Funding and Financial Aid

Project Mixer: Preparing Special Education Leaders to use Mixed Methods Research to Effectively Support Young Children with High Intensity Needs and Their Families

This is a federally-funded opportunity to prepare researchers and leaders in the field of early childhood special education with a particular focus on preparing researchers who can conduct mixed methods research and use research to inform teacher education, practice, and policy for young children with disabilities. As a part of the program, students will be guaranteed four years of funding to fully cover tuition, and will also receive a stipend for living expenses and funds for research and conference travel.

Eligibility requirements:

• Must be U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident due to OSEP regulations
• Must commit to a full-time program of study

To apply:

• Note your interest in statement of purpose
• Submit application by January 1, 2023 to begin in fall 2023

Interested applicants can contact Dr. Hailey Love at hailey.love@wisc.edu with questions.

Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant Positions

Qualified applicants to the doctoral program are offered a guarantee of ​five years of funding as teaching assistants or research assistants. Funding may be available beyond the initial ​five-year commitment but is not guaranteed. Teaching assistant positions include work in assisting a professor with an undergraduate course or supervising practicum or student teaching courses. Research assistant positions include work on research grants supervised by special education faculty. The special education area also offers an application process for additional open GA positions in special education.

University Fellowship

One applicant to the doctoral program is selected as a nominee to the University Fellowship competition in the social sciences. Recipients of the fellowship receive tuition remission, a stipend, and health insurance.

Education Graduate Research Scholars (EdGRS)

One or two applicants to the doctoral program are selected to receive the Education Graduate Research Scholars (Ed-GRS) fellowship each year. Recipients of the fellowship receive two years of fellowship funding including tuition remission, a stipend, and health insurance. For more information, see Ed-GRS Fellowship.

The special education program assists in the selection of recipients for some School of Education scholarships including: The Ruth Alice Howell and Miriam Howell Jones Scholarship, the Robert C. and Pamela Kelly School of Education Fund, the Helen C. Kirk Scholarship, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Schauss Family Scholarship, the Judith Sloan Scholarship, and the Tina Weintraub Fund. Applicants and current students in the undergraduate programs in special education and elementary education-special education dual certification and in the master’s with teacher certification program are invited to apply for these scholarships in January or February. Recipients are notified of awards in April or May.

Teacher Pledge

In order to provide children with the best possible education, the School of Education is dedicated to strengthening and diversifying Wisconsin’s teacher workforce. To accomplish this goal, we are pledging to pay the equivalent of in-state tuition and fees, testing and licensing costs for all teacher education students, including Special Education with Teacher Certification master’s students. In return, our students pledge to work at a Wisconsin pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school for three years after graduation as a special educator. The Teacher Pledge is open to all participating teacher education students — and is the first program of its kind offered by a public university.  For more information, see the Teacher Pledge webpage or contact Carly Marco (cmarco@wisc.edu).

Teach Grants

These grants are set up as a forgivable loan, and are administered through the Office of Financial Aid and the School of Education​. TEACH grants are open to eligible students pursuing special education teacher certification.

Master’s Funding Programs

Special education master’s students pursuing teacher certification can receive specific funding including:

• Project Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Language in Universally Designed Education (INCLUDE)
  • Collaborate with future Speech Language Pathologists and learn about augmentative and alternative (AAC) and assistive technology for children and youth who have significant intellectual and developmental disabilities. Includes scholarship for each semester of participation.

Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Scholarship

The scholarship provides $6,005 toward tuition and a stipend of $1,500 per semester for full-time students during the fall and spring semesters of their first year. Each year, applicants and current students in the clinical rehabilitation ​counseling are notified by the RPSE department of the scholarship application process.

The purpose of the RSA scholarship is to increase the supply of qualified professionals to work for state VR agencies (i.e., the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or the comparable agencies in other states) or other agencies and programs that cooperate with state VR agencies in serving their clientele. The scholarship is structured as a forgivable loan and requires a commitment to work in VR or their contracting agencies after graduation for one year in exchange for each semester of scholarship received.

Teaching Assistants

A very limited number of teaching assistantships are available for master’s students. These appointments are made by the rehabilitation psychology area faculty, typically after students are admitted and enrolled in coursework. Teaching assistants assist faculty with lecture, practicum or internship courses. Salary is based on percentage of time committed, and appointments are usually for no less than one-third time. Appointments with a semester percentage of one-third time or more provide tuition remission, a stipend, and benefits including health insurance.

Due to the limited number of teaching assistant appointments available for master’s students, students are encouraged to apply for other TA positions with other UW departments.

Project and Research Assistants

A variety of research and demonstration projects are conducted by individual professors, usually through some form of external funding. The projects frequently have budgeted research and/or project assistantship positions for which recipients are selected by the project director. Professors are notified of potential candidates for such positions from among those applying for admission. Salary is based on percentage of time committed, and appointments are usually for no less than one-third time. Appointments with a semester percentage of one-third time or more provide tuition remission, a stipend, and access to health insurance.

Teaching Assistants

A limited number of teaching assistantships are available for full-time PhD-level students. These appointments are made by the rehabilitation psychology area faculty. Typically, teaching assistants assist faculty with lecture, practicum or internship courses. Salary is based on percentage of time committed, and appointments are usually for no less than one-third time. Appointments with a semester percentage of one-third time or more provide tuition remission, a stipend, and access to health insurance.

University Fellowship

One applicant to the doctoral program is selected as a nominee to the University Fellowship competition in the social sciences. Recipients of the fellowship receive tuition remission, a stipend, and health insurance.

Education Graduate Research Scholars (EdGRS)

One or two applicants to the doctoral program are selected to receive the Education Graduate Research Scholars (Ed-GRS) fellowship each year. Recipients of the fellowship receive two years of fellowship funding including tuition remission, a stipend and health insurance. For more information, see Ed-GRS Fellowship.