Horticulture Graduate Programs

Spring: September 1 
Summer: December 1
Fall: December 1

Please note that late applications are not guaranteed consideration.

In general, the horticulture graduate program follows the University’s minimum requirements for admission.

Candidates for graduate work are required to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an approved institution. The minimum undergraduate GPA accepted for admission with full standing is 3.0 on a 4.0 basis.

Applicants are required to use the Graduate School’s online application and follow the application procedures. This includes submitting a statement of purpose.

Supplementary application

To assist the admissions committee in reviewing files, we require applicants to submit a supplementary application. The supplementary application will appear as a part of the Graduate School’s electronic application once the applicant selects horticulture.

Statement of purpose

Your essay should be a concise description of your reasons for choosing to study horticulture at the University of Wisconsin. Please include your research interests and career goals as well as a description of your preparation for graduate study including relevant coursework, related employment, research experience, publications, presentations, awards, and honors. The statement may be submitted electronically through the online application.

The statement of purpose should be around two pages in length.

Letters of recommendation

We require three letters of recommendation. These letters are preferably from people acquainted with the applicant’s academic, research and/or professional qualifications.

Transcripts

We require all applicants to submit an unofficial transcript in PDF format to their online application. If an applicant is recommended for admission, then they will be required to submit their official transcript to the Graduate School.  International academic records must be submitted in the original language and accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the institution with an official seal/stamp and an official signature.

GRE

GRE scores are not required and will not be considered for admission to the horticulture graduate program.

All applicants to the graduate program in horticulture are automatically considered for financial support. There is no need to submit a separate application. Most of our students are supported through research assistantships, but additional sources of internal financial support include teaching assistantships, project assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. 

The horticulture M.S. and Ph.D. programs do not support lab rotations. All students are admitted directly into a faculty member’s lab. Thus, we strongly encourage applicants to contact faculty members who work in their areas of interest before and during the admissions process.

A research assistantship (RA) is a financial award for a graduate student working on research directly related to his or her program of study. Research assistants in the program are typically appointed at the 50% level. A graduate student on a 50% RA earns tuition remission, health benefits, and a monthly salary.

A teaching assistantship (TA) is paid employment for a graduate student who has been assigned teaching responsibilities for a specific course. A graduate student on a 33% or greater TA earns tuition remission, health benefits, and a monthly salary.

A Program or Project Assistantship (PA) is another form of employment for graduate students. Like a TA, a PA appointment of at least 33% includes tuition remission, health benefits, and a monthly salary. These types of positions are rarely available in horticulture; however, PA appointments can be found in other departments and offices on campus.

The University of Wisconsin offers programs that support diversity in graduate education; interested applicants should visit the Science and Medicine Graduate Research Scholars Program website for more information.

We offer limited internal fellowships; current students will be notified by email when fellowship competitions are announced.

The Graduate School provides information about additional fellowship opportunities on their website.

Additional opportunities for funding exist beyond the support offered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For example, candidates may also bring with them external funding from a variety of sources including: foreign government sponsorship, industry sponsorship, and independent fellowships (e.g., Fulbright Scholars).