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Here are the basics you’ll need to apply to UW-Madison Online

At UW—Madison, our holistic application process is designed to help us find remarkable learners. While we review each application thoroughly, all applicants must meet specific qualifications. Keep reading to learn more. International students, please see additional admissions requirements.

How does the application review process work?

When reviewing applications, we pay particular attention to the college-level coursework you have completed, specifically:

  • Rigor of coursework. Appropriate for continued study at UW–Madison and increasing in difficulty
  • Course breadth. Showing a combination of English*, math, science, literature, social science, and world language
  • Grade trends and patterns. Steady or improving trends and patterns that show consistency across all academic areas
  • High school performance: The more college-level work you have completed, the less we will rely on high school performance criteria such as rigor of coursework, academic GPA, grade trends and class rank

International transfer students must meet UW–Madison’s Communication Part A requirement. This can be satisfied through English composition or English as a Second Language (ESL) coursework at a U.S. institution of higher education where English is the language of instruction.

ALL US (DOMESTIC) APPLICANTS MUST:

US applicants

Be a transfer student

Be a transfer student who has attended another college or university or a reentry/returning student who previously attended UW–Madison as an undergraduate

Have 12 transferable credits

Have completed at least 12 transferable semester hours of college-level work. (AP, A-Level, IB, and CLEP cannot be used toward this requirement)

Have completed coursework

  • Algebra: One year in high school
  • Plane geometry: One year in high school (waived if Math 112 requirement has been completed)
  • College Algebra: Equivalent to Math 112 or demonstrated ability to test into Math 112
  •  Single foreign language (recommended): Two years of the same language in high school or two semesters of the same language in college
    • Students may be admitted without this requirement, but must complete prior to graduation

You may not be considered for admission to both the residential (on-campus) program and UW–Madison Online for the same term. If you wish to apply as a transfer student to the residential program, please learn more at the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. If you applied for either residential or online and wish to be considered for the other program prior to receiving an admission decision, you must request to withdraw your application in writing to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and then submit a new application to the desired program.

International applicants

International admission requirements

As an international student, you can follow the transfer student application process, with some additional admission requirements. This page clarifies those requirements and answers questions you may have. You may also reach out to one of our enrollment coaches with questions about programs, how to apply and anything on your mind as you explore UW–Madison Online!

  • English language proficiency
  • Country-specific requirements
  • Non-English institutions

Transfer students educated in non-English speaking countries must meet one of the following criteria to demonstrate English proficiency:

  • Confirm that English was the primary language of instruction for all four years of secondary school.
  • Complete a college-level English composition course at an accredited U.S. institution.

This requirement will not be waived for English composition taken at U.S. branch campuses abroad. For more information, visit Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and click on “Communication, 3 to 5 / 6 Credits” from the directory at the top of the page.

Transfer students educated in non-English speaking countries must meet one of the following criteria to demonstrate English proficiency:

  • You may be required to submit additional documents with your application, depending on your curriculum or country of study.
  • Submit additional documents with your application, if required, depending on your curriculum or country of study.

Visit the International Students page on the Office of Admissions and Recruitment website for more information and scroll to the list of countries under “Specific Requirements for Common International Curricula.” Connect with an enrollment coach if your country of study is not listed.

If you attended a non-English institution* and your school does not issue transcripts in English, we require:

  • Official translation of the entire original transcript with all course names and grades included (preferably in the same format as the original). Translation must be completed either by the school or institution (e.g. a school counselor, English teacher or other school staff member) or by an Education USA official within your home country or region.
  • Official transcript and translation documents must also be submitted via the same official methods required for other official documents; email is not considered official. Both documents are required to complete your application.

Obtaining official transcripts can be challenging. We recommend calling your school directly if you have any troubles. If your school has a record office, call that office directly.

*If primary school was taught exclusively in a non-English language, this would satisfy the world language admissions requirement. As noted above, you must provide official transcript(s) and official translation document(s).

UW–Madison cannot provide U.S. visa status for international students enrolled in UW–Madison Online degree programs. If you plan to enroll in the program while living outside the U.S. border, you are not required to have a U.S. visa.

Do you have a current visa? We recommend contacting the U.S. institution that issued your current visa paperwork with questions and to confirm that your visa status allows you to legally enroll in an online program of study (for example, if you are currently living in the U.S. on a status such as H4, J-2, etc.).

