Who can still apply for the King-Morgridge Scholarship 2027? The Early Action gate

The King-Morgridge Scholarship 2027 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is open until 15 November 2026 for students who applied through Early Action and receive admission in that round.

The King-Morgridge Scholars Program is open for its 2027 cohort, with a separate application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH). UW–Madison’s Early Action deadline was 1 November, so the remaining two weeks give eligible Early Action applicants time to complete the separate scholarship stage. The programme selects about six scholars a year for a fully funded undergraduate education.

King-Morgridge Scholarship 2027: at a glance

• Status: Open for Fall 2027 applicants.
• Scholarship deadline: 15 November 2026 through WiSH.
• UW Early Action deadline: 1 November 2026. Supporting materials for UW admission are due 9 November.
• Funding: Full scholarship for four years or eight semesters, covering tuition and fees, room and board, health insurance, airfare and a miscellaneous stipend.
• Eligible applicants: Incoming first-year bachelor’s applicants admitted through Early Action, with a secondary school credential from an eligible country in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South Asia or Southeast Asia, and the programme’s academic, financial-need and service criteria.
• Official application: WiSH scholarship portal.
• Last checked: 2 November 2026.

Why is the 15 November scholarship deadline only part of the process?

The scholarship has two linked applications. Students first apply to UW–Madison for first-year admission, then submit the King-Morgridge application in WiSH. For Fall 2027, the university’s admissions deadlines set 1 November as the Early Action date and 9 November as the deadline for supporting materials. The scholarship portal closes on 15 November.

That sequence creates a narrow window: a student who already filed an Early Action application can use the coming days to finish the separate scholarship form. The programme awards the scholarship through Early Action admission. Regular Decision applicants follow a later university timetable, while this scholarship review follows the Early Action cohort.

UW–Madison plans to release Early Action decisions by 31 January 2027, while scholarship decisions are expected by the end of March. The scholarship application therefore sits between the admission submission and the admission result; students should complete the WiSH stage by its stated deadline while following any instructions shown in their accounts.

Who qualifies for the King-Morgridge Scholarship?

The programme targets first-year students beginning a bachelor’s degree at UW–Madison. Applicants need to be entering tertiary education for the first time, demonstrate high financial need, show commitment to poverty alleviation and community development, and plan to return to their home region after graduation. The detailed UW scholarship criteria also set a school qualification date: the diploma must be dated 1 November 2023 or later, or the student must be in the final year and expect to complete it before 1 August 2027.

Eligibility depends on where the applicant earned, or will earn, the secondary-school diploma. The programme’s listed countries are:

Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Latin America: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Southeast Asia: Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

Applicants should compare their school location and credential with the official list before preparing the scholarship form. The programme defines this criterion by the country where the secondary-school diploma comes from, alongside its academic, financial-need and service requirements.

What does the scholarship cover?

The scholarship covers tuition and fees, room and board, health insurance, airfare and a miscellaneous stipend for four years or eight semesters. The programme selects about six scholars a year.

The award is tied to undergraduate study at UW–Madison. The programme’s service focus also shapes the application: candidates describe their commitment to reducing poverty and supporting community development, and their plans to return to their home region after graduation. Those themes help explain why the scholarship assesses purpose and future contribution as well as financial need.

What does the application require?

The WiSH application is separate from UW–Madison’s admission form and requires a university NetID. The scholarship application includes an essay of 500 to 700 words and short-answer questions. The programme’s AI guidance expects the essay to reflect the applicant’s own voice and thinking. It describes brainstorming and feedback on readability, spelling or grammar as support, while applicants retain responsibility for drafting, substantial revisions and translation. Applicants should use their own account to read the prompts, confirm the required details and submit the form by 15 November.

Students also need to complete the university admission file. UW–Madison lists 9 November as the supporting-materials deadline for Early Action, with the deadline time stated as 11:59 p.m. Pacific. That date applies to the admission documents; the WiSH scholarship portal separately lists 15 November for the scholarship application.

How to apply for the King-Morgridge Scholarship

1. Confirm that you submitted a first-year UW–Madison application through Early Action by 1 November 2026. Review the university’s admission timetable and check your applicant account for outstanding materials.
2. Check the official eligibility criteria, including the eligible secondary-school countries, first-year status, diploma date, financial need and programme commitments.
3. Sign in with your UW NetID and open the King-Morgridge application in WiSH. Complete the 500–700-word essay and short answers in the portal.
4. Submit the scholarship form by 15 November 2026. The programme lists this application as open and identifies 15 November as the deadline.
5. Complete any remaining Early Action admission materials by 9 November, then monitor your UW applicant account for the admission decision expected by 31 January 2027.

King-Morgridge Scholarship: frequently asked questions

Can a student apply to the scholarship after the UW Early Action deadline?

Students who submitted an Early Action admission application by 1 November can complete the separate WiSH scholarship form until 15 November 2026. Scholarship consideration follows an Early Action admission decision.

Is the King-Morgridge Scholarship open to Nigerian students?

Yes. Nigeria appears on the programme’s eligible Africa list. Applicants also need to meet the first-year admission, financial-need, academic and service requirements.

How much is the King-Morgridge Scholarship worth?

The award covers tuition and fees, room and board, health insurance, airfare and a miscellaneous stipend for four years or eight semesters. UW–Madison’s scholarship page lists the covered cost categories as the award terms.

When will applicants hear about the 2027 scholarship?

UW–Madison says Early Action admission decisions arrive by 31 January 2027, and King-Morgridge scholarship decisions are expected by the end of March. Applicants can check their accounts for messages from the university.