FUNDING AND FINANCIAL AID

Applicants must have started or completed an online graduate application to a degree program at UW-Whitewater to have a login to apply for a Graduate Assistantship.

A new graduate assistant application is required for each academic year that you’re seeking employment.

Complete and submit the following:

• Graduate assistantship application (after starting or completing an online graduate application to a degree program at UW-Whitewater)
• A goal statement, included in the application form, indicating why you are pursuing a graduate degree in the discipline stated on the application. Include comments on past education or professional achievements or future career goals
• Your current resume
• A supervisor reference letter (new graduate assistants only)
• The graduate assistant form

Applications completed by February 15 at 4:30 p.m. will receive full consideration for the upcoming academic year. Early applications are encouraged as all available positions may be filled by March 15. Individuals applying after the deadline will be accepted and encouraged to contact the graduate program coordinator to which they are applying.

Recipients will be notified in writing and issued a contract letter approximately 6-8 weeks after the application deadline.

If you’re applying after the deadline, we encourage you to contact the coordinator of the graduate program to which you’re applying.

The 2025-26 academic year, approximate 9-month graduate assistant salary is $11,200 at 20 hours per week per semester. When funds are available, students who receive an assistantship of at least two-thirds (14 hours per week) of the maximum award for the academic year or semester will qualify for fringe benefits (such as health, dental and life insurance). Regular incidental fees charged by the university are paid by the student.

When funds are available, non-residents receiving at least a two-thirds award will also qualify for a remission of the non-resident portion of tuition costs for the corresponding time period. Graduate assistants who receive non-resident fee remissions for the spring semester may also have the out-of-state portion of their tuition waived for the following summer session.

This manual will include answers to most of your questions about graduate assistantships, whether you’re applying or a department seeking to hire, including processes.

Contact gradschl@uww.edu with any questions.

The School of Graduate Studies is authorized by the Board of Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin to award graduate assistantships to selected full-time graduate students. Such awards, fringe benefits and nonresident fee remissions are conditional upon legislative appropriation of the funds for these programs.

Employment as a graduate assistant is contingent upon the successful outcome of a criminal background check. A pending criminal charge or conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the university does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record.

If a department has an allocated graduate assistantship position open and is interested in your application, they will contact you.

Completed applications will remain in a pool of eligible assistantships until the end of the academic year, or until a position has been accepted by the applicant.

All terms and conditions above are subject to change without notice. Final decisions as to the awarding of assistantships are made by authorized officials of the university.

Graduate students awarded graduate assistantships are expected to maintain “good standing” status during the period of their award and remain registered for at least 9, but no more than 12, graduate credits to maintain eligibility.

Students failing to maintain “good status” in any semester, or falling below full-time enrolled status, must submit an appeal to be considered for an exemption. Exceptions are only considered for one semester and cannot be renewed.

Students should follow this procedure to appeal:

• Request for a specific exception to graduate assistantship eligibility is presented by the student in writing to the School of Graduate Studies. This request should provide clearly stated reasons that may justify an exception including detailed plans for raising the student’s cumulative graduate grade point average in the upcoming semester or the rationale for maintaining the graduate assistantship work commitment while dropping below full-time enrollment in the student’s program of study.
• Students should solicit a letter of support from the coordinator of the graduate program (or academic department) to verify that the student’s plan to return to “good standing” is reasonable and can be accomplished in a semester, or that continuing as a graduate assistant will not compromise the student’s academic performance. The coordinator of the graduate program will forward the student’s request and the program’s recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies.
• The School of Graduate Studies will review appeals. Students will be notified of the decision by the dean of Graduate Studies within one week. All decisions are final.
• Students are expected to submit an appeal as soon as they are aware of a change in their eligibility for their graduate assistantship.

Applicants should be graduate students in “good standing” and have not previously received a graduate research grant from the university. Supervising faculty members must hold “graduate faculty” status.

The application must include a brief (2-3 pages, double spaced, one-inch margins) description of:

• The goals and objectives of the project, including a description of how the project fits into the applicant’s academic and/or professional development
• A description of research methodology and design
• Timelines for completion of the various steps in the investigation
• A budget with expenses itemized
• An explanation of how the results of the investigation will be shared (e.g., thesis, publication, conference paper)

A letter from the graduate faculty supervisor that endorses both the significance of the project to the discipline and the student(s) capacity for completing the project should be included in the application.

Fall applications are due October 15. Spring applications are due February 15.

A review committee consisting of a representative from the School of Graduate Studies and one graduate faculty representative from each college will recommend distribution of grants to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education. The recommendations will be based on the following criteria:

• The project description is clearly written, well designed, realistic in scope, and cost appropriate
• The project is likely to produce significant scholarly results, leading to the completion of a thesis, presentation to professional audience, or publication
• The project is concordant with the student’s academic and/or professional development

All grants will be awarded in accordance with the following terms and conditions:

• All investigations must receive approval, when appropriate, of the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects
• All funds should be expended by June 30 and follow university guidelines
• All books, software, small equipment and other materials purchased with grant funds belong to the university
• All projects should be related to graduate coursework through regular course enrollment, independent study, or thesis credits during the academic year
• All recipients are expected to submit a final report of the project to the School of Graduate Studies, complete with faculty supervisor endorsement, by July 15