Office of Admissions and Recruitment

Admitted Reentry Checklist

1. ACCEPT YOUR OFFER OF ADMISSION

Log into the MyUW student portal to accept/decline your offer of admission in the Student Center.

  • Click on Student Center down arrow/icon and select “Applicant Homepage”.
  • Click on the tile page with “Admissions”
  • Within the Admissions tile, it has “Application Status”; it will show you the applications that you have submitted.
  • Accept/Decline Admission: follow the instructions it gives you to officially confirm. Reentry applicants do not need to pay the $100 enrollment deposit. You will not be able to register for classes until you complete this step. If you apply and are admitted after the enrollment appointment times, it may take up to the next business day to receive an enrollment assignment after you accept your admission in your Student Center
  • If this is your first time logging in, you must activate your NetID. Your Student Center also gives you access to other personalized information, including your financial aid package.

2. SUBMIT YOUR RESIDENCY INFORMATION

If you submitted your reentry application through MyUW, you should have also completed the Residency Application through the “Reentry Application” tab in MyUW. (View instructions here.) This is necessary for registration.

3. COURSE ENROLLMENT INFORMATION

Depending when you apply for reentry admission, course registration may or may not be available to you yet. The Enrollment Appointment Times Release Schedule through the Office of the Registrar will show exactly when enrollment dates and times will be released, as well as the specific enrollment dates students will be assigned to in accordance with their class standing. If you have questions about course registration or class standing, contact the Office of the Registrar at 608-262-3811.

If you have questions about what courses you should select for the upcoming year, contact an advisor in your department.

4. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS APPLYING FOR AN I-20

All I-20 or DS-2019 requests must be submitted through the Terra Dotta portal via your MyUW Student Center., which will be your student immigration portal during your time as an F-1 or J-1 student at UW-Madison.  You must accept your offer of admission before you can set up your Terra Dotta account.

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Terra Dotta Portal Instructions

  1. Log in to MyUW using your NetID and password. This is the same login information you used to apply to UW–Madison.
  2. Search for “Terra Dotta” and add it to your MyUW home screen.
  3. Open Terra Dotta. If you are prompted to log in to Terra Dotta, use your NetID and password.
  4. Select “Incoming Student”.
  5. Choose “Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment”.
  6. Select “New F-1 Student request” for I-20 issuance or select “New J-1 Student Request” for DS-2019 issuance.
  7. Follow the instructions to complete your I-20 or DS-2019 request. You will be required to upload the following documents.
    • A copy of your passport biographical page
    • Financial documentation showing sufficient funds for one year of study
    • Current I-20 and visa page if you are already studying in the US on an F-1 visa

You can track the status of your request through the Terra Dotta portal.

Keep in mind that visa processing can take a long time, so plan ahead.

Please read through our FAQs about the I-20 process. International Student Services also provides a Guide for International Students with more information about next steps to secure your visa.

5. APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid could include scholarships, grants, on-campus work-study jobs, and student loans. All US citizens and permanent residents should follow instructions provided by the Office of Student Financial Aid to file for federal student aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is available online beginning October 1. Remember to list the UW–Madison FAFSA code of 003895. International students should review a list of scholarships and grants provided by International Student Services.

6. SUBMIT YOUR FINAL TRANSCRIPTS

If you attended another institution since you were last enrolled at UW–Madison, you must submit official transcripts for each college or university. The transcripts should include all college-level course work completed to date and your current term in progress, if applicable. Request that it is sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. You do not need to resubmit your high school transcript or a college transcript for course work already recorded on your UW–Madison transcript.

Credit evaluations will be made within the following timelines:

  • If the transcript is received in the Office of Admissions and Recruitment by September 15, the transfer credit will be applied to your record before spring course enrollment.
  • If the transcript is received by February 15, the course work will be applied to your record before fall course enrollment.

7. EXPLORE UNIVERSITY HOUSING

University Residence Halls are open to reentry students who want to live on campus. Review the University Housing website for availability, fees, and application deadlines to secure the type of living arrangement that best fits your needs.