The Panther Scholarship Portal is your one-stop shop to find and apply for scholarships offered at UWM. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can use the Panther Scholarship Portal?

The Panther Scholarship Portal and the ability to search/filter for individual opportunities are publicly accessible.

All students with an ePantherID (current students and future students who have applied for admission) may sign in to the Portal using their ePantherID and password. Signing in allows you to submit the General Application, see opportunities recommended for you, apply for additional scholarships, and track the status of submitted applications.

If you have applied for admission, you can sign in using your ePantherID. Shortly after you have been admitted, your academic record and demographic information are automatically imported from PAWS into the Panther Scholarship Portal.

How do I get started?

If you don’t yet have an ePantherID, use the Show Filters button to search by school, college, department, or area. Or try using the keyword search to identify opportunities relevant to you.

If you have an ePantherID, visit the Sign-In page. Click the “Sign in With Your ePantherID” button. Complete the General Application and any other supplemental applications requested by the system. You may save your work and come back to it later if you wish.

View our Getting Started Guide for additional information.

Do I need to complete every section in the General Application?

Questions that are required are indicated by an asterisk (*) and must be completed to submit your General Application.

The UWM scholarship process is very competitive. It is in your best interest to submit a complete application to provide reviewers with as much information about yourself to be considered for scholarships.

Review our Tips for Applying to strengthen your responses. 

What types of questions are on the General Application?

Your academic record and demographic information are automatically imported from PAWS into the Panther Scholarship Portal.

You are asked for information regarding community service, co-curricular activities, work experience, and achievements and honors.

Essay questions include why you chose UWM, your academic and career goals, and why you are seeking financial assistance. Review our Tips for Applying to strengthen your responses.

International and undocumented students can download a Non-FAFSA worksheet and upload their completed form to the General Application to apply for need-based scholarships.

What are the general scholarship timelines?

Review our Scholarships Timeline for additional information.

What happens after I submit the application(s)?

Once you submit your General Application and any subsequent School/College Applications, you will see a list of scholarship opportunities that you may apply to. Click the “Apply” button after reading the details and determine if you fit the criteria and would like to apply.

Auto-Match Scholarships do not have any additional questions beyond the General Application, and an applicant will be matched automatically if they meet the qualifications. No further action is required by the student! Students will not be able to see these matches, but the student’s profile information will be forwarded to the scholarship committee(s) overseeing each scholarship. About 85% of UWM’s available scholarships are auto-match opportunities based on the General Application.

Qualifying and applying for a scholarship does not guarantee that you will be offered an award.

Read more about scholarship types in our Getting Started Guide

How do I know when my application process is complete?

After submitting any application, you will receive an automated confirmation email.

You can track the status of your applications and offers via the My Applications dashboard. A status of Submitted means your application is still being considered.

You should access the Panther Scholarship Portal regularly to check for new opportunities you qualify for that may have become available since you last signed in.

When will I receive notice about scholarships I have applied to or have been awarded?

Newly admitted students who have not yet been issued a UWM email address will have a notification sent to the email provided on their application for admission to the university.

Current UWM students who have applied for a scholarship will be notified of their application status via their UWM email address.

Timelines vary from scholarship to scholarship. Generally, once the application submission deadline has passed, reviewers will begin evaluating applications. Once that has been completed, recipients will be selected, and communication will be sent to them via email.

You can track the status of your applications and offers via the My Applications dashboard. A status of Submitted means your application is still being considered.

If you are provided a deadline by which you must accept the scholarship, you must do so by the date specified to avoid losing the offer.

Generally, if you are not selected to receive a scholarship, you do not receive email communication about this; however, the status of your application on the My Applications dashboard will be updated to Not Selected. 

What do I have to do if I’ve been offered a scholarship?

You will receive an email from the Panther Scholarship Portal indicating that you have been selected. The email will provide a link to sign in to the Portal to view the offer details. In the Portal, you will then be able to accept or decline the offer. For most scholarships, after accepting, you will need to complete several supplemental “post-acceptance” questions, which might include a thank you to the scholarship donor. Your scholarship will not be officially awarded until this has been completed, and it must be done before the deadline indicated. You will receive an email notification when your scholarship has been officially awarded and approved for disbursement.

Do I have to apply every year?

Yes. The scholarship season runs from August through May. Your current General Application will be archived in July. The system will reopen for the next scholarship season on August 1. Watch your UWM email inbox for reminders to update and re-submit your General Application at the appropriate time.

Who can I contact with questions?

You may contact the Office of Student Scholarships with general questions about scholarships and using the Panther Scholarship Portal.

If you have questions about your academic or personal information being imported into the Panther Scholarship Portal, contact the Registrar’s Office.