Admissions and Aid

Minimum Requirements

1. Minimum undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.0. Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), although successful applicants generally have G.P.A.s above 3.0.
2. GRE Scores.
   1. MS/PhD in Population Health applicants
      • We will not accept GRE scores.
   2. MS/PhD in Epidemiology applicants
      • We will not accept GRE scores.

• Proof of English proficiency if needed. All international degree-seeking applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. For more information on this requirement, check the English proficiency section on the Graduate School’s Requirements for Admission page. Please note that our program will only accept applicants who meet the initial Graduate School’s minimum test requirements and will not accept applicants with the secondary lower ranges that require the ESLAT and ESL coursework.
• Quantitative Preparation.
  1. MS/PhD in Population Health applicants
     • At least one semester of advanced quantitative preparation (e.g., calculus, statistics, or other) with a grade of “B” or better is strongly suggested.
  2. MS/PhD in Epidemiology applicants
     • At least one semester of calculus with a grade of “B” or better is strongly encouraged. Having passed AP Calculus AB is considered equivalent.
     • College level biology is strongly encouraged. This includes course work equivalent to UW-Madison Biology 151&152, covering cellular and molecular biology, mammalian anatomy and physiology, evolution and ecology.

Applications are welcome from students with diverse academic backgrounds. Students who have strong academic preparation in the biological/medical sciences, quantitative analysis, or population health related social sciences are strongly encouraged to apply. Historically, many applicants who have succeeded in our program have come to us with backgrounds in fields as diverse as microbiology, genetics, nutritional sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, environmental sciences, political sciences, business, sociology, education, engineering, psychology, economics, and actuarial science, to name just a few.

Students admitted to our degree programs are automatically considered for any available scholarships, traineeships, or graduate assistant positions in the department. However, students are also encouraged to explore their own funding opportunities. Unlike many departments, we do not have a policy of admitting only students for whom we have initial funding. We do our best to help students finance their education and are most successful with providing funding to PhD admits. Potential funding opportunities are considered during the admissions review process but funding decisions continue to be made throughout the spring and summer.

It has been found that if you are not offered or do not find funding the first year and you do well in the program, there is a good chance you will be able to find funding for the subsequent year(s).

International applicants must submit a financial statement to International Student Services (ISS) upon admission to the university which shows sufficient funds to completely support themselves

The most common forms of funding support for our students are assistantships and fellowships offered on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. There is no central clearinghouse for posting and filling the many assistantship opportunities that exist across campus. Some openings are filled through a formal application process, through informal networking channels or by departmental/faculty initiative. Students may wish to consider some of the following approaches when seeking assistantships:

• Check all sources of postings for campus positions, including The UW Student Job Center, the GradConnections newsletter and listservs.
• Network with faculty, mentors, staff support people (such as Departmental Assistants, Center Directors, office managers, etc.), and other graduate students in areas where you may possess appropriate skills, teaching experience, and/or technical expertise. Such individuals [e.g. faculty] are most likely to be aware of opportunities available to admitted PhD students . In addition, they might be aware of the colleagues’ needs or new grant opportunities. They may have other ideas to guide you in your search.
• Do not limit yourself to the Department of Population Health Sciences. Our students frequently possess experience, training, and expertise that may satisfy needs for appointments in other departments/centers.

Departmental Scholarships and Honors

• Considered upon Admission
  • The Elliot Dick Fellowship Award
  • Gordon Johnson Health Management Fellowship
  • The David A. Kindig Scholarship
  • Donn D’Alessio Student Award
  • The Catherine Allen Memorial Outstanding Student Poster Award

  Campus-Wide Student Scholarships and Honors

  • Excellence in Civic Engagement Student Award
  • Global Studies Scott Kloeck-Jenson Fellowships
  • Graduate Peer Mentor Awards
  • Institute on Poverty Graduate Research Fellows Program
  • Scholarships for Non-Traditional Students
  • Teaching Assistant (TA) Awards
  • Conference Presentation Funds

Financial Aid and Other Funding Sources

• Office of Financial Aid
• Child Care Tuition Assistance Program (CCTAP)
• Funding Resources and Proposal Development
• Funding and Scholarships for International Students
• Eduardo Neale Silva Scholarship Fund
• Grants Information Collection
• FastWeb and FinAid!
• UW Job Center