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Financial Opportunities for Graduate Students

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Paying for Graduate School

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Apply for Financial Aid:  You may be eligible to receive financial aid as a graduate student at UWEC. Although not all types of aid are available for graduate students, you may want to see what options are available to you by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

 

Financial Opportunities through Graduate Studies - Apply by March 1

There are several financial opportunities for graduate students to take advantage of through the Office of Graduate Studies at UW-Eau Claire.  March 1 is the deadline for preferred consideration for Graduate Assistantship employment, the Graduate Student Foundation Fellowship, and the Advanced Opportunity Program (AOP) grant, although some programs may have earlier deadlines. Please check with the appropriate college/department for information. There are also some opportunities for tuition remission or reduced tuition for out-of-state students.

UWEC Graduate Student Foundation Fellowship

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Graduate Student Foundation Fellowships are awarded on the basis of scholarly potential. Fellowship recipients must be admitted to full standing in a degree program. Students must be enrolled in at least three graduate credit hours per semester; one graduate credit during the summer session, or be enrolled for an approved number of thesis credits during the semester in which the award is paid. The values of the fellowships are approximately $500 per semester.  Smaller figures may be available during the summer session when resources permit. 

Graduate Assistantships (Student Employment)

To be eligible for graduate assistantship employment, a student must be admitted in full standing to a graduate degree program.  Graduate assistants must be enrolled at least part-time (i.e. at least four graduate credits or enrollment in a full-time equivalent course) each fall/spring semester.  Based on best practices and international student regulations, graduate assistants employed for the maximum 20 hrs/wk (full-time) should not enroll in more than ten credits/semester.  The majority of assistantship contracts are for 9-months, late August through mid-May.  The salary of a GA assignment for 13.3 hrs/wk is approximately $8546; salary of a GA assignment for 20 hrs/wk is approximately $12,832.  Graduate assistantship contracts for at least 13.3 hours per week may also include:

  • group health insurance at a minimal cost (single or family coverages available).
  • non-resident student tuition remission (up to $5697/semester), if funds available. Minnesota residents must apply for MN/WI tuition reciprocity, but may still be eligible for a partial non-resident tuition remission (up to $1631/semester), if funds available.
  • resident partial tuition remission (current value is $50/semester for Wisconsin residents).

International students enrolled in an online program are not eligible for graduate assistantship employment.

Depending on residency, online students may not be eligible for employment for remote graduate assistantship positions.  

Students enrolled in an online flat-rate tuition program are not eligible for a tuition remission (since resident & non-resident students pay the same tuition).

See sample graduate assistantship positions offered for 2023-2024 below.

Advanced Opportunity Program Grant

Advanced Opportunity Program (AOP) awards are based, in part, on admission to full standing in a degree program.

AOP grants are for economically disadvantaged graduate students. Only students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible for these awards.

All AOP recipients must maintain good academic standing, make satisfactory academic progress in their graduate program, and demonstrate financial need. In the semester/session during which the award is received, recipients must carry an academic load of at least four credit hours (three credit hours during the summer session), or be enrolled in at least one thesis credit or another full-time equivalent course.

To be considered for an AOP grant, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the Office of Financial Aid and complete the Graduate Studies Assistantship/Fellowship/AOP application with the Gold for Blugolds scholarship website.  The priority date for filing an AOP application with the Office of Graduate Studies is March 1 for the upcoming academic year, including the following summer session; however, applications will continue to be accepted as funding remains available. All graduate students enrolled in a degree program at UW-Eau Claire are welcome to apply for the AOP grants; preference is given to full-time Wisconsin resident students. Out-of-state students who receive an AOP grant may be eligible to receive a partial or full non-resident tuition remission the term(s) in which the grant is received. 

