UWM Retention Grant

Awarded to select undergraduate students to retain them and help them complete a bachelor’s degree. Incoming first-year and transfer students and students in their first semester at UWM are not eligible for this grant.

UWM recognizes that students may sometimes be unable to pay their tuition, fees, and other university charges. Students with outstanding bills of $1500 or greater are restricted from registering for classes for future terms. Retention grants are one-time awards designed to help students pay down a bill, thereby removing a hold from the Office of Student Accounts and allowing them to register for classes for the upcoming term and remain enrolled. Retention grants are not intended to be a long-term solution to funding one’s education.

Only students who have not yet registered for Fall 2026 courses and who also have an outstanding PAWS balance greater than $1500 will be considered. Students who apply for this grant will be considered unqualified if any of the following are true:

1. The student has already registered for Fall 2026 courses.
2. The student does not have an outstanding PAWS balance of $1500 or greater.
3. The student has not accepted all available financial aid, including federal direct loans.
4. The student’s account has been sent to a collection agency.

Students will be reviewed considering many factors, including but not limited to the following:

• Undergraduate student pursuing their first degree
• Enrolled in the current or most recent term
• Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Good Academic Standing
• Not graduating in the current term
• Not enrolled for the next term
• FAFSA filing status
• Financial need
• Payment history

Priority consideration will be granted to eligible students who:

• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Submit the Panther Scholarship Portal General Application.
• Have exhausted all other aid types, including federal direct loans.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within five business days. Due to limited funds available, unfortunately, not every eligible student will receive a grant.

Retention grants are not intended for emergency purposes such as car repairs, food, or other personal and non-university expenses. Students with emergency needs should complete the UWM Emergency Grant application.

Resources

• Schedule an appointment with a UWM financial aid advisor
• Contact the UWM Student Financial Service Center
• Read about UWM’s payment plan