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In this issue: Enrolling in courses, preparing for graduate school, and more.
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| GradConnections is a weekly newsletter that goes out to all grad students each Tuesday during the academic year. It includes tips, events, deadlines, announcements, professional development opportunities, mental health resources, and funding opportunities, as well as the PhD Comic.
This special edition is designed with new students in mind, with helpful tips to get you ready for graduate school at UW–Madison! You'll begin receiving GradConnections regularly at the beginning of the semester.
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| You will need to activate your NetID in MyUW to access services and applications such as the Course Search & Enroll app and Office 365 email and calendar services that will be available after you enroll in classes. For future logins, you will also need to set up multi-factor authentication for your NetID account.
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| As early as Monday, December 7, new grad students can begin to enroll for spring semester courses using the Course Search & Enroll app. You should have received an email from the Registrar’s Office with the specific date and time after which you can enroll. To access the Course Search & Enroll app, log in to MyUW and select the Academic Navigator widget.
For help selecting courses, talk to your graduate program or faculty advisor. Please note that the Graduate School has enrollment requirements for minimum and maximum credits, often depending on whether you have funding, such as a graduate assistantship.
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| | What to do at the start of the semester
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| To make sure you don't miss anything, the Graduate School has put together a checklist for new graduate students coming to campus. At the top of the list of things to do in January are:
Virtual Tasks:
For All Students:
- Follow campus protocols regarding testing and use of the Safer Badgers app, which will be used to access campus buildings. More information about Safer Badgers and testing will be available soon.
If or When You Come to Campus:
- Note: If you come to campus, the Safer Badgers app will be used to access campus buildings.
- Get your Wiscard. Watch for an email with details on how to request this campus ID card.
- Request your free Madison Metro bus pass
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| An essential read! Graduate Student Life is an essential resource for new grad students, by current and former grad students. It includes everything you need to know to get settled into campus: housing and transportation, campus life, what to do in Madison, and more.
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January 18-24, 2021
Online, on-demand programming
Don't miss this opportunity to hear from the Graduate School and campus leaders, get advice from a panel of current students about grad student life, and learn about the many campus and community resources available to you. This orientation event for new graduate students will be held virtually and on-demand, so you can participate from wherever you are located at any time in the week before classes begin.
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Check your wisc.edu email inbox for three informational new student newsletters from ISS that will go out on December 18, January 1, and January 15 in the weeks leading up to the spring 2021 semester. ISS is an important resource for "Global Badgers" – international students on F-1 and J-1 visas – throughout their graduate programs and its staff looks forward to working with you!
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| Stay up to date on the campus COVID-19 responseThe health and safety of the campus community continue to be top priorities as UW–Madison plans for the spring semester. Classes begin on January 25 with a hybrid model of instruction that includes a mix of in-person and virtual courses.
The campus COVID-19 Response website remains a great source for the latest updates, information, and planning as the spring semester approaches. Another place to look for information is the Graduate School's COVID-19 FAQs, which will also be updated as more information specific to the spring semester becomes available. International students can also find helpful answers to the most common immigration, enrollment, and travel questions on the International Student Services COVID-19 FAQs.
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| | Getting the most out of your graduate career
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| You're about to begin a new graduate program. Now is the perfect time to look at your professional skills and how you want to develop them during your time as a graduate student.
The Office of Professional Development is the central hub of graduate student skill and career development on campus. With nearly 400 professional development events each year, there's something for every facet of development and every stage of graduate study.
Your first step: Create a plan.
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| An Individual Development Plan (IDP) helps you assess your current skills, interests, and strengths, and make a plan to meet your academic and professional goals. An IDP also helps you develop strategies to communicate effectively with your advisors and mentors.
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| DiscoverPD is an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. Learn more by watching the video below.
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| Financial tips for graduate students Thinking about finances? Here are some important tips to consider:
- If you are looking for funding, start early and be proactive about possible gaps in your funding support. Check out the resources and key suggestions on the Graduate School Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources website. The UW–Madison Student Jobs Center also lists graduate assistantships for which students may directly apply.
- Understand your funding package. A funding package may include a combination of different types of appointments, such as teaching assistant positions, program assistantships, or fellowships.
- If you have a grad assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship, make sure you understand the terms and conditions of your appointment: start/end dates, stipend, date of your first paycheck, whether you need to pay tuition or program or segregated fees, tax information, enrollment requirements, and whether the appointment includes any health benefits. Appointments may have different, or no, work requirements, and may differ in the benefits they offer, so it is important to understand exactly what types of support each appointment offers.
- The cost of attendance webpage provides an estimate of your expenses.
- GradSense.org's Budget Calculator will help you figure out where you stand financially and how to make smart decisions about your future.
- Graduate Student Life has a robust section on finances and employment at the university.
For more information, contact the Graduate School Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources at offr@grad.wisc.edu.
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| Grad students are eligible for the University Apartments communities of Eagle Heights, University Houses, and Harvey Street Apartments. Apply early for a better chance of matching to your preference. For more information, please email Campus Housing at info@housing.wisc.edu. Those wishing to live off-campus but nearby can find housing using the Campus Area Housing guide. For more tips on housing, read the housing information in Graduate Student Life.
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