Students encouraged to apply for drivers education financial assistance

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Applications are now being accepted for Wisconsin’s Driver Education Grant Program.

What to Know:

• Funds cover driver’s edu. tuition and behind-the-wheel training.
• The program is for eligible students on a first-come, first-served basis.
• $6 million in grants given to more than 10,000 students since it was launched in 2024.

The program, funded by the 2025-27 biennial budget, provides funding for income-eligible students to take driver education courses to become safe, licensed drivers. The financial assistance available will cover driver education tuition costs for coursework and behind-the-wheel training for eligible students.

“Combatting reckless driving across our state has been a bipartisan priority over the last few years, and teaching our kids the skills they need to be safe drivers is another important step toward cracking down on unsafe driving,” Gov. Evers said.

The Driver Education Grant Program provides grants to cover driver education tuition costs for 30 hours of classroom coursework, six hours of observation, and six hours of behind-the-wheel training for eligible students on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch through the National School Lunch Program, have not previously held a driver’s license and who are between 14.5 and 19 years old may apply for the Driver Education Grant Program here.

“We’re proud to continue delivering these critical grants under the leadership of Gov. Evers to reduce driver training barriers for families and work toward our goal of making Wisconsin’s roads safer,” WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said.

Originally created in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget, the Driver Education Grant Program has provided $6 million in grants to more than 10,000 students since the program was launched in September 2024.

The 2025-27 Biennial Budget will continue the program with an investment of $12 million over the next two years that will be dispersed quarterly.

Enrolled students will receive confirmation of eligibility, which they can take to a driver training school of their choice. WisDOT developed an interactive map to help students locate a program conveniently near them.

These students may take the classroom portion and/or the behind-the-wheel training with an authorized driver training school. WisDOT will reimburse the school for the students’ training.

WisDOT will deliver an initial phase of $1.5 million in grants to the first wave of applicants who apply beginning Aug. 25. Students unable to enroll in the current quarter and who did not receive funding may sign up to be notified when applications are accepted in the following quarter.

The 2025-27 Biennial Budget also improves ongoing transportation fund revenues by generating nearly $200 million in additional revenue to improve the sustainability of the transportation fund.