MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System nursing and pharmacy students will have another opportunity to receive a $500 tuition credit for providing COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots, UW System President Tommy Thompson announced today.

Funding from the state Department of Health Services makes this additional opportunity available for vaccines and boosters administered from September 1 to December 31, 2021.

“Our nursing and pharmacy students have been part of the solution in helping combat COVID-19 from day one,” Thompson said. “As long as we need them, I am confident they will step up for the people of Wisconsin.”

More than 1,000 nursing and pharmacy students earned the tuition credit and received valuable experience during the 2020-21 academic year by providing vaccinations under a DHS grant. About 200 students have earned the credit over the summer under an extension that concludes today. Previously, UW System provided a tuition credit to nursing and health care students who assisted in hospitals, clinics, and other medical provider locations.

The $500 tuition credit will be provided to students who meet the following criteria:

  • Must be enrolled in a nursing or pharmacy program at a University of Wisconsin System campus during the fall 2021 semester.
  • Must work a minimum of 16 hours, or two days, as a COVID-19 vaccinator between September 1 and December 31, 2021.
  • Must have a current professional or nursing license with authorization to provide vaccination service, or coordinate with a faculty supervisor if not currently licensed.

Interested students should contact their dean’s office.


The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 165,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System institutions also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.

Media Contact

Mark Pitsch UW System (608) 265-3419 mpitsch@uwsa.edu