Applying for grant funding is a crucial part of graduate education and professional development. We want to support graduate students in their efforts to apply for funding to help fund their graduate education and research or dissertation-related expenses and gain experience applying for grant funding.
Before You Apply
Graduate students applying outside of the School of Human Ecology for competitive funding for their education or research (fellowship or other research grant awards) should first discuss the opportunity with their graduate advisor, and if a decision is made to submit an application, contact Sarah Marcotte (sarah.marcotte@wisc.edu) with as much lead time before the deadline as possible. All funding awarded to a student or to UW on behalf of a student in support of the student’s graduate education or research activities will require a budget compliance review prior to the application being submitted.
If a grant or fellowship award is made and the budget was not reviewed before the application was submitted, there is a chance the award cannot be accepted by UW on the student’s behalf.
Applying for Grants/Fellowships that do NOT Cover Tuition/Fees
Some grants/fellowships do not cover tuition/fees or ask that the University waive tuition and fees during the time the student is enrolled and on the grant/fellowship. Mellon ACLS is one of the most common types of fellowships that asks for this coverage. For these instances, the School of Human Ecology may support this request.
In order to be considered, the student should submit this form to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs requesting coverage of tuition and fees during the fellowship if the student is successful in the award process. The request will be sent to the Assistant Dean who will coordinate review with the Research Administrator, the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Graduate Education, and the Associate Dean for Research in the School of Human Ecology for review. The Dean of the School of Human Ecology may be consulted if necessary.
The student should submit the request at least 4 weeks in advance of the grant/fellowship application deadline to allow for review. Any questions can be directed to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs or the Pre-Award Research Administrator.
Searching for Fellowships & Dissertation Grants
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School of Human Ecology Resources
- If you’re a student applying for a grant or fellowship, read this first! – Memo for students planning to apply for a fellowship or seek grant funding outside of the School of Human Ecology
- Graduate Program Scholarships and Fellowships – Opportunities offered by the School of Human Ecology
- Comprehensive List of Graduate Student Funding Opportunities (Google sheet)
UW Resources
- Graduate School Fellowships – Fellowships offered by the UW Graduate School
- Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) – Resources for international fellowships (i.e., Fulbright)
- Wisconsin Scholarship Hub – For finding scholarships
- Research & Sponsored Programs – Search for Funding – Links to several on-campus units that offer funding opportunities
Databases to Search for Funding
- UW Graduate School has a link to an External Fellowships Database maintained by the University of Illinois
- PIVOT – Subscription-based database for finding funding opportunities
- grants.gov – Search for fellowships and dissertation grants offered by federal agencies
- UCLA Graduate Education Database – Peer institution’s searchable database
- Harvard University CARAT – Peer institution’s searchable database
Applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP) is a prestigious fellowship program for those graduate students pursuing full time research based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The NSF-GRFP website lists the the detailed eligibility requirements. Graduate students may apply the year before they attend graduate school or in the first year of the graduate program. The fellowship provides three years of full funding for graduate study which includes a $37,000 stipend, plus a $12,000 cost of attendance stipend. Interested applicants should review the full program announcement from NSF.Deadlines for applications are typically in October each year for funding the following academic year. Each fall the UW-Madison Graduate School hosts various workshops for graduate students to prepare NSF-GRFP applications. Workshop materials and recordings from previous years are also available on their website. Additionally, Graduate School staff (offr@grad.wisc.edu) may be available for support with the application and any questions you might have along the way. The UW-Madison Writing Center is also a great resource for students preparing fellowship applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What types of organizations offer the above funding opportunities?
Many federal agencies (i.e., National Institutes of Health [NIH], National Science Foundation [NSF]), private foundations (i.e., Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation), non-profit organizations, professional societies (i.e., American Educational Research Association, American Sociological Association), and for-profit companies support graduate students in various capacities.
Can I have both a PA/TA/RA position and a fellowship at the same time?
It depends. Some fellowship programs are intended to fully fund a student and other sources of support are not allowed. Many programs allow fellows to hold concurrent appointments and in those cases, UW policy regarding maximum student appointment levels must be followed.
How do I apply for a fellowship or dissertation grant?
You must discuss any potential fellowship or grant opportunity with your faculty advisor. It’s also critical to read the funding opportunity announcement to see what is required to apply and plan your timeline. Many fellowships require a business official from UW to submit the application on your behalf, and awards are then made to UW to administer the funding for you. However, some organizations and agencies will award directly to the student. Contact Sarah Marcotte with any questions about applying for non-UW fellowships or dissertation awards.
Can I apply to more than one fellowship program, in case one of them doesn’t get funded?
Most likely, yes. However, be sure to read the sponsor’s funding announcement carefully for any restrictions or conditions of the award.
Additional Resources
- School of Human Ecology website-Graduate Funding Opportunities
- Pathways to Excellence in Research (PDF) – This graphic outlines the steps students can take throughout their graduate career to develop skills for research excellence.
- Resources for Graduate Students: Finding Funding for Your Research (PDF) – This is a compilation of resources to assist graduate students as they prepare to apply for funding for their research activities.