Assistantships for PhD Students* (includes tuition remission)
*Note: 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 Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is able to guarantee three years of funding for students in the PhD programs, but we typically fund PhD students for more than three years budget permitting.
Most admitted PhD students are funded via “50% appointment” academic-year teaching assistantships (August through May), which require approximately 20 hours of work per week. Teaching assistants lead discussion or laboratory sessions for courses in the department or assist in face-to-face and online courses. Current stipends can be found here; stipend levels (non-doctoral vs. doctoral) depend on whether the individual holds a thesis-based master’s degree). In addition to the stipend, these appointments include full remission of tuition (both in-state and out-of-state tuition), as well as benefits such as reduced-cost health insurance.
Some PhD students may also be funded through research assistantships or project assistantships (which also typically require 20 hours of work per week).
Chancellor’s Graduate Student Award
Students admitted to the PhD program will also be reviewed a Chancellor’s Graduate Student Award. These awards range from $2,500 for students in the clinical psychology program up to $4,000 for neuroscience students.
Cialdini Fellowship
Through the generous gifts of a alumnus donor, the department offers the Cialdini Fellowship to select students. This $5,000 fellowship is renewable for five years total (entry year plus four more). You can read more about the fellowship and the donor, Dr. Robert Cialdini ’67 and Bobette Gorden, in the UWM Panther Scholarship Portal.
Summer Support
Some students may also receive research funding during the summer. Typically, this support comes from the major professor, although some support may be available from the department in the form of a competitive summer fellowship. Availability of summer support varies by year, so students should discuss this with their major professor.
UWM Fellowship Competitions
(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 PhD 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 to 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.
Lab Awards
Many principal investigators are able to use their research grants to support the graduate students working in their lab. Most often this takes the form of an award to pay for UWM student segregated and mandatory fees that are not covered by tuition remission.