MGCS Tuition and Aid

Total Expected Cost

The total expected cost for graduate school for 2025-2027 (i.e., tuition, segregated fees and additional program costs for the class of 2027) is estimated to be:

• Wisconsin Resident: $32,490
• Minnesota Resident (Tuition Reciprocity): $46,080
• Non-WI-Resident: $65,411

Tuition

For the most up-to-date information about tuition rates and segregated fees, please visit the bursar’s website. You may access the full semester-by-semester breakdown of the cost of attendance for the Master of Genetic Counselor Studies program by visiting the UW–Madison Bursar’s Office website and clicking on “View Tuition Rates Workbook,” then on “Tuition Rates by Program and Degree Level.” From there: select Tuition and Segregated Fees, select appropriate year, select Medicine and Public Health as the school/college, select Master’s as the program award type and select Genetic Counselor Studies as the program name.

Additional Expenses

Excludes housing and transportation to rotations

Students are required to have health insurance while enrolled in the Master of Genetic Counselor Studies program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, either through a private insurance company or through the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). For information on premiums, coverage, and enrollment, contact the SHIP office.

Computer: Students are expected to have laptops for graduate school programming. The laptop model must meet or exceed minimum specifications recommended by the School of Medicine and Public Health.

Onboarding and Compliance: Students are required to buy a subscription to an outside vendor for maintenance of all onboarding and compliance requirements (e.g. immunizations, background checks, drug screening). The cost is approximately $200 over the course of training.

Student travel may include rotation sites within Madison and surrounding communities, as well as occasional travel to non-local sites within approximately a 70-mile radius of campus. All enrolled students receive a Madison Metro bus pass, and local transportation options such as bus, biking, and walking are robust and encouraged. However, having access to a car is strongly recommended, particularly for students who choose to live outside the immediate campus area or for rotations that are not on central campus.

Students may also travel to regional and national meetings as part of their educational experience. Second-year students typically attend the national educational conference hosted by NSGC. At this time, the program covers the cost of conference registration and, when funding is available, may assist with travel expenses. However, funding for travel (such as airfare or ground transportation) cannot be guaranteed. Students should plan to be responsible for lodging, meals, and any local transportation while at the conference (e.g., taxi, rideshare).

Scholarships and Stipends

All first-year students enrolled with the MCH LEND training program receive a stipend towards tuition in the first semester, and thanks to the generosity of our donors — almost all of whom are MGCS graduates — all first year students receive a scholarship towards tuition in their first semester.

More about our named scholarships

Graduate Assistantships

Master of Genetic Counselor Studies students frequently pursue and obtain funding through graduate assistantship positions on campus. These positions include teaching assistantships (TA), project assistantships (PA) or research assistantships (RA). Current compensation for a TA, PA or RA is full tuition waiver (resident and non-resident), a monthly stipend and insurance benefits. Such funding opportunities and employment are not guaranteed upon admission and availability varies from semester to semester; students interested in applying for one of these competitive employment opportunities typically have held such positions for at least two of their four semesters as graduate students.

Financial Aid

Visit the Student Job Center regularly to search for jobs that align with your interests, experience, and/or career goals. Student also may finance their education through federal, state or local student loans.