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2026-27 Wisconsin Real Estate Graduate Student Scholarships and Fellowship Opportunities

By Angelo Karlo Alfaro

February 9, 2026

CCIM Institute Foundation Scholarships

  • The CCIM Institute Foundation Veterans Scholarship Program is designed to provide veterans with funding for real-world education and a foundation for a new career in the dynamic commercial real estate industry.
  • Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
  • Requirements:
    •  Hold an honorable discharge (DD214) or be within 12 months of  
      the end of active service
    • Do not currently hold a commercial real estate-associated designation
    • Earn a passing grade in CCIM Institute’s Foundations for Success in Commercial Real Estate course. Each applicant will receive tuition-free access to this online course as part of the application process* 
    • *Upon successful completion of the Foundations for Success in Commercial Real Estate course, applicant will receive a link to the second half of the application which includes essay questions and requires uploading three professional references.

BOMA Chicago “ Single Course Scholarship”

The BOMA/Chicago Foundation Single Course Scholarship provides financial assistance on a need basis to individuals seeking to earn the Real Property Administrator (RPA) and Facilities Management Administrator (FMA) designations.

Applicants must submit a complete Scholarship Application form, with its requested attachments at least two months in advance of the start date of the course for which the applicant is requesting scholarship funds.

Appraisal Institute

  • AIERF College Scholarship
    The AIERF College Scholarship helps undergraduate or graduate students focusing on real estate appraisal or valuation. Learn more here.
  • Award: $1,500 tuition-only scholarship
  • Application Deadline: April 1st
  • AIERF Minorities and Women College Scholarship
    The AIERF Minorities and Women College Scholarship helps underrepresented groups in real estate pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees with demonstrated interest in real estate appraisal or valuation. Learn more here.
  • Award: $1,500
  • Application Deadline: April 1st

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)

The CREW Network Foundation scholarship program supports female graduate and undergraduate students as they pursue education leading to careers in commercial real estate. They will grant 25 $5,000 undergrad and 15 $10,000 graduate scholarships.

Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association (WREAA)

WREAA is excited to announce that the 2026 WREAA Scholarship Program is now accepting applications! This year, we are offering:

Available Scholarships:

  • WREAA Graduate/Undergraduate Scholarships
    Up to two awards of $6,000 for graduate students
    Up to three awards of $2,000 for undergraduates
  • Dianne M. Orbison Memorial Scholarship
    $3,500 for female graduate or undergraduate students

How to Apply:

Applications are due by February 28, 2025. Submit your application via our online form or download the fillable PDF/Word document to email in.

Find all scholarship applications and detailed instructions on how to apply at the WREAA Scholarship Page.

For more details, contact mandy.kaegy@wreaa.org. Don’t miss out on these fantastic opportunities—apply today!

The Goldie Initiative

The Goldie Initiative offers scholarship and networking opportunities designed to develop the next generation of woman executies in commercial real estate. The prgoram is available for female real estate graduate students.

  • Award: $7,500 per year, up to $15,000 depending on continued enrollment
  • Application Period: April 1 – June 1
  • Learn more about the program here.
  • Fill out the Goldie Scholar Interest Form if you would like to be notified with information and updates regarding the 2025 application.

HM Capital Private Real Estate Finance Scholarship

We believe private financing will change real estate – because it gives every investor a chance at greatness – not just those with experience or money. Asset-based lending is the best way to evaluate possible financing. In the same spirit, we offer a chance to young academic students with ambition to enter into the real estate field one scholarship for $2,000. We accept scholarship applications until July 15th of each year, and award the scholarships every year on August 1st. Scholarship funds are to be used for expenses, including tuition, room and board, textbooks and materials, and any other expenses related to achieving a degree. The Awardee will be required to sign a statement to this effect. We award one scholarship per year. Here are the requirements to qualify for our academic scholarships:

  • Application Deadline: July 15, 2026
  • Award: $2,000
  • Learn more and apply: here

ICSC Foundation

ICSC has several scholarship opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Recipients also recieve an all expenses paid trip to ICSC Las Vegas.

The ICSC Foundation also has a $10,000 retail entrepreneur prize awarded to an undergraduate student, graduate student, or team passionate about launching a new retail concept, product or pre-seed stage company.

  • Award: $10,000 cash prize and all excepses paid trip to ICSC Las Vegas
  • Application Deadline: March 3
  • The application includes a business plan presentation for a new retail concept, including a video and executive summary
  • Learn more about the award here

Students with questions about either opportunity should reach out to Colleen Merolle or Erika Apupalo.

National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers (NAREIM)

The NAREIM Jeff Barclay Fellows award is given to five graduate students each year. Fellows are able to attend NAREIM’s Executive Officer Meeting and can network with C-suite and executive officers in real estate investment.

National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)

Four $5,000 graduate scholarships and two $2,500 undergraduate scholarships will be awared to qualified appplicants.

  • Each recipient will also receive a travel stipend up to $1,000 to attend CRE.Converge 2025
  • Application Deadline: March 21
  • Visit the scholarship webpage here.

Pension Real Estate Association (PREA)

PREA awards scholarships to promising students studying real estate at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The application will become available in March here.

SIOR Minnesota Chapter Scholarship

The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® Foundation (SIORF) and the SIOR Minnesota Chapter award annual scholarships to students in accredited degree-granting real estate programs offered by regional universities, including the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Junior or Senior standing students are able to apply.

Students will need to fill out this form and send it to Tim Carr (tim.carr@wisc.edu).

Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group Summer Course

Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group is sponsoring a unique summer course and on-going educational experience. Participants will hear exclusive stories and gain an understanding of a career in commercial real estate. Not only will participants learn valuable lessons from seasoned commercial real estate professionals and executives, but they will also have a unique opportunity to network with and receive mentorship from Ackman-Ziff professionals and various friends of the firm within the industry. Undergraduates, graduate students and resent graduates are all invited to apply.