Welcome, new grad students!
Congratulations on your admission to the University of Wisconsin–Madison! The Graduate School offers support and resources to help you transition to life as a graduate student.
Welcome messages
Starting in May, newly admitted graduate students for summer and fall receive a series of emails from the Graduate School. Students admitted for a spring term receive a welcome message in December.
Find a place to live
The University Apartments community serves UW–Madison graduate students, students with families, postdoctoral researchers, academic staff, and faculty. More information on housing in Madison is available in Graduate Student Life‘s housing section.
Explore your new community
Find the vibrant student life in Madison!
Find funding
Start with the Graduate School’s funding page when looking for graduate assistantships or fellowship funding for your graduate education. The Office of Student Financial Aid can also help.
Utilize professional development
It’s never too early to start planning your path to success! Check out our professional and career development resources and mark your calendars for upcoming workshops.
Graduate Student Life
Graduate Student Life is a valuable resource throughout your time at UW–Madison. Find information on housing, transportation, what to do on a day off or a night out, and tips for staying healthy.
GradConnections Weekly
This weekly e-newsletter is a valuable source for information related to fellowships/funding, professional development workshops and events, academic deadlines, and other timely information. Students starting their program in summer and fall begin receiving GradConnections Weekly the first week in September. Students starting their program in spring begin receiving the newsletter in late January.
New Graduate Student Checklist
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For all new graduate students
- Activate your NetID.
- Submit your final official transcript showing your posted degree and conferral date to transcripts@grad.wisc.edu.
- Your institution needs to directly submit your transcript.
- If your institution does not offer electronic transcripts, mail them to:
Graduate Admissions
University of Wisconsin – Madison
232 Bascom Hall
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706 USA
- Connect with your program, meet your graduate coordinator and faculty advisor, and plan to participate in program orientation activities.
- Set up multi-factor authentication.
- Use (or forward) your WiscMail account, the university’s official method of correspondence. Once your WiscMail account is ready in mid- to late June, you can access it through the Email tile in MyUW.
- Enroll in classes. You will receive an email about a week before enrollment opens with the date and time on which you can enroll. New graduate student enrollment for fall 2026 begins on Monday, June 22.
- If you have a need related to a disability, contact the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
- Complete your Health Forms and Health History in your MyUHS account. This information is required to use University Health Services (UHS).
- Share your vaccination status for certain diseases. All incoming students must meet this requirement by Friday, August 7.
- Pay your tuition and segregated fees. Even if you have tuition remission, you usually still have to pay segregated fees. See tuition and fee rates.
- Complete the online violence prevention program. You will receive an email from University Health Services on Monday, August 10 with instructions on accessing the program. All incoming graduate students must complete the program by Monday, September 14.
- Update your Profile information, such as your preferred name, phone number, and address if you moved.
- Get your Wiscard, UW–Madison’s campus ID card. You must register for classes before you can get your Wiscard.
- Pick up your student bus pass.
For international graduate students
- Check out the Becoming a Global Badger page from International Student Services for steps to prepare for your time as a Badger.
For graduate students with funding
- If you received federal or state financial aid, update your mailing address in any systems listed in Profile and contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with questions.
- If you are a TA, PA, RA, Fellow, or Trainee, learn about the benefit plans you are eligible for from the Office of Human Resources. Generally, you must sign up for benefits within 30 days of the start of a new job appointment.
- If you need to add a spouse or dependent to your benefits, you’ll need to provide a copy of a marriage certificate (for a spouse) or a birth certificate or adoption papers (for a dependent) before your spouse/dependent can be enrolled in benefits.
- If you are a TA, PA, RA, or LSA, familiarize yourself with the Graduate Assistant Payment of Segregated Fees Policy, which gives graduate assistants a deferred due date — the first Friday in December for the fall term and the first Friday in April for the spring term — to pay segregated fees and other fees not covered by tuition remission.
- If you have a disability-related need relevant to your role as a graduate student employee, contact the Divisional Disability Representative for the division in which you are employed.
New Graduate Student Welcome
Event details for the 2026 New Graduate Student Welcome will be available in summer. Save the date:
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
11 am – 4:30 pm
Varsity Hall, Union South
The Graduate School invites newly admitted graduate students to participate in the New Graduate Student Welcome event each year.
New Graduate Student Welcome is an opportunity to hear from the Graduate School and campus leaders, get advice from a panel of current students about grad student life, learn about the many campus and community resources available to you, and meet other new graduate students from across campus.
Welcome Sessions
Check-in begins at 10:30 am. To avoid long lines, arrive early.
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11 am - 1 pm: Resource Fair
Varsity Hall I & II
Meet representatives from campus and community services that support graduate students to succeed at UW–Madison. Learn about their resources and pick up some swag on your way through the fair.
11 am or 11:45 am: Resource Flash Talks
The Marquee
Note: Both 35-minute sessions have the same content, so plan to attend either session.
Hear directly from staff about the ways their offices can help you find and apply for funding, use databases and other tools to gather information related to your research, write better and smarter, and develop your professional and career-related plans and skills.
Presenters include:
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- Office of Professional Development, Graduate School
- Writing Center
- Libraries and Grants Information Collection
- Software Training for Students (STS)
- Office of Student Assistance and Support
- McBurney Disability Resource Center
- University Health Services Mental Health Services
1:15 - 2:15 pm: Graduate Student Panels - Question & Answer Session
A panel of seasoned graduate students will answer the large and small questions you have about everything from what can make your graduate student life easier and less stressful to establishing and maintaining relationships with faculty and staff in your program.
Choose one of the following panels to attend:
- Master’s Student Panel, Varsity Hall III: For students whose final degree goal is a master’s degree
- Doctoral Student Panel, The Marquee: For students whose final degree goal is a doctoral/PhD degree (even if currently enrolled in a master’s plan)
2:30 - 4:30 pm: Welcome Remarks & "Meet and Greet" Reception
Varsity Hall III
Campus leadership will welcome graduate students to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
- Dean of the Graduate School William J. Karpus
- Provost John Zumbrunnen
- Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor
The Welcome Remarks will be followed by a “Meet and Greet” Reception at 3 pm in Varsity Halls I & II. Refreshments will be served.
Graduate Student Welcome Week
August 24 – 28, 2026
Each fall, the Graduate School offers a lineup of events during the week or so before classes begin to welcome and help acclimate new graduate students to campus and to welcome back current graduate students.
Stay tuned for event details and registration links in July.
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Monday, Aug 24 - The Proactive Mentee Workshop
Noon – 1:30 pm
Monday, Aug 24- Resilience in Action: Preparing for the Demands of Graduate School
2:30 – 4 pm
Tuesday, Aug 25 - Time Management for Graduate Students
10 – 11 am
Tuesday, Aug 25 - Navigating Graduate School with a Disability: An Info Session and Graduate Student Panel
Noon – 1:30 pm
Tuesday, Aug 25 - Cool Tools: Apps and More to Increase Productivity
3 – 4:15 pm
Thursday, Aug 27 - Equipping and Empowering Graduate Students to Apply for External Funding
11:45 am – 1 pm
Thursday, Aug 27 - Enhancing Your Graduate Degree with a Certificate
3 – 4:15 pm
Friday, Aug 28 - Demystifying the Academic Research Process
3 – 4 pm
Bridge & Build Welcome Reception
Date and time to be determined.
Anytime - Successful Online Learning
Explore strategies to prepare to learn remotely, engage in your courses, and maximize your time. This module, from the Graduate School, is for grad students taking their first online course or those looking for some new resources on online learning. Enroll in the Successful Online Learning Canvas course at any time.