide Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants to students.

UWM received two supplemental Grant Award Notifications (GAN) from ED on Monday, May 24, 2021. UWM is committed to award the supplemental award amount of $25,198,937 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants to eligible students. UWM also received a supplemental award of $24,501,130 for the Institutional Portion.

Based upon updated guidance from ED, students enrolled at UWM at any point since the national emergency was declared on March 13, 2020, would be possibly eligible to receive HEERF three funds. This would include students enrolled during the spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, winter 2021 and spring 2021 terms. Per the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (OAIR), the unduplicated count of students enrolled during those terms was 34,789. However, it should be noted that these funds will not be awarded until sometime during the summer 2021, fall 2021, winter 2022 and spring 2022 terms, for which official enrollment figures are still unknown. So the estimated number of students possibly eligible to receive HEERF three funds will continue to increase.  Generally, there are roughly 4,500 new students in the fall term and 500 in the spring term.  Assuming enrollments are similar; this would increase the number of eligible students by at least 5,000.  Taking into account additional students in the summer and winter terms, a rough estimate of eligible students would be in excess of 40,000.

At this time, no awards have been made, thus the following information noted below is not available. Once available, an update will be posted.

  • The total amount of HEERF grants distributed to students.
  • The total number of students who have received an HEERF grant.
  • The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive HEERF grants and how much they would receive.
  • Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the HEERF grants.

Communications

A webpage was developed on the Dean of Students (DOS) website.  Additionally, multiple notifications, as noted below, were sent to students and staff informing them of the Emergency Financial Aid Grants for students.

  • May 5th announcement on website.
  • August 2nd email from DOS to all students.
  • August 6th email from Admissions to incoming students.
  • August 6th announcement in Panther Family News.
  • August 26th announcement on Panther Families website.
  • August 26th email from DOS to all students.
  • September 2nd announcement in Panther Family News.
  • September 6th announcement in Student News & Stuff email.
  • December 8, 2021 announcement in UWM Report.
  • December 14th email UWM Report to faculty and staff.
  • December 15th email UWM Student Updates.
  • January 3rd email from DOS to all students.
  • January 4th email UWM Report to faculty and staff.
  • January 7th email UWM Report to faculty and staff.
  • January 19th announcement in Panther Family News.
  • January 24th announcement in Student News & Stuff email.
  • January 31st announcement in Student News & Stuff email.

Communication to students, staff and the community regarding $5 million in Student Debt Relief Program.

  • August 20th email to impacted students of the debt relief program.
  • August 20th email to Faculty and Staff.
  • August 20th news release.

Media Announcements – August 20, 2021

Report and Disclosure  (First Quarter Report) – June 16, 2021
No changes from prior information reported above.

Report and Disclosure (Second Quarter Report) – June 30, 2021
No changes from prior information reported above.

Report and Disclosure (Third Quarter Report) – October 4, 2021

Report and Disclosure (Fourth Quarter Report) – January 4, 2022

Report and Disclosure (First Quarter Report) – April 5, 2022

Report and Disclosure (Second Quarter Report) – July 6, 2022

Institutional Portion

Per the U.S. Department of Education guidance, below can be found information on the institutional portion of money received by UWM from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).

First Quarter Report (January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021) – Submitted June 21, 2021

Second Quarter Report (April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021) – Submitted July 8, 2021

Third Quarter Report (July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021) – Submitted October 6, 2021

Third Quarter Report (July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021) – Revised November 16, 2021

Fourth Quarter Report (October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021) – Submitted January 4, 2022

HEERF Annual Reports

Per the U.S. Department of Education guidance, below can be found the annual reports for calendar years 2020, 2021, and 2022.

2020 Annual Report

2021 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report