Incoming Ph.D. Students

Starting on June 24, 2024, incoming graduate students can register for fall courses. Please register for 8 credits in the research course, Chem 990, before you arrive on campus. Registering for 8 credits of research in the summer will make you a full-time student in the fall and allow you to get your UW-Madison ID card as soon as you arrive on campus. During Orientation, you will receive guidance about which lecture courses you should take for the fall 2024 semester. At that time, you will sign up for  a total of 15 credits and may need to change the number of research credits.

Please sign up for section 1 in the research course Chem 990. Section 1 is the section for the incoming graduate students. The professor listed in section 1 is the associate chair of the graduate program and will serve as your advisor for the first semester.

A graduate student can receive a waiver from the Department for up to 12 credits toward UW-Madison Ph.D. course requirements for graduate courses taken at other institutions. These courses will not appear on the UW-Madison transcript nor count toward the Graduate School cumulative GPA or credit requirements, but will fulfill the Department’s requirement toward coursework if approved. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

To confer credits, you will need to fill out the Chemistry Course Waiver Form and:

1. Identify a graduate course at UW-Madison that is similar to the course taken at another institution.
2. Identify a faculty member who has taught the UW-Madison course.
3. Email the faculty member asking for credit for the similar course. Include the following:
   • UW-Madison course number and number of credits
   • Course name, instructor, number of credits, grade, a short description, and syllabus of the course taken at the other institution
4. Ask the UW-Madison faculty to email Graduate Program Office with permission granted and the number of credits.
5. Submit the Chemistry Course Waiver form with the attached syllabus here.

To help you in the search for housing, please check out our University Housing website, off-campus housing services, the off-campus housing marketplace, and other housing resources. These resources are provided to help students navigate off-campus housing options and make the best choice for themselves and/or their families.

One of our graduate students additionally put together the attached spreadsheet with detailed information about a variety of rentals offices in Madison here. 

If you are trying to find a roommate, please fill out the Google sheet linked here. Check back occasionally to see who else has filled it out – and if you think that someone would be a good fit, reach out to them! The sheet also has a link to join the GroupMe (at the top of column L) if you would like to chat with others about finding housing/roommates. 

Additionally, the Wisconsin Student Parents Organization (WISPO) provides resources to student parents and can help support you during this transition. You can find many of their resources here.

Important: You must be signed in with your wisc email in order to access the spreadsheets

If you need verification of income to rent an apartment, please contact Marc Willadsen (mwilladsen@wisc.edu or 608-265-9227) or have the rental agency contact Marc.

In September, the incoming graduate students will receive a Welcome Check of $1000 to help cover some of the transition expenses until the student receives the first full paycheck. The Welcome Check is in addition to the guaranteed stipend.

Graduate assistants, including TAs and RAs, and graduate fellows have the option to receive excellent benefits through the university’s state group health insurance plan. This is the same health insurance that covers faculty and staff. For the calendar year 2024, the typical state group health (HMO) insurance rates for graduate assistants are $56/month for an individual or $138/month for a family (including spouses and children).

For individuals and families who need the flexibility to select specific health care providers, or who need to access health care throughout Wisconsin or nationwide, the Access Plan provides a second option for coverage through the state group health insurance program. For the calendar year 2024, the monthly rates for the Access Plan are $133.50 for individuals and $331.50 for families.

Graduate students are required to pay student fees called University Segregated Fees, which amount to approximately $1,900 for the 2023-24 academic year (depending upon course hours enrolled). These fees are paid fall and spring semester and summer term.  The payment schedule is here.

Graduate students are supported by teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships. Most first-year chemistry graduate students receive teaching assistantships. Teaching experience helps strengthen the mastery of the subject matter taught and develops poise and maturity in working with individuals and groups. Students with fellowships benefit by doing some teaching, and can usually supplement their stipends. The department does not, however, require that graduate students teach. In later years, graduate students usually serve as research assistants for their thesis advisers. Summer support for Ph.D. candidates is routinely available.

A limited number of summer research and teaching positions are also available from the department for new students who have accepted the department’s offer for the following fall. Contact the Graduate Program Office for more information.

• Learn more about UW-Madison Graduate School Financial Aid.

Graduate Student Life is a microsite for new and incoming graduate students. It includes information on housing, transportation, living in Madison, being a student at UW–Madison, thriving in graduate school, and a section for international students.