Students enrolling at the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences have a wide range of opportunities available to help support their studies.
Scholarships
The Panther Scholarship Portal is your hub for scholarship applications.
No more time spent filling out multiple applications that ask the same questions. Now you can fill out one general application and the Panther Scholarship Portal will do the rest, assuring that your application is reviewed for all scholarships and you will be contacted for those of which you are eligible. Scholarship applications open in October for the following academic year.
The School of Freshwater Sciences has a number of scholarship opportunities available specifically for students enrolled in one of our programs. You’ll also find an external link to even more scholarships available outside of UWM.
The School of Freshwater Sciences participates in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP), a multi-state tuition reciprocity program. Through the MSEP, students from Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Dakota pay no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition.
Student Travel Awards
The School of Freshwater Sciences Student Travel Awards offer partial funding to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Freshwater Sciences or Atmospheric Science to attend and/or present at academic and professional events, such as conferences, workshops, and meetings. Awards are provided as reimbursement of expenses after the travel has been completed.
Undergraduates must be junior standing or above, attending based on work related to thesis or other SFS-advised project, have a role in the conference, and submit a faculty advisor letter of support. Students must seek funding from the Office of Undergraduate Researchand from their faculty mentor prior to applying for SFS Student Travel Award.
Graduate students presenting at an event are required to seek travel support through the Graduate Student Travel Award process before applying for the SFS Student Travel Award.
Brookby Foundation Scholarship in Water Science Literacy
Recipients must design and implement a water outreach and education plan to serve a targeted segment of the community. This project can fulfill the MS Professional Science internship requirement.
Award Information $5,000 scholarship
Eligibility Requirements Students currently enrolled in a SFS Freshwater Sciences graduate degree program. Priority given to MS Professional Science students intending to use the project as their internship requirement.
The 2026-2027 application for the Mick A. Naulin Foundation Research Award is now open.
The School of Freshwater Sciences received two $7,500 research awards from the Mick A. Naulin Foundation to use towards graduate student research on water and air quality pollution issues. The School’s Academic Planning and Budget Committee (APBC) will review and award funding to projects each year.
The research should address contaminants, sources, fate and impact on water systems and/or organisms. It could include but is not limited to heavy metals, agriculture, biological contaminants, antimicrobial resistance, or microplastics.
Eligible Applicants
School of Freshwater graduate students working on research projects related to water or air quality pollution.
Funding is available for ongoing projects as a supplement to current research in addition to what they are already working towards.
Application Restrictions
Students who have received this award previously cannot reapply.
Funding is not available for new projects.
Eligible Expenses
Funding is only for research supplies, equipment, and travel and may not be given towards salary or tuition.
Application Requirements
Description of current project on water or air quality pollution, including hypothesis and project goals. (2 paragraphs max.)
Description of additional research done related to project if given additional funds and how it will enhance the current project. (2 paragraphs max.)
Brief estimate of proposed use of budget including total costs of supplies, equipment, and/or travel.
Deadlines
Applications will be due November 3, 2026. Application deadline may be extended.
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by December 1.
Funding must be spent by December of the following year.
Outcome Report
Award recipients will be expected to create and participate in a two-minute video describing their project which will be shared with the Naulin Foundation (due October 1, 2027).
Award recipients must submit a research progress report in the spring (due April 1, 2027) and final report after the project is complete (due December 1, 2027), which will be shared with the Naulin Foundation.
Compliance with policy
All award recipients must follow UWM and UW-System policies, including but not limited to those for travel and procurement.
Graduate students in the School of Freshwater Sciences may qualify to receive financial support in the form of Fellowships and Research Assistantships through the Graduate School or individual faculty research funds. Learn more.