How to Apply for Graduate Assistantship, Graduate Student Foundation Fellowship, or AOP

Once you have submitted an application to a UW-Eau Claire graduate program and have activated your UWEC account, you may apply online for UW-Eau Claire scholarships on the Gold for Blugolds scholarship site. Submit a Graduate Studies Assistantship, Fellowship, AOP Application if you are interested in graduate assistantship employment, the Graduate Student Foundation Fellowship, or the Advanced Opportunity Program (all available in one simple application). You will be asked to upload a resume if applying for a Graduate Assistantship position or Graduate Student Foundation Fellowship.                              

Other Blugold Scholarships

It is possible to receive more than one scholarship, so don't hesitate to apply for all scholarships for which you fit the qualifications. Your graduate program may offer program-specific scholarships, or there are general scholarships to consider.  Once you have applied and have activated your UWEC account, you may filter by "graduate student" in the Gold for Blugolds Scholarship site.  In some cases, you may need to be admitted to a program before the scholarship appears.

 

Tuition Remission or Reduced Tuition Opportunities

Tuition Remission for Graduate Assistants: In addition to GA salary, a student employed at least 13.3-hrs/wk as a GA may receive a partial or full remission of non-resident tuition; a full non-resident remission is about $11,300/year.  Wisconsin residents who are employed as a GA for at least 13.3-hrs/wk receive a $100 remission per year. Students enrolled in a flat-rate tuition program do not qualify for out-of-state tuition remission since all students pay the same rate regardless of residency.

Minnesota/Wisconsin Reciprocity: Minnesota residents may be eligible for MN/WI reciprocity.  Reciprocity is a benefit of residents of Minnesota attending a Wisconsin school, to pay tuition and fees compared to in-state students.  You must apply for reciprocity through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.   

New! Midwest Tuition Rate: The Midwest Tuition Program is available to residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and South Dakota. This tuition rate applies to degree seeking programs, effective fall 2024 for incoming students.

Foreign Student Tuition Remission: International graduate students who are NOT enrolled in a flat-rate tuition program are eligible for a non-resident tuition remission, whereby the University provides a full or partial waiver of the non-resident portion of tuition.  If interested, please notify Graduate Studies as soon as possible; funds are limited.

Non-Resident Student Tuition Remission: An out-of-state graduate student who is NOT enrolled in a flat-rate tuition program may be eligible for a non-resident remission, whereby the University provides a full or partial waiver of the non-resident portion of tuition. Non-resident tuition remissions are based on financial need; therefore, student must have submitted a FAFSA with high financial need.  If interested, please notify Graduate Studies; funds are limited.

 

Sample Graduate Assistantship Positions

Below are several graduate assistantship positions that were offered during the 2023-2024 academic year.  Positions and descriptions may vary slightly from year to year.  Students are often employed in GA positions outside of their graduate program, so please explore your options. Descriptions include the hiring office, the approximate number of hours contracted to work per week, abbreviated job description, prerequisites needed/preferred, and program of admission preference if any. The majority of GA contracts are for 9-months.

ATTENTION

  • Students may want to consult with their program director about how many hours of GA work is reasonable.  For example, the residential MS-CSD program recommends that their full-time students work no more than 6-7 hours per week, and full-time School Psychology students typically do not work more than 10 hours per week, unless a position is pre-approved by the program director.
  • Employment at UW-Eau Claire for individuals working remotely from a state other than Wisconsin is contingent on approval by UWS Legal Counsel who will assess the employment policies of the state from which you are working. Such employed individuals will also need to complete a telecommuting agreement.
Graduate Assistantship Positions

Award Information and Late Applications

  • Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships typically are awarded in early April, but applications will be accepted until all positions have been filled.
  • Students completing the financial aid application after the deadline will be considered for awards if monies are available.
  • Students applying for January admission should check with the college/department of their program to determine if assistantships/fellowship opportunities are available.

An applicant listing may be made available for media publication.

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Graduate Studies

Schofield Hall 210
105 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
United States

Regular Office Hours
Monday7:00 am – 4:30 pm
Tuesday7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Wednesday7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Thursday7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Friday7:00 am – 11:30 am
SaturdayCLOSED
SundayCLOSED
Effective from August, 8 2024 until June, 1 2025