If you wish to attend UW–Madison on campus, visit the Office of Admissions and Recruitment website for more information about how to apply.

Application deadlines

Application deadlines

SemesterApplication opensDeadlineClasses start
Spring 2025Start 1: Aug. 1, 2024
Start 2: Aug. 1, 2024
Start 1: Dec. 15, 2024
Start 2: Feb. 15, 2025
Start 1: Jan. 21, 2025
Start 2: Mar. 17, 2025
Summer 2025Aug. 1, 2024Apr. 15, 2025May 19, 2025
Fall 2025Start 1: Sep. 18, 2024
Start 2: Sep. 18, 2024
Start 1: July 15, 2025
Start 2: July 15, 2025
Start 1: Sep. 3, 2025
Start 2: Oct. 28, 2025
*If deadline falls on a weekend, it is extended to the next business day.
Admissions decisions for UW–Madison Online are released on a rolling basis.

Additional application information

  • Common App
  • Fully online deadlines
  • Online vs. on-campus

Please note that the Common App is offline every year July 15–August 1 for maintenance, upgrades and campus updates. If you have an incomplete application after July 15, you will receive additional instructions to help you prepare your application for the next cycle. Reach out to your enrollment coach with any questions.

The application deadlines above are for students planning to enroll in one of the fully online degrees offered through UW–Madison Online. If you are looking for the application deadlines for UW–Madison’s face-to-face programs, visit the UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

You may not be considered for admission to both the residential (on-campus) program and UW–Madison Online for the same term. If you wish to apply as a transfer student for an on-campus program, please learn more at the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

If you applied for either residential or online and wish to be considered for the other program prior to receiving an admission decision, you must request to withdraw your application in writing to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and then submit a new application to the desired program.

Apply using the Common Application

Apply using the Common Application.

Application fee

The $70 fee (U.S. dollars) is due with your application and is non-refundable. Electronic payment is preferred.

Essay

In 300-500 words (about one page), answer the following prompt: Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and include why you are interested in studying the selected major. Submit your essay in the Common Application. Your essay gives us an idea of who you are and what you want to accomplish. It allows us to complete a more holistic review of your application and might also be used for campus program and scholarship review.

Official high school transcripts

We review your high school record to check for proof of graduation and completion of core preparation requirements and to learn more about your educational background. High school grades will play a more important role in the admission review for applicants who have completed fewer transferable college credits.

If you earned your General Educational Development (GED) certificate or a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), submit your official score report in addition to all high school or home school transcripts.

Official post-secondary transcripts

Request official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you attended. The transcripts should include all college-level coursework completed to date, including your current term in progress, and (if applicable) college classes taken while in high school.

Electronic transcripts must be sent through a secure document sending service to etranscripts@admissions.wisc.edu. Transcripts sent through email, as an attachment, will not be accepted as official.

Paper transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment must bear an official school seal or be printed on the school’s custom watermarked/security paper. Students applying from outside the United States, please review country-specific official transcript requirements.

Letter of recommendation

We require you to submit one letter of recommendation written by someone who can attest to your academic ability, such as a teacher, school counselor or faculty member. Have a discussion with your chosen recommender first to see if they are willing and able to provide a letter.

We encourage applicants who have been away from formal classroom teaching for an extended period, you can request a letter of recommendation from someone who can speak to your academic potential, such as an employer (preferably a supervisor or manager), a program or departmental trainer, or some other individual in an official instructional capacity.

If you are having trouble submitting the letter via the Common Application, you can select one of the alternative options below to share that with your recommender:

Recommendations mailed to our office must include your full name, birth date, and campus ID number (if known). Additionally, letters of recommendation from a school staff member may also be sent through Naviance. Please note that letters of recommendation expire after one year from the date it is written.

Optional: official test scores

While not required, you are welcome to send your ACT or SAT scores if you have taken either test. Your results are considered supplemental academic information and may help strengthen your application.

Test scores should be sent directly from the testing service. Our test code is 4656 for the ACT and 1846 for the SAT. Do not send your results rush (SAT) or priority (ACT); we receive all scores electronically on a daily basis so there is no advantage to rush or priority delivery.

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