Trainee Nomination Information

For current graduate students, we encourage any student interested in biotechnology to seek nomination. Graduate students who have joined the lab of a BTP faculty mentor and will be entering their second year of graduate study are eligible to apply.  Nominations to the BTP are made through the faculty mentor of the student.

Nominations are reviewed and ranked on a competitive basis by the BTP Executive Committee. In most years, we anticipate that 8 to 11 new traineeships will be awarded. BTP traineeships provide two years of tuition and stipend support.

The nomination consists of your three letters of recommendation, information in the application to graduate school, prior experience, and your proposed research interests. Nominations are reviewed and ranked on a competitive basis by the BTP Executive Committee. In most years, we anticipate that 8 to 11 new traineeships will be awarded. BTP traineeships provide two years of tuition and stipend support.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
  • Must be training in a PhD science program and be entering second year of study.
  • Must be member of BTP Faculty Mentor Research Lab.
  • Must have completed a Responsible Conduct of Research Course (Ethics) prior to nomination.

Program Requirements

  • Be enrolled at UW–Madison as a full-time graduate student in a participating BTP program.
  • Choose a major professor that is an approved mentor in the BTP program.
  • Choose a minor professor who is a BTP mentor with cross-disciplinary expertise.
  • Prepare an Individual Training Plan and Annual Progress Reports, which are reviewed annually with both major and minor professors.
  • Complete the BTP minor degree course plan (10 credits).
  • Complete department minor requirements which, in some cases, may differ from those of the BTP.
  • Participate in the BTP student seminar series, which meets weekly. Each trainee gives one seminar per year in the program.
  • Complete an industrial internship, usually in the third year of graduate study (second year of support).
  • Articles published by trainees while receiving NIH support need to be made publicly accessible and must contain an acknowledgement of the support provided by the BTP by inclusion of the grant number NIH 5 T32 TGM135066A.

Financial Support

  • Stipend: A stipend is provided by BTP for two years and corresponds to NIH guidelines. Departmental non-federal funds are often available to supplement BTP support.
  • Tuition: Trainee tuition and segregated fees offered by the UW–Madison are paid by BTP.
  • Travel: Costs associated with travel necessary to an individual’s training, including attendance at meetings, that are incurred within the period of grant-supported training are allowable and set at $300 per year per trainee by NIH.