Thank you for your interest in applying to the Neuroscience Training Program (NTP)!
More than 175 applications for admission to the Program are received each year, and 10 students, on average, matriculate. Applications for fall admission should be submitted no later than December 1. All application materials need to be received by that date to ensure consideration; this includes letters of recommendation and transcripts. The program does not offer spring or summer admission.
Only complete applications will be reviewed. Applications are reviewed in December and selected applicants are invited to campus for an interview weekend in January or February. Final admission decisions are made by the end of March and in accordance with the Council of Graduate Schools national deadline, applicants have until April 15 to respond to an offer of admission.
Prospective students are encouraged to communicate directly with faculty of interest. Please see our faculty trainers page to find those you are interested in working with. Information about the program can be found under our Research tab.
You can apply to the Neuroscience Training Program online through the Graduate School Application. For questions regarding the admissions process, please contact the program office by phone 608-262-4932, or email ntp@mailplus.wisc.edu.
ATTENTION for 2025 Fall cycle applicants:
The Neuroscience Training Program may be listed as “Neuroscience PhD – IBHSC” in the application portal program dropdown. Please select this and the PhD degree when applying. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask at ntp@mailplus.wisc.edu.
NTP Course Prerequisites
We encourage students from a broad range of academic backgrounds to apply, including but not limited to those with focus in life sciences, physical sciences, computer science, or engineering. We highly recommend that applicants take college-level courses in mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. A competitive applicant usually will have prior research experience and should describe their research experience in the Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement.
UW Graduate School Requirements
The Graduate School’s minimum requirements for admission can be found at: http://grad.wisc.edu/admissions/requirements/. See this page for further information regarding electronic applications and the requirements listed below.
Degree
A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required.
Transcripts
Transcripts must be uploaded in the online application from each institution that you have attended (undergraduate and graduate), even if no degree was received. Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the application process but upon acceptance to the program, official paper transcripts will be required.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Letters should be from persons familiar with an applicant’s academic and research abilities. Instructions for letters of recommendation are on the UW-Madison Graduate School web page. No late letters will be accepted.
Grades
A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required.
GRE
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required. Students may submit GRE scores as part of their application which will be taken under consideration by the NTP Admissions Committee.
English Proficiency
The TOEFL is required for applicants who have not completed two semesters of college instruction in English or whose university’s official language of instruction was not English. On the TOEFL registration form, use code number 1846 for “Institution”. If TOEFL scores are not received by December 1st your application will not be reviewed.
Resume or CV
A resume or CV is required and must be uploaded in the online application.
Application Fee
UW-Madison charges a non-refundable $75 application fee that must be paid by credit card (Master Card or Visa) or debit/ATM card in the online application system. In addition to the $75 application fee, non U.S. citizens will be charged a $6.00 international document processing fee. Both fees will be processed during the submission of your application. There are also limited application fee grants available. Check the UW-Madison Graduation Application Fee grants to see if you qualify.
NTP Application Package Requirements
___ Online Graduate School Application (including NTP supplemental application)
___ Statement of Purpose
___ Research Statement
___ Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
___ Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (must be uploaded in online application)
___ Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Test Scores
___ TOEFL or MELAB scores (if required, please see requirements page)
Official scores must be received by the program by December 1st to be considered.
Graduate School Application Package Requirements
___ $75 Application Fee (non-refundable)
Non-US citizens will be charged a $6 international document processing fee. Both fees will be processed during the submission of your application.
*Please do not send NTP package requirements or any other departmental documentation to the Graduate School. These materials will not be forwarded to your department/program.
If you would like to check your application status you can do so by using your NetID and password. You may also update your address in this portal. The Log-in page can be found at My UW.
If you have forgotten your NetID or password, please visit the DoIT for assistance here.
The Graduate School offers a limited number of application fee grants. Fee grants are directed to:
- applicants who have participated in certain pipeline programs specifically designed to prepare students for graduate studies, OR
- domestic (non-international) applicants who have grown up in a low-income family.
Details on specific programs and fee grants can be found on the Graduate School website.
*If you participated in another UW-Madison Program such as the Biosciences Opportunities Preview Weekend (BOPs), please contact Josh Knackert at 608-262-4932 or ntp@mailplus.wisc.edu to receive your fee grant.
A stipend that covers tuition, fees, living costs and health insurance is provided for all students accepted into the Program. Support is derived from training grant stipends, fellowships, and faculty research grants. Support is guaranteed for five years if progress is satisfactory. International applicants please see the International Applicants page.
Students are required by UW-Madison to pay for Segregated Fees each semester unless their funding mechanism pays for them. These fees are approximately $725/semester and are used for campus overhead to help pay for the exercise facilities, student unions, student organization funding, etc.
Advanced Opportunities Fellowship (AOF)
The Advanced Opportunities Fellowship is awarded to incoming students targeted as under-represented and educationally disadvantaged United States citizens or Permanent Residents. To be considered for AOF funding, prospective students must be new to the Graduate School and be admissible to a graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Awards are based on demonstration of superior academic achievement, letters of recommendation, and an effective statement of purpose. To learn more about AOF funding and Graduate Research Scholar Communities click here.
Stipends for international students are supported under the same stipulations as domestic students. International applicants may be considered for admission and be financially supported by the NTP graduate program in one of two ways:
- Through one of the limited funding slots provided by local institutional resources for the first semester. After the first semester, funding would be supported by the primary mentor’s lab.
- As a direct admit into a lab of a NTP faculty member. International applicants should directly contact NTP Faculty of interest to inquire about lab space and funding.
Due to NIH regulations, international students cannot be supported on the NTP T32 training grant.
Please note that in addition to the $75 non-refundable application fee, a $6.00 international document processing fee will also be charged. Both fees will be processed during the submission of your application.
*Additionally, also note, if you have secured funding from an external or internal scholarship, fellowship, or faculty member, please e-mail the Neuroscience Training Program at ntp@mailplus.wisc.edu to bring this to our attention. Include in your e-mail any letters or documents proving you have been awarded this and what the award entails so we can best advise you moving forward.