Offers of financial support are separate from offers of admissions. Admission to a graduate program does not guarantee financial support; an offer of financial support does not guarantee admission.
Three Primary Sources of Support
Graduate School Fellowships
The Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowships and the Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowships are available for incoming students. Directions about applying for Graduate School Fellowships can be found on the Graduate School web page. Incoming students should follow the guidelines on the Graduate School web page regarding application for these fellowships.
Geography Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Research Assistantships)
All incoming students are automatically considered for departmental graduate assistantship if they applied for the geography graduate program by December 1st. No separate paperwork is necessary. More information about assistantships is available through the Graduate School.
Loans
More information about applying for financial aid can be found at UWM’s Student Financial Services office. The Department of Geography is not involved in the process.
Assistantship Guidelines for Geography
Available positions are allocated between newly entering graduate students and continuing graduate students each year.
- Continuing graduate students must be making satisfactory academic progress and adequately performing their assistantship duties to be considered in “good standing” for continued support.
- Masters candidates in good standing are eligible for two years of departmental financial support.
- Students admitted to the doctoral program with master’s degrees, in good standing, are eligible to receive four years of departmental support.
- Students directly admitted to the doctoral program (after their bachelor’s degree) are eligible for five years of departmental support, provided that they remain in good standing.
- Doctoral students who have reached dissertator status may be offered teaching assistantships beyond the above eligibility criteria as part of their professional development, based on departmental needs.
Graduate Assistant Handbook
UWM’s Graduate School publishes a handbook for assistantships that serves as a valuable reference document.
Other Department of Geography Support
Mary Jo Read Fellowship
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Mary Jo Read Geography Fund, with estimated assets of more than $1 million, provides merit-based fellowships and research travel grants to students who demonstrate academic excellence in the field.
Clinton Edwards Student Research Fund
Created in 2007 to honor the legacy of former UW-Milwaukee geography professor Clinton R. Edwards, the fund provides support for graduate student field research expenses. Applications are invited and awards made periodically by the geography faculty.