University of Wisconsin–Parkside: merit scholarships by GPA
University of Wisconsin–Parkside publishes merit aid criteria as a published grid keyed to GPA — the ACT is not used. Awards start at a 3.0 GPA and reach $5,000 a year. Because the bands are steps rather than a slope, a hundredth of a GPA point is worth nothing inside a band and the whole step at the edge of one.
Enter a GPA below to see which band it actually lands in, what that band pays, and what the next band needs.
Read this first
This award is only for first-time students from states OUTSIDE the Midwest — Wisconsin and Midwest students are not eligible, and Parkside publishes no automatic merit grid for them. The figures are the 2025-26 ones and Parkside says amounts are subject to change. The page does not state that the award is automatic.
Unweighted, as the school asks for it.
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Example — a 3.60 GPA
Achievement Award
$5,000 — renews at a 3.0 GPA / year
About $20,000 over four years, if it renews.
UW-Parkside awards this on GPA alone, so an ACT score does not change it. A higher score can still matter for admission, for honours programmes, and at other schools on the list — but not for this award.
The ACT doesn't move the money here — but it still decides admission, honours eligibility, and what they is worth at the other schools on the list, where most awards are score-keyed.
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The published UW-Parkside merit aid grid
Reproduced in full from University of Wisconsin–Parkside’s own pages for 2025-26 entry. Nothing here is estimated: where the school states a benefit rather than a figure, that is what the table says.
First-time students from outside the Midwest
Keyed to unweighted high school GPA. Awards are prorated by the number of credits taken.
$5,000 — renews at a 3.0 GPA
Achievement Award
No score needed
$4,000 — renews at a 2.75 GPA
Rising Award
No score needed
$3,000 — renews at a 2.50 GPA
Talent Award
No score needed
| Award | With a score | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Achievement Award | — | $5,000 — renews at a 3.0 GPA |
| Rising Award | — | $4,000 — renews at a 2.75 GPA |
| Talent Award | — | $3,000 — renews at a 2.50 GPA |
Source: Out-of-state scholar awards · verified 2026-10-24
Does UW-Parkside superscore for scholarships?
Not stated, and it would not matter. The grid uses no test score at all.
With nothing published, plan for the stricter reading: look up your best single sitting in the grid above, work out your superscore as well, and ask UW-Parkside’s financial aid office which one they read before you count on the higher band.
Comparing schools? See which colleges superscore for scholarships — 66 of 501 commit to it, 52 say they do not, and the rest never say.
UW-Parkside scholarship deadlines
| Entry term | Due |
|---|---|
| Scholarship application priority deadline | January 15, 2027 |
Scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive, and official reports sent to schools can take longer, so the last useful test date is several weeks before the printed deadline. Check which test dates still make it.
Where these numbers came from
Every figure on this page was read from University of Wisconsin–Parkside’s own published pages, linked below with the date we last confirmed them. We do not estimate a missing band or interpolate a value.
- Only students from states outside the Midwest are eligible. Wisconsin and Midwest students receive nothing from this grid.
- No automatic merit grid was found for Wisconsin residents — Parkside's route for them is the need-based Parkside Promise, which is a different kind of programme.
- The renewal GPA falls with the award: 3.0 for the top tier, 2.75 for the middle and 2.50 for the bottom. Most grids use one bar for every rung.
- Awards are prorated by credits taken, so a part-time student receives less than the published figure.
- The GPA is unweighted.
- The figures are published for 2025-26 and Parkside says amounts are subject to change, while its general scholarship page has moved on to the 2027-28 application.
- Parkside does not state that this award is automatic, so meeting a rung makes a student eligible rather than entitled.
Check before you rely on it. Grids change by entry year and schools update them without notice. This page is a reproduction with a date on it, not a guarantee, and it is not financial aid advice. ClutchACT is not affiliated with University of Wisconsin–Parkside.
Frequently asked questions
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at UW-Parkside?
University of Wisconsin–Parkside publishes a merit aid grid keyed to ACT score and GPA. See the tables on this page for the current bands.
Is UW-Parkside test-optional?
The out-of-state scholar page does not state the admission testing requirement, so nothing is claimed about it here. For merit aid the answer is different: all three rungs are keyed to an unweighted high school GPA. No band names a test score, so an ACT cannot move this award. Being admitted without a score and qualifying for money without a score are two separate questions.
How much is a 30 on the ACT worth at UW-Parkside?
On UW-Parkside's published grid for 2025-26 entry, an ACT of 30 with a 3.6 GPA qualifies for Achievement Award at $5,000 a year, about $20,000 over four years if it renews.
Does UW-Parkside superscore the ACT for scholarships?
Not stated, and it would not matter. The grid uses no test score at all.
When are UW-Parkside scholarship deadlines?
Scholarship application priority deadline: January 15, 2027. The application and the official score report are both due by that date, and ACT scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive — so the last useful test date is several weeks earlier than the deadline suggests.
Is this UW-Parkside scholarship data current?
Every figure on this page was read from University of Wisconsin–Parkside's own published pages and last verified on 2026-10-24. The sources are linked at the bottom of the page with that date. Grids change by entry year, so check the source before relying on a figure for a decision.
Other schools to check
What to do next
UW-Parkside awards on GPA — but the ACT still decides what you're worth elsewhere.
Most schools in this comparison are score-keyed even though UW-Parkside is not, so the same test still moves the money everywhere else on the list.
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