This is a compilation of resources spanning from academic support services to emergency financial assistance, and just about everything in between. You’re encouraged to check this page regularly to be aware of the resources available to you as a graduate student at UW.
Student Life
Housing & Transportation
See our guide to finding housing and transportation as a graduate student in the School of Human Ecology!
Involvement
- Graduate Student Life: a guide to the graduate student experience at UW-Madison
- Multicultural Student Center (MSC)
- Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
- Morgridge Center for Public Service
- Wisconsin Involvement Network (WIN)
- Associated Students of Madison (ASM)
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Micro Courses
- Reflecting on Social Justice Foundational Concepts – This micro-course focuses on some of the foundational concepts helpful for fostering deeper self-awareness and understanding of other social justice topics.
- Including and Navigating Race in the Classroom – This micro-course focuses on the importance of diverse representation in classroom materials, integrating materials into courses, and facilitating conversations around racial topics.
Hardship & Emergency Assistance
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Emergency Funding Resources
- Dean of Students Office Crisis Loans & Grants – Short-term loans and grants (generally $500 or less) for when an unexpected life event causes financial hardship
- SoHE Graduate Student Financial Hardship Funds – Funds to help address exceptional and unexpected financial difficulties or temporary emergencies that are impeding program progress.
- Basic Needs Assistance – Email basic.needs@finaid.wisc.edu to speak with a financial aid counselor.
- Office of Financial Aid Emergency Support – Complete the “Emergency Support” form in your Student Center to be reviewed for federal grants.
Food Resources
- Badger Fare – $75 immediately loaded onto your Wiscard for use at Campus dining locations.
- Foodshare Benefits – This government program gives cash benefits on a card that can be used for groceries.
- Campus Food Pantries & Meal Services:
- The Open Seat
- UW Food Shed
- Slow Food UW: Pay What You Can & Pay it Forward programs allow anyone to receive a free meal, no questions asked
- UW Frozen Meals Program: Unserved dining hall food is repackaged, frozen, and provided to students at no cost.
- F.H. King Harvest Handouts: free vegetables from the Eagle Heights Community Gardens distributed weekly during the growing season
Other
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Counseling – Free tax preparation assistance. Scroll to the bottom of site for Madison locations.
- Covering Wisconsin – Help navigating health insurance, including finding coverage, negotiating medical bills, and more.
- UW AT&T wifi hotspots ($10/month)
Wellness
University Health Services (UHS) offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students.
- Mental Health (more details below)
- Medical Services
- Health & Prevention Initiatives
Recreation & Wellbeing (RecWell) at UW-Madison offers group fitness classes, intramural sports, at home workouts, personal training, and wellbeing resources.
Mental Health Services
UHS offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students living in Wisconsin. These include individual, couple/partner, and group counseling, as well as stress management and psychiatry services. Those living out of state may access specific workshops, crisis support, Let’s Talk services, and care management for connection with care and resources in local communities or at UHS. Mental Health Services offers both Telehealth (via phone or zoom) and in person appointments and services.
An Access Appointment is the entry point to services at Mental Health Services and is done over the phone. To schedule an Access Appointment, students should call Mental Health Services at 608-265-5600 (option 2) or log on to MyUHS for 24-hour appointment booking. This appointment will last about 20 minutes and will allow you to discuss both on- and off-campus mental healthcare options.
If there is a risk of suicide or concern about the wellbeing of a student, call UHS 24-hour crisis service* to speak with an on-call counselor at 608-265-5600, option 9. If a situation is immediately life threatening, call 911.
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Group Counseling
UHS hosts a variety of group counseling opportunities. Here are a few of relevance to graduate students:
- Graduate Students Support Group (Mondays 1:00-2:30) This group will examine the sources of stress, ways of coping, and the value of peer support in adjusting to the challenges of being a graduate student. Topics may include time management, financial stress, relationship concerns, burnout, isolation, and maintaining balance.
- Dissertators’ Group (Mondays 3:00- 4:30pm) A supportive group environment focused on the emotional, behavioral, and organizational challenges associated with the dissertation process.
- Graduate Students of Color Group (Fridays 3:00-4:30pm) For graduate students who identify as people of color, who may experience unique challenges, microaggressions, and lack of supports compared to their White peers and undergraduate counterparts.
- International Students Support Group (Fridays 3:00-4:30pm) For international students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies. This group strives to provide a space for international students to share their experiences, as well as build connections, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
The groups listed above are just a few examples. Additional groups address LGBTQ support, relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics. Groups typically meet one to two hours weekly and may run from four to 12 weeks per semester. These groups fill up very quickly, so students should enroll in these groups at the beginning of the semester.
Additional UHS Resources
- Grad Resilience* (Thursdays 12:00-1:00pm) – This is a series of rotating 1-hour virtual lunch discussions for current graduate students. Each section presents strategies to navigate a feature of graduate culture with the opportunity for participants to share experiences and ask questions.
- Let’s Talk* – These confidential and informal 20-minute consultations with a mental health provider are available every weekday. For in-person sections, students can just stop by the location. For virtual sections, sign-up is available.
- SilverCloud* – This online, self-guided, interactive mental health resource provides students with accessible cognitive behavioral interventions 24 hours a day. SilverCloud is not designed to replace in-person mental health treatment for many complex concerns but may be an effective option for students with mild to moderate symptoms to help manage day-to-day stresses and anxiety; improve resilience; learn skills to understand thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Wellness Initiatives – UHS’s interdisciplinary program is designed to assist students’ pursuit of healthy mind, body, and spirit. Programs address healthy living, nutritional counseling, mindfulness, exercise consultation, yoga, massage, stress management, and more.
- Sexual Violence Prevention Program – UHS provides an online sexual violence and misconduct prevention program, which all incoming graduate students at UW-Madison are required to complete.
- Survivor Services – Survivor Services provides confidential support for students who have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking. Services include information and referral, individual and group counseling, and advocacy and accompaniments.
Additional Campus Resources
- UWell – This is a comprehensive wellness initiative aiming to advance the health and wellbeing of the entire campus community by promoting existing resources.
- Dean of Students Office – This office is a primary resource for connecting students who are navigating personal, academic, or health issues, to supportive campus and community resources. They are committed to fostering a caring environment for all students. Responsibilities include the Student of Concern Report, the Bias Reporting Process, addressing Sexual Assault, Dating, and Domestic Violence, as well as many other issues affecting student wellbeing. Drop-in hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am-4:00pm, room 70 Bascom Hall. You can also call at 608-263-5700 or email doso@studentaffairs.wisc.edu.
- University Veterans Services – Student veterans transitioning to civilian life face unique challenges. The mission of University Veterans Services is to support military-connected students by fostering personal transitions and pursuit of academic success.
- Ombuds Office – University employees, including graduate students, can seek guidance regarding workplace concerns without fear of reprisal and at no cost to them.
- Employee Assistance Office – Graduate students who hold assistantships are eligible to utilize the Employee Assistance Office. This is a confidential resource that provides counseling and consultation at no cost.
- Reporting Incidents – If you experience sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, hate, bias, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or other negative interactions, you can choose to report those incidents.
- In addition to utilizing UHS’s services, graduate students who hold assistantship appointments may seek mental health services covered by their health insurance plan*.
- *These options remain available to students in non-pooled, distance programs that do not have access to other segregated fee-funded services.