Financial Support, Including Full Tuition Remission for PhD Students*
*Note: Because of budget limitations, the department does not offer assistantships or tuition remissions to students in the master’s program in Health Psychology. However, students in this program are eligible to apply for DGSF and AOP Fellowships.
The Psychology Department is able to guarantee 3 years of funding for students in the Ph.D programs, but we typically fund Ph.D. students for more than three years.
Most admitted Ph.D. students are funded via academic-year Teaching Assistantships, which require approximately 20 hours of work per week. Teaching assistants usually lead discussion or laboratory sessions for courses in the Psychology Department. In addition to their stipends (approximately $14,200 per academic year for a teaching assistant), these appointments include full remission of tuition (both in-state and out-of-state tuition), as well as benefits such as low-cost health insurance.
Some Ph.D. students may also be funded through Research Assistantships or Project Assistantships (which also typically require 20 hours of work per week).
There are also several intramural fellowship competitions, as follows:
(1) UWM Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship (DGSF)
Each year, the department nominates a small number of outstanding current master’s and PhD students for the UWM DGSF competition. The DGSF is a one-year, non-renewable fellowship. The academic-year stipend is $15,000. Fellows receive full tuition remission and are eligible for health benefits. In addition, Fellowship recipients may benefit from a $1,000 travel award that will accompany each fellowship award. Click here for more information.
(2) UWM Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship (DDF)
Each year, the department nominates a small number of outstanding advanced doctoral students for the UWM DDF Fellowship competition. The DDF is for UWM Ph.D. students who have either achieved dissertator status or will achieve dissertator status during the award year. The DDF is a one-year, non-renewable fellowship. The academic-year fellowship stipend is $16,500. Fellows receive full tuition remission and are eligible for health benefits. In addition, recipients may benefit from a $1,000 travel award that will accompany each fellowship award. Click here for more information.
(3) UWM Advanced Opportunity Program (AOP) Fellowship
Each year, the department nominates a small number of outstanding master’s and PhD candidates for the AOP Fellowship competition. The AOP Fellowship is for new and continuing qualified UWM graduate students who are: members of groups underrepresented in graduate study, first-generation college graduates who were eligible for Pell Grants or considered “high financial need.”, or students with disabilities. The AOP fellowship is renewable for up to two years for master’s students and up to three years for doctoral students, subject of biennial grant renewal by the State. The academic-year fellowship stipend for is $15,000. Fellows receive full tuition coverage and are eligible for health benefits. In addition, Fellows may benefit from a one time, non-renewable $1,000 travel award that will accompany each fellowship award. Click here for more information.
Other Fellowship/Research-related Funding Opportunities
APA Minority Fellowship Program: https://www.apa.org/pi/mfp
APA Leadership and Education Advancement Program (LEAP) for Diverse Scholars: https://www.apa.org/pi/mfp/leap
National Institute on Drug Abuse Graduate Student Fellowships: https://www.drugabuse.gov/research/research-training-career-development/training-career-development-fellowships-grants/graduate-students
UWM Graduate Fellowships: https://uwm.edu/graduateschool/types-of-funding/#fellowships
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships: https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/PGA_171962