Graduate Program - New Student Checklist

New Graduate Student Checklist: What Do I Do Now?

Read the following carefully and follow the check list below:

Activate your NetID

You will need your NetID and password to access the My UW-Madison portal at my.wisc.edu. To activate your NetID, click on the ACTIVATE NETID button from the My UW Madison login screen and follow the instructions. If you are unsure about your NetID and password, contact the Dot Help Desk at (608) 264-4357.

Enroll in Courses:

Students enroll via the Web at my.wisc.edu student center. You will need your NetID and password to access the My UW-Madison portal (see "Activate your NetID" above for more information). For more detailed information visit MyUW Student Center Demos

You will receive information from the Graduate Office Staff on the courses you should take for Fall semester 2013 and should register for these courses over the summer.

PhD students who have questions about course registration should contact Kim Grocholski: kgrochol@ssc.wisc.edu

Master’s students who have questions about course registration should contact Stacey Waite: svwaite@wisc.edu

Check the textbook information.

A Textbook link is available in the My UW portal student center as soon as you're enrolled. This link will provide information about which texts are required your courses.

Click on the textbook demo to see how to look for textbook information on your student center

Locate your WiscMail account.

Once you have activated your NetID, log on to my.wisc.edu WiscMail is UW-Madison's centrally supported email service. It provides email to all faculty, staff and students via the My UW-Madison portal on the web or through a local email client. WiscMail has valuable features, including IMAP folders, secure login, Web access, virus scanning, spam filtering and much more. Visit the WiscMail web page for more information.

The Registrar, Bursar, deans and the Graduate School only use WiscMail to correspond with students. Prerequisite: You must be enrolled for classes.

Add your @wisc.edu email to the departmental email list

When you have activated your NetID and have your @wisc.edu email address you can be added to the departmental email list.

PhD students should contact Jackie Utter (jutter@ssc.wisc.edu) to be added to the email list.

Master’s students should contact Stacey Waite (svwaite@wisc.edu) to be added to the email list.

These lists are used quite extensively by students, faculty, and staff to notify students regarding activities and important announcements in the Department of Economics.

Modify Your Net ID Account

To begin, log into the NetID Account Modification tool at https://www.mynetid.wisc.edu/modify The account modification tool allows you to activate missing services, reset your password, change your account recovery questions, and change your preference to forward your WiscMail to a work or personal email address used frequently.

Verify your new mailing address & phone number

Once you have your email account and you find a place to live in Madison you should update your personal information at your student center my.wisc.edu For more information on how to update your personal information visit MyUW Student Center Demos. Helpful demos include Address, Phone Numbers, Email Address, and Emergency Contacts

Check in

One of the first things you will need to do upon arriving in Madison is to check in at the Graduate Program Office in 7239 Social Science. You will receive a packet of information, meet the graduate or Master’s advisor, and have a chance to ask questions.

Get your picture taken

When you check-in with the Graduate Office your picture will be taken and added to our graduate student photo directory.

Get your UW Photo ID card.

Get your UW ID card (the "WisCard") photo taken at the WisCard Office in Union South Room 149, M-F 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. Students who need a new or replacement ID card must present some form of personal photo identification such as a valid driver's license, passport, or state ID. Photo ID cards are required to check out library books, use UW recreational facilities, and obtain a free bus pass. Please visit the Photo ID Office website for additional information on your Photo ID card.

International students - Visit International Student Services (ISS) and attend Orientation

If you are an international student, please see the following orientation information from ISS; http://iss.wisc.edu/mandatorycheckin_fall2013.html

Visit the ISS when you arrive: The ISS Welcome room is open from August
19th to 29th from 11am-3pm, in the Red Gym in Room 106. Please see the ISS website for the list of documents you should bring. You must stop by ISS before your orientation.

Register online by Friday, August 16th and attend one of the ISS Mandatory Orientation sessions. All international students are required to attend one orientation session and pre-registration is required. Orientations are scheduled for August 20, 21, and 30. To register for an orientation, please see the following site: http://iss.wisc.edu/mandatorycheckin_fall2013.html or https://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/OHRDCatalogPortal/Default.aspx?tabid=29&SeriesK ey=420

Enroll for Health Insurance.

The University's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is mandatory for international students that did not receive financial support in the form of a fellowship or assistantship for the first year of study and their dependents living in the U.S. Please go to the following website to obtain information on SHIP: http://www.uhs.wisc.edu/ship/

Please note that International Students are required to enroll in SHIP unless the qualifying criteria on the Waiver Application are satisfied. Individual plans do not qualify for a waiver. If you will receive funding for your first year of study, you will be eligible for insurance through your Project Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship, Research Assistantship or fellowship and will not need to sign up for SHIP.

Pay your tuition/fees.

Check your student account invoice for amount due and payment deadlines. Pay your fees and tuition, if applicable, at the Bursar's Office. The offices are located at 333 East Campus Mall # 10501. If you do not receive an invoice, contact the Bursar's Office, 608-262-3611. Failure to receive an invoice will not be accepted as a reason for failure to comply with payment deadlines. If you received a financial award that included remission of tuition you are still responsible for paying segregated fees.

Submit final transcripts

If you have not provided the graduate school with your final transcript, first stop by the Econ Graduate Office (7239 Social Science) so a copy can be made for your departmental file. After that, you can submit the requested final transcript(s) to room 228 Bascom Hall. If you do not submit final transcripts by the third week of classes, you will not be able to register for future semesters.

Pick up your free Madison Metro bus pass.

As a UW student, you can pick up a bus pass at no charge from the ASM Student Print office located in the Student Services Tower on University Avenue (333 East Campus Mall) at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.

Visit the ASM Web site for more information on their services and when bus pass distribution for Fall semester will begin: http://www.asm.wisc.edu/buspass.html

Be sure to have your UW I.D. with you. You must register for classes before you get your Madison Metro bus pass. To see how you can make the most of your bus pass visit Madison Metro web page or Try Metro's Automated Trip Planner.

If you have a need related to a disability:

Contact the McBurney Center before you arrive on campus for program access services and information, as well as referrals. The McBurney Center is located at 702
W. Johnson Street, Suite 2104.