麻豆原创

It has been a joy to be back at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a PhD student. In 2013, I came as an exchange student from Brazil, and I had a great time. I always looked forward to being back as a graduate student, and I am here now. UWM provides a very supportive environment, and I highly recomme read full review

It has been a joy to be back at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a PhD student. In 2013, I came as an exchange student from Brazil, and I had a great time. I always looked forward to being back as a graduate student, and I am here now. UWM provides a very supportive environment, and I highly recommend this institution if you are looking for a diverse community and other great opportunities, such as a top ranked research university, great learning experiences, and friendly staff and faculty.  show less

The school:
In a general sense UWM has a great campus, with a lot to offer! It supports you during academic time with a great library that stays open 24h on weekdays, restaurants, quiet zones and dedicated spaces for each department. It also allows students to enjoy their free time for "free" (sometime read full review

The school:
In a general sense UWM has a great campus, with a lot to offer! It supports you during academic time with a great library that stays open 24h on weekdays, restaurants, quiet zones and dedicated spaces for each department. It also allows students to enjoy their free time for "free" (sometimes you are stuck on campus between classes) with a gym, rec center, bowling alley, video games, movie theater, soccer fields, basketball courts, coffee shops and clubs/meeting spots. It's truly a great environment. You will find something you like! There are also free weekly events. And the known Panther Fest! They also have safety projects such as B.O.S.S, which is a car you can call to take you places (within a range) and people who can walk you home at night.  

The city:
You won't find so much about Milwaukee on the internet. It is an underrated city, for sure. Milwaukee is a place that feels like a small town but offers you a lot of what big cities do. It is culturally so rich! It allows you to explore the diversity of the world culturally, whether it is through music, culinary, art or accents. The people of Milwaukee have been through a lot (and still do), especially when it comes to racial disparities, but there's something magical about this city that it is hard to pinpoint. I tell you that Milwaukee has given me the best years of my life, personally and professionally. I learned so much about myself and the world there. Milwaukee has this way of sneaking up on you and when you realize it, it has already become a great part of who you are. It's the kind of city that allows you to feel like you belong to a community. Plus, it's pretty close to Chicago.

UWM International Department:
The department is a great support for students. We can feel a little lost when we arrive on campus, but I had great people who helped me navigate this new world of visa, student requirements and cultural differences. They also have a "buddy" project, which assigns a local person to each newcomer (based on similar interests). That can be really helpful to learn the ropes and get an insight of campus life and the city. Also a great opportunity to make a real close friend. They also help you through the OPT process afterwards (make sure you attend their events/presentations).

My department (Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres | Peck School of the Arts):
UWM stood out because of its promise of transforming students into expressive filmmakers, focusing not only on the technical aspect but providing the flexibility to explore the field and ourselves as artists. Learning that UWM had been recognized as one of the best film schools made my decision much easier. The professors were great and really understanding of language and cultural barriers, which made things more relaxed. Every class had its own projection screen/computer system, which made classes easier to follow. I loved it so much that I came back for my MFA.

Money:
Now, that is something you have to make sure to plan for. UWM is not super expensive compared to other schools but it is still a lot of money. Especially if you come from a country where the exchange rate is not great for you. You have your semester mandatory fee for all the infrastructure I mentioned above (thousands), mandatory health insurance (around $700/semester) and International Department fee  (around $100). If you are staying in their dorms you gotta add more to that (mandatory meal plan for that). International students can only work 20h/week on campus. Which means, you will probably be making minimum wage ($7.25/h). So make sure you bring money with you. Life in Milwaukee alone won't cover the costs of your stay.

This experience has brought me so much joy and allowed me to make friends for life! show less