First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Scholarship Program

The First Wave Program is the first and only four-year, full-tuition scholarship for Hip Hop & urban arts. Please click the “Overview” button on this page to learn more about the First Wave four-year experience and curriculum.
In order to be eligible for the First Wave Scholarship, applicants must:

be a graduating high school senior or be a first-year college student not currently attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison

apply to UW-Madison and submit all materials at least 48 hours prior to the FIRST WAVE APPLICATION deadlines. Please note that First Wave deadlines are BEFORE the ones established by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment

The deadline for UW Early Action applications is November 1, 2026First Wave Applicants must apply to UW-Madison no later than Friday, October 23, 2026.

The deadline for UW Regular Decision applications is January 15, 2027 First Wave Applicants must apply to UW-Madison no later than Friday, January 8, 2027.

First-year college students must apply by the UW Transfer Admissions Priority Decision Deadline which is February 1, 2027
First Wave Applicants must apply to UW-Madison no later than Friday, January 8, 2027

be admitted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment

Please note that the admission process to UW-Madison is entirely managed by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Applications and decisions related to UW-Madison admission are not facilitated or managed by OMAI in any way. OMAI does not review your UW application within the process of reviewing your First Wave application.

PLEASE NOTE: First Wave applicants’ UW-Madison applications are due 48 hours prior to First Wave application deadlines because an active UW-Madison Campus ID is issued within 48 hours of completing the UW-Madison application. An active UW-Madison Campus ID is required to access the First Wave application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).

Please click here to begin your application to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and retrieve your Campus ID.

If an applicant is selected for the final round of the First Wave application review process, they 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 for the First Wave Program, and includes accommodations for finalists traveling within the continental United States.

Additionally, if accepted into the First Wave Program, please note the requirements for the first year of the incoming cohort. An applicant’s acceptance into the First Wave Program is contingent upon their participation in the following:

Members of the first-year cohort of First Wave living within the continental United States will be required to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Summer Collegiate Experience for the full duration of the program. This year’s dates are June 28 – August 6, 2027.

Members of the first-year cohort of First Wave will be required to live in The Studio Creative Arts Learning Community for the Fall and Spring semesters of their freshman year.

Members of the first-year cohort will enroll in three (3) courses in their Fall semester: First Wave Creative Lab (2 credits), First Wave Foundations (1 credit), and The Studio Seminar (1 credit). They will also enroll in two (2) courses in the Spring semester: First Wave Creative Lab (2 credits) and First Wave Foundations (1 credit). These courses are not required beyond the first year of the First Wave Program.

The First Wave application deadline for students applying to UW-Madison Early Action is October 26, 2026. If the First Wave application is received after October 26, 2026, the application will be considered among the First Wave Regular Decision applicants.

The First Wave Regular Decision application deadline is January 11, 2027.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to access the First Wave application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) portal, you will need to BEGIN your application to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Once you have STARTED your UW application, you will be issued a Campus ID within 48 hours. You do not need to complete your UW application in order to apply to First Wave, but you will need your Campus ID to access the WiSH student portal.

Please click here to begin your application to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and retrieve your Campus ID.

Please click the “Apply” button on this page for more information about the First Wave application process.