First Wave Scholarship Program

"Administered by the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives , the First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Program is the first program in the nation to offer a full-tuition, four-year scholarship centered specifically on Hip Hop culture and artistic practice. Scholars can major in any field at UW-Madison. At the same time, they continue to develop as artists and leaders within a creative community, committed to growth in the three pillars of OMAI : academics, arts, and activism. With the support of affiliated faculty, staff, and artists, First Wave students: develop their craft as part of a high-level artistic community alongside faculty, staff, and nationally renowned spoken word and hip hop artists pursue their academic and career goals by studying fields that merge their artistic interests with professional development engage the community in creative service-learning projects that combine multicultural arts and activism The First Wave application deadline for UW-Madison Early Action applicants is October 26, 2026 . If your First Wave application is received after October 26, 2026, your First Wave application will be considered among the Regular Decision First Wave applicants with a deadline of January 11, 2027. Please note that if your application is selected for the finalist round of the scholarship, you will be invited to visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison from April 8 – 11, 2027 . This in-person visit is required in order to be considered in the final round of the application process, and includes accommodations for finalists traveling within the continental Unites States. Additionally, if accepted into the First Wave Program, there are two requirements for the incoming cohort of scholars: Members of the first-year cohort of First Wave will be required to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Summer Collegiate Experience . While dates for SCE are not confirmed as of August 2026, the commitment will take place beginning late June 2027 through the first "