As you work toward your graduate degree, the Graduate School, together with partners across campus, will support you so that you can take full ownership of your graduate education and follow the career trajectory that you imagine. UW–Madison graduate students thrive in a vibrant community that embraces diversity and values a distinctive mix of lively city life and natural beauty.
Talk with someone
Graduate Student Support: Elaine Goetz-Berman, egoetz2@wisc.edu, 608-263-5700
Hostile and Intimidating Behavior: Kipp Cox, ervin.cox@wisc.edu, 608-262-2433
UHS Mental Health Crisis Support Line (24/7): 608-265-5600 (option 9)
Academic and Professional Development
Academics
The Graduate School offers support from admission through degree completion. Below are several key resources to support your success.
Academic Policies and Procedures >>
Graduate Student Tracking System >>
Diversity
We are committed not only to providing a robust education in a world-class research enterprise, but also to building a diverse community of scholars.
Professional development
When you participate in professional development, you build skills needed to succeed academically and thrive in your career.
Individual Development Plan >>
Professional Development Events >>
A Graduate Student Guide to Working with Faculty Advisors
Through this interactive, self-paced micro-course, graduate students learn about the characteristics of functional and dysfunctional relationships with faculty advisors, strategies for communicating effectively and aligning expectations, as well as program grievance processes and Hostile and Intimidating Behavior resources. Completion of the micro-course takes about 20 minutes and is optional but encouraged for all graduate students.
Graduate/Professional Certificates
Certificates are available to all degree-seeking graduate and professional students. Earning a certificate is a great way to foster interdisciplinary connections during your graduate study, show your commitment to a specific discipline in addition to your major, and demonstrate your knowledge of that topic when on the job market. Plus, doctoral students may be able to use a certificate to meet the Graduate School’s breadth requirement in doctoral training.
To get started, explore Graduate/Professional Certificates in Guide. Students pursuing a certificate must submit a request to add the certificate to their academic career through the Add/Change/Discontinue process in MyGradPortal. For any additional steps needed to enroll in a particular certificate, contact the certificate-specific coordinator.
Reporting Incidents
Sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating & domestic violence, and stalking
The Graduate School works with campus partners to ensure that students, faculty, and staff have a safe environment to thrive. Here are some resources for graduate students on sexual assault.
Reporting incidents of harassment, discrimination, and bias
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to responding to incidents of hate, bias, discrimination, and discriminatory harassment. The Office of Compliance offers details regarding the definition and reporting of these prohibited behaviors. Visit the links below for more information.
Hostile and intimidating behavior
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to preventing hostile and intimidating behavior (HIB) and will take prompt and appropriate corrective action whenever it learns that it has occurred. An investigator in the Office of Compliance conducts a review of formal HIB complaints.
HIB Policy and Process Training
Hostile and Intimidating Behavior contact: Kipp Cox, ervin.cox@wisc.edu
Research misconduct
If you have observed or you suspect research misconduct, please report directly to the Research Integrity Office (RIO) at RIO@research.wisc.edu.
Misconduct in scholarly research policy
Procedures for dealing with misconduct in scholarly research
Office of Student Assistance and Support
Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Assistance and Support with additional questions or concerns. You can request to meet with the Graduate Student Assistant Specialist for support specific to the unique needs of graduate students.
Accessibility
McBurney Disability Resource Center
The McBurney Disability Resource Center is the entity on campus that determines eligibility for academic accommodations. The center works with students who have a variety of disabilities such as mental health diagnoses, chronic health conditions, learning disabilities, AD/HD, autism spectrum disorder, and more.
Accommodations for Employees
All employees with disabilities have a right to ask for reasonable accommodation, including graduate student assistants. If you are having trouble while performing duties of your job or accessing an employment benefit due to limitations from a disability or medical condition, you can consider requesting an accommodation. Contact the Divisional Disability Representative for the division in which you are employed to start a confidential conversation.
