The UWM Graduate School currently offers three internal fellowships for full-time graduate degree study. Awards include full tuition coverage, health benefits, a $1,000 travel award to present at a major conference in the student’s discipline, and an academic year stipend. Fellowship recipients are responsible for paying segregated fees.
Note: Graduate School fellowship stipends and tuition waivers count as financial aid. To better understand the financial impact of either an assistantship or fellowship, see Financial Impact of Assistantships and Fellowships.
Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowship
The Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowship (AOPF) is designed to assist traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic minority students as well as non-minority disadvantaged students to enter and complete a graduate degree at UWM. Prospective graduate students may apply at time of graduate program application. AOPF applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. The AOPF 2026-2027 academic-year stipend is $16,000 for recipients in a master’s program and $18,000 for recipients in a doctoral-level program. AOPF recipients maintaining full-time enrollment a master’s program may apply for a second academic year of AOPF funding. Full-time Doctoral students may apply for two additional academic years of AOPF funding.
More information about the ‘26-‘27 AOPF can be found at https://uwm.edu/graduateschool/students/financial-support/fellowships/aop-fellowship-guidelines/.
Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship
The Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship (DDF) is for current UWM PhD students who have either achieved dissertator status or will do so by the start of the academic year of the award. A DDF recipient who has not attained dissertator status by the start of the academic year forfeits the award. DDF applicants may be domestic or international students. The DDF 2026-2027 academic-year stipend is $17,000. Fellows receive full tuition coverage and are eligible for health benefits. The DDF is a one-year, non-renewable fellowship.
More information about the ‘26-‘27 DDF can be found at https://uwm.edu/graduateschool/students/financial-support/fellowships/distinguished-dissertation-fellowship-guidelines/.
Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship
The Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship (DGSF) is for new and continuing UWM graduate students. Prospective graduate students may apply at time of graduate program application. The academic-year stipend for 2026-2027 is $15,500. DDF applicants may be domestic or international students. The DGSF is not open to doctoral students who will achieve dissertator status by the application deadline for the award. The DGSF is a one-year, non-renewable fellowship.
More information about the ‘26-‘27 DGSF can be found at https://uwm.edu/graduateschool/students/financial-support/fellowships/distinguished-graduate-student-fellowship-guidelines/.
Graduate Excellence Fellowship
The Graduate Student Excellence Fellowship (GSEF) was established in 2015 as a philanthropic effort to provide advanced degree students the support they need to pursue their research endeavors, complete their studies and share discoveries with others in their fields. Enthusiastic supporters of this fund represent myriad interests such as business, industry, law, medicine and public service. Students do not apply for these fellowships. They are awarded on the basis of program faculty nomination combined with donor wishes.
For questions regarding the GSEF, please email gs-fellowships-philanthropic@uwm.edu.
McNair Graduate Entrance Fellowship
The McNair Graduate Entrance Fellowship (MGEF) is a one-time $3,000 award available to all McNair Scholars that enroll in a full-time graduate degree program at UWM. The MGEF serves to recognize the exceptional scholarship, research background, and doctoral readiness of McNair Scholars, participants of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Awardees must begin their graduate degree enrollment in the Fall ‘26 or Spring ‘27 term. Students do not apply for these fellowships. McNair Scholars are required to confirm Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program participation within their UWM Graduate School application to identify MGEF eligibility.