Some assistantships are available through the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and other departments on campus and are typically obtained after a student has been on campus for a semester or two.
Assistantships are usually found by contacting programs and departments directly. Most departments post their openings for teaching and project assistantships on departmental bulletin boards and some may post them on the internet as well. Research assistantships are usually secured by contacting individual faculty members directly. In addition to the stipend, assistantships that are one-third time or greater carried over a complete semester include a tuition waiver and health insurance (segregated student fees are not waived, however). Most assistantships have registration requirements which can vary by department. Please see the Graduate School's page on Tuition, Fees & Stipends for information about assistantship rates and tuition amounts. International applicants should review the Graduate School's Financial Information page for the funding requirements when attending UW-Madison as an international student.
Another source for information on how to find potential funding, please check out Paying Your Way and Graduate Funding New$.
Enrollment is required for all graduate students holding Nelson Institute graduate assistantships, according to the following schedule (*please note the following table only applies to students who receive their funding through the Nelson Institute)
| Position type | Academic Year | Summer Session |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistantship | 8-12 credits (3 credits for dissertators) | no enrollment required |
| Project Assistantship | 2 credits (3 credits for dissertators) | no enrollment required |
| Research Assistantship | 8-12 credits (3 credits for dissertators) | 2 graduate credits in the 8-week session (3 credits for dissertators) |
*Students who are awarded teaching assistantships in other departments should verify enrollment requirements with those departments.
Part-time employment is often available on campus or with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, or businesses in the Madison area. Local job opportunities are posted in the basement of Science Hall. Part-time jobs are also posted online by the Student Job Center.
Additional part-time work can be found on the Paying Your Way part-time and local jobs section.
If you are looking for information about internships, please visit our internship page.