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Frequently Asked Questions

Application Process

• 1. Can my materials arrive past Janaury 7 for financial aid consideration?

No. We participate in a campus-wide fellowship competition in January, therefore we need to compile materials as soon as possible after January 7.

2. Can I visit the department?

Yes, we encourage visits from applicants.  Contact our Graduate Student Coordinator to arrange a visit at  gradschool@geography.wisc.edu, (608) 262-3861.  The Coordinator can help you set up appointments with faculty and students with similar interests to your own. It is the best way for you to decide if this is the right program for you.  Visits also give you a chance to meet with professors and discuss research topics.

Before your visit request, it will be helpful to:

• read the Department Overview
• review the Faculty directory grouped by specialty
• browse the current graduate student interests.
• 3. Do you require a minimum score for the GRE?
• No, there is no minimum GRE score for admission. However, GRE scores are one of the factors that the faculty consider when making admissions decisions.
• 4. What is the institution and departmental codes for the GRE?
• UW-Madison Institution code: R1846
• Geography Department code: 2203
• 5. How does the online Letters of Recommendation process work?
• Letters of recommendation are now submitted electronically to us so that the process is faster, more secure, and allows for online letter review by the admitting committees. Read the UW Grad School instructions here.
• Here's how it works:
• When completing the online application for admission to the Grad School, list email addresses for three (3) references who are either recent employers or faculty members.
• A recommendation request will be sent by the UW Grad School by email to each of your references. The email will include your name, the department or program to which you are applying, and a link to an online Letter submittal form.
• The Letter of Recommendation request can be sent at any time providing the reference can submit it online before the Geography admission deadline of January 7.
• You can change references or send a reminder through your application.
• After you have submitted your application, you and your department can view a receipt of your Letters of Recommendation through the online status system.
• Always contact the Gradaute Student Coordinator at 608-262-3861with any questions on this process.
• For more information about letters of recommendation, read the UW Grad School instructions.
• 6. I do not have enough money for the application fee.  Can it be waived for me?
• The Board of Regents and the State Legislature do not permit the application fee to be waived, and the Geography Department has no funds to cover the fee, it is suggested to find a friend or sponsor to pay (or loan) the fee for you.
• 7. Who do I contact at the Graduate School regarding my application?
• After you apply online, you are sent an email with a link to the Online Admission Status Information System (OASIS) system that can provide you with information about your application that is updated daily. If no status is available on OASIS, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (608) 262-2433 or email gradadmiss@bascom.wisc.edu. 
• 8. My friend is paying my application fee.  Can you contact them to make sure it gets there?
• No.  It is your responsibility to arrange for payment and follow-up on that arrangement.  Please contact the Geography Graduate Student Coordinator or the Graduate School Admissions Office for the status of your fee receipt.
• 9. Can I submit an application without scores, letters, etc?
• Yes, but until all materials have been received, your application will be considered incomplete. Incomplete applications are not considered for university funding.
• 10. Can I send my International Financial Aid Statement separately?
• Yes.  You may fill it out after you have received notification about funding in the spring. See Question 20.
• 11.  Do I need to have a degree in Geography to be considered for admission?
• No.  We regularly admit students who have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other then geography.  (See 'Breadth Requirements' under the MS programs)
• 12.  When are decisions made about admissions?
• The Graduate Admissions Committee has a deadline of January 7 for graduate applications. The decision to admit is made by mid-February. If you do not hear from us after that time, please feel free to contact the Graduate Student Coordinator at  gradschool@geography.wisc.edu, (608) 262-3861.
• 13.  How will I know when my application is complete?
• We will send you an email when your application is complete and handed off to the Graduate Admissions Committee.
• 14. Can I send my statement of purpose with my online application?
• Yes. To guarantee professional presentation, we recommend submitting your statement with your entire application package by post to the Geography Department.  We can also accept online documents as an attachment in an email to the Graduate Student Coordinator .
• For an example outline of a statement of purpose, see the Grad School example page.
• 15.  Can I send articles, papers, resumes, etc. with my application?
• Yes.  Submitting extra material will give the admissions committee a better picture of who you are and can clear up any questions that they may have.  However, please be selective with your choices, as we have limited time during the busy admissions process.
• 16.  Can you email me when different parts of my application arrive?
• No. Unfortunately, we receive so many applications each week that is it impossible to track who has requested a reply upon receipt. We will send you an email when your completed application has reached the committee, and if you have other questions, please take the initiative to contact the Graduate Student Coordinator.
• 17.  Who should I use as references?
• Professors and current or recent past employers make the best referees. It is important that you use at least one person who can testify to your present situation, especially if you have been out of school for some time. You want to choose people who can best attest to your capacity for graduate-level work, and, if possible, your facility within the discipline of geography. If you are not sure of the suitability of a potential reference, please contact the Graduate Student Coordinator.
• References will receive a request by email from the Grad School to submit a Letter of Recommendation online. You and the department will receive a receipt when the Letter is submitted online. (See #4 above.)
• 18.  If I don't have a Master's degree, can I apply to the Ph.D. program?
• No.  We only admit students as Master's students, even if their end goal is a Ph.D.  If you hold a Master's degree (geography or other), you can apply for the Ph.D. program.

