There are a variety of options available to assist you with funding your college education. The University’s Office of Financial Aid can assist you with determining your eligibility for scholarships, grants, and loan options, as well as how to apply for each. As a student in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, you may qualify for scholarships within your college and department. Applications are due in early spring and complete scholarship information can be found on the CALS Scholarships thru the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WISH). Looking to pick up a part-time job? The UW Student Jobs website has a wide range of on- and off-campus opportunities to choose from. International students should also check out the International Student Services (ISS) Office for details about funding and scholarships. Additional resources include the Undergraduate Academic Awards Office and the Nelson Institute Community Environmental Scholars Program.

Applications to graduate studies act as the application for financial support. Offers of financial support accompany most offers of admissions for student admitted to Soil Science. Most students hold research assistantships (RAs), but some may hold fellowships or teaching assistantships (TAs). The availability of these appointments are limited. They carry a stipend, a remission of tuition, and the option to participate in a health-care plan comparable to that available to faculty. A posting of open assistantship positions with the department may also be located below.

Funding options for international students:

International students should refer to the International Applicant Financial Information website when preparing the applications. International students should submit their financial information only after a favorable admission decision has been made.

Employment regulations for international students can be found on the International Student Services (ISS) website.

Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments and requirements:

Although paid teaching assistant (TA) appointments are rare within Soil Science, there are many opportunities on campus to secure such a position. Students supported by TA positions should contact their advisor for a list of potential departments to contact. Teaching appointments require additional training as outlined below.

• Students should plan to complete the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) – College of Engineering (COE) Collaborative for Engineering Education and Teaching Effectiveness (CEETE) TA training prior to beginning a TA appointment. This 1.5-day training is offered just prior to the start of the Fall and Spring terms.
• Graduate Assistants Equity Workshops are required of all TAs prior to or during the first semester of a TA appointment.
• SPEAK Test – UW System policy requires non-native English speakers to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English before they are assigned classroom duties as a teaching assistant. The SPEAK test is used to evaluate the spoken English of International TAs. The test is available only to enrolled students holding or under consideration for a teaching assistantship.

Additional opportunities to consider:

Students are also encouraged to consider applying for a Graduate School external fellowship, CALS Fellowships, and CALS Scholarships.

Dr. Jingyi Huang (https://soilsensingmonitoring.soils.wisc.edu/) is recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working in soil physics and hydrology, and remote sensing of the water cycles. Contact Dr. Huang (jhuang426@wisc.edu) for more information.

Dr. Gregg Sanford gsanford@wisc.edu is recruiting for a PhD student to work on net ecosystem carbon and GHG balances in ecologically intensified Midwestern Cropping Systems. The position description can be found here.

Dr. Xia Zhu-Barker is actively looking for graduate students and postdocs who are eager to engage in fundamental and applied research related to soil biogeochemistry, land management and environmental sustainability. The position descriptions can be found here.

Dr. Margaret Zimmer is recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working in field or computational hydrology. Please visit https://mzimmer.weebly.com/prospective-lab-members.html or contact Dr. Zimmer (margaret.zimmer@wisc.edu) for more information.

Continue to check for new opportunities regularly.

Dr. Zhu-Barker’s Lab is looking for a highly motivated individual to join the Soil Biogeochemistry Lab as a Research Technician beginning in September 2024. See full listing details here.

Dr. Margaret Zimmer is recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working in field or computational hydrology. Please visit https://mzimmer.weebly.com/prospective-lab-members.html or contact Dr. Margaret Zimmer (margaret.zimmer@wisc.edu) for more information.

Continue to check for new opportunities regularly.

No vacancies at this time. Please check back.

The Sanford Lab in the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences is hiring a research technician to support the Dairy, Soil, and Water Regeneration project. This is a public-private research endeavor involving six universities, the Soil Health Institute, the Innovation Center for US Dairy, and private industry seeking to improve the environmental footprint of dairy production by filling critical knowledge gaps associated with current and novel agricultural technologies. See: full posting.

No vacancies at this time. Please check back.