Instructor Guide to Student Accommodations
As a teaching assistant or lecturer, you will work with students who encounter disability-related barriers in university environments. This guide for instructors covers how to support students with disabilities, as well as strategies for collaborating with your students and the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
Accessibility@UW–Madison
UW–Madison values all individuals and commits to a shared responsibility towards designing inclusively and accessibly for people with disabilities. Visit Accessibility@UW–Madison to learn about disability rights, ableism, accessibility resources, and information faculty, students, and staff need to do their part in creating accessible events and content.
Policies
Graduate School Academic Policies and Procedures
The Graduate School Academic Policies and Procedures glossary gathers academic and administrative policies and procedures relevant to graduate students.
Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures
Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures (GAPP) outline employment-related practices for graduate student teaching assistants, research assistants, and project assistants.
Program-Specific Policies and Procedures
The Graduate Guide is our university’s program catalog and a great resource for official academic matters. Learn more about your program’s academic grievance/appeals policy and procedures under the “Policies” tab on your program’s degree/major page.
Health and Wellness
The Graduate School cares about your overall well-being. Success in graduate school involves learning to effectively balance your physical, mental, and social needs with your academic life. There is a wealth of resources to assist graduate students in taking care of their health and wellness.
University Health Services
University Health Services (UHS) offers high-quality medical and mental health care on campus to all UW–Madison students. These services are funded by student segregated fees, so most UHS services are available at no additional charge. UHS also offers wellness services and prevention programs.
UHS medical services include:
- primary care
- immunizations
- behavioral health
- women’s health
- sexual health
- trans and gender diverse health
- travel clinic
UHS mental health services include:
- A 24/7 mental health crisis support line
- Individual, group, and couple/partner counseling
- Let’s Talk drop-ins across campus
- Care management
- Help with substance use disorders and eating disorders
- Survivor mental health services
- Psychiatry services
Inclusion and support
We encourage graduate students to take advantage of the many resources offered in order to cultivate a healthy lifestyle and community.
The Office of Student Assistance and Support
Office of Student Assistance and Support staff, including the Graduate and Professional Student Assistance Specialist, help students navigate personal, academic, or health issues by connecting them to supportive campus and community resources.
Graduate students with children
The UW–Madison Office of Child Care and Family Resources offers an array of services and information to support graduate students with families.
Recreation & Wellbeing
Rec Well has a variety of facilities, programs, and services for you to play hard, get fit, and live well on campus. Membership is included in your tuition.
Getting involved
You'll find myriad opportunities to engage in campus and community life. Doing so can improve your research and scholarship, through networking and cross-collaborative interactions.
Finances and basic needs
From information on student finances and attendance costs, to resources to support basic needs while you are a student, there is assistance available to graduate students on campus.
Life in Madison
UW offers awesome opportunities for graduate students to escape from their unending duties: workshops, lectures on relevant topics, mini-courses . . . and let’s not forget the activities waiting to be lived in Madison, from salsa dancing to windsurfing on Lake Mendota, from fresh sushi on Library Mall (as fresh as it can get in the Midwest), to organic beef and frozen custard. If you dare, come and experience Madison!
Eulàlia Puig Abril, Life Sciences Communication
Living in Madison is an experience unlike any other: the natural beauty of the multiple surrounding lakes partnered with a diverse city filled with award-winning restaurants, shops, and attractions create a vibrant and bustling community that has activities no matter the season.
If you’re looking for activities suitable for each season, check out UW–Madison’s seasonal activities site. Visit Madison and Isthmus feature calendars where you can find all the events happening in the area.
New Graduate Students
The Graduate School offers support and resources to help you transition to life as a graduate student, including:
- New Graduate Student Welcome, the orientation day for all new graduate students;
- Welcome Week programming ranging from productivity tips, to networking opportunities, to national speakers;
- checklists of important tasks to complete before and when you arrive on campus; and
- onboarding messages and publications to help you get settled in to your new role as a UW–Madison graduate student.
Graduate Student Life
This helpful site covers campus area housing, transportation around the city, what to do on your occasional night out, resources for graduate students with children, tips for staying healthy while you’re on campus, and much more.