Questions Related to Money, Fees, and Financial Aid

• 19. Can you tell me my chances of acceptance or financial aid?
• No.  Due to the fact that graduate admissions competition, and thus, standards vary from year to year, it is impossible to give applicants an accurate estimation of admission or financial aid chances.  To give yourself the best chance for consideration, submit your application with fee as soon as possible.
• 20. When will I hear about financial aid?
• You can expect to hear from us by the end of March. If you do not hear from us after that time, please feel free to contact the Graduate Student Coordinator at  gradschool@geography.wisc.edu, (608) 262-3861.
• We adhere to the Council of Graduate Schools' Resolution regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants that dictates we cannot ask for a reply to a financial aid offer before April 15.   For more information, see their website:  http://www.cgsnet.org.
• 21.  Where can I find current tuition and fee information?
• From the Registrar's Office: (608) 262-2367 or at http://registrar.wisc.edu/students/fees_tuition/tuition.php#1034
• 22.  What are the dollar $ amounts for fellowship, RA, TA, and PA positions?
• See the Graduate School web site for this year's stipends:  http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/fees.html
• 23. If I am fully dependent on UW funding, how do I fill out my International Financial Statement?
• You have two options.  1) You can either mark "No" in response to the question about UW-Madison Assistantship on page 2 of the Supplemental Department Application form and write 'Applying for UW Funding' across the $ amount boxes, or 2) you can wait until you are notified of your financial aid status from the department before filling out the form.
• 24. Is there an application for TA or PA funding?
• No.  To be considered for fellowships, teaching, project and research assistantships, simply check the appropriate box on your UW Graduate School Application.
• 25.  Where can I find out about other funding sources? (Changed 23-Aug-05)
• http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/fellowships/newsletadv.html or see the list of other funding sources and the Student Resources sections of our website.

Questions from International Students

• 26.  Can I send my International Financial Aid Statement separately?
• Yes.  You may fill it out after you have received notification about funding in the spring. See Question 20.
• 27. Are all international students required to take the TOEFL exam?
• No.  There are some exceptions.  Applicants are exempt if:  their official language of instruction at the undergraduate level is English; they have completed two full-time semesters of work (not including ESL courses) in a U.S. college/university or American college/university; or it they have degrees from an accredited U.S. college/university or American college/university.
• 28. As an international student, what are my chances of full financial support from the department?
• Not very good.  During the 2005-2006 academic year, international students were required to show proof of $37,746 of funding per year during their entire stay at UW-Madison.  The range of TA stipends for that year was $2,500 to $14,000.
• For alternate funding sources, view the ISS page with information about scholarships and grants.
• 29.  I am currently a UW-Madison graduate student in a different department.  How do I add or change to a Geography major?
• Your first step is to fill out an Application for Change of Major/Addition of Major for Currently Enrolled Graduate Students form, available from the Graduate Admissions Office, 228 Bascom Hall.  The Graduate School will send us a copy of this form. 
• You are responsible for the following:
  1. writing a new statement of purpose for Geography,
  2. providing us with an advisory UW-Madison transcript (Window 17, Peterson Building),
  3. completing and printing our Supplemental Department application, and
  4. requesting that your current department sends us copies of your original letters of reference.  If you do not feel these letters will adequately address your prospects as a student in the field of geography, please have three additional letters sent to us. Contact the Grad Student Coordinator to get a Recommendation letter form.
• If your question were not answered here, you can check the Graduate School Admissions FAQ
• Or email the Department of Geography Graduate Student Coordinator.
• See also our list of Student Resources.