1. Set Up Your NetID to Access MyUW
MyUW is a student portal that will present new options to admitted students, including the admitted student checklist and other Admitted Student Next Steps.
Locate the 10-digit campus ID number from your admissions letter. Activate your NetID to access the portal. You can also update any changes to your mailing address, phone number, or email address to make sure you receive important email from other offices.
2. Confirm Your Enrollment
Log in to the Student Center to accept your offer of admission in the Student Center by the confirmation deadline for the term you were admitted.
This is a required first step for many other Admitted Student Next Steps.
Spring Term Confirmation Deadline: December 15 or ten days from the date of admit letter or receipt of your credit evaluation, whichever is later.
Fall Term Confirmation Deadline: June 1 or ten days from the date of the admit letter or receipt of your credit evaluation, whichever is later.
You will then pay the $200 deposit online. It is applied toward your tuition and fees for the first semester and is not refundable after the confirmation deadline.
Accepting your offer of admission is a required first step for many additional admitted student next steps.
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How to accept your offer of admission
Accept Your Offer of Admission
Log in to Student Center to accept/decline your offer of admission.
- Be sure at the top left it says “Applicant Homepage”. If it says “Student Center”, scroll down to “Applicant Homepage.”
- Click on the tile page with “Admissions”
- Within the Admissions tile, view “Application Status”; it will show you the applications that you have submitted.
- Accept/Decline Admission: follow the instructions it gives you to officially confirm.
- 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.
To pay your enrollment deposit by check or money order, please complete and submit the Enrollment Deposit Form.
3. Activate Your @wisc.edu Email Account
If you already have an active NetID and have accepted your admission, you may need to activate IT Services in order to access your @wisc.edu email account. You can activate missing IT Services by following the instructions on the NetID – Activate Missing Services page.
Note: Your IT Services may take up to 24 hours to activate. You will need to wait 24 hours before you attempt to login to your newly activated Office 365 email account.
If you have not yet activated your NetID, Use the instructions on the NetID – Activating Your Account page to complete the activation process.
IT Services including your Office 365 Account (@wisc.edu email address assignment) will be activated automatically for students using this process.
Note: Your IT Services may take up to 24 hours to activate. You will need to wait 24 hours before you attempt to login to your newly activated Office 365 email account.
4. Share Your Acceptance Virtually
Share your acceptance with friends and family, and show your Badger pride to the world using our virtual backgrounds, gifs, and profile pictures exclusively for our #FutureBadger admitted students! Hang out with Bucky, Jump Around at a Badger game, and more! Whether you’re catching up with friends or working on a test, you’ll have UW–Madison right behind you!
5. Apply for Financial Aid & Scholarships
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). 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.
Both current and incoming students can research and explore all the scholarships they qualify for based on their program, background, and interests through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).
Once you have submitted your application to UW–Madison and activated your NetID and password, you will be eligible for those scholarships that are awarded automatically.
You can also apply for those scholarships that require an application for consideration. Do not wait until you have been admitted to apply for scholarships. Scholarships will have varying deadlines, but most will have a deadline of February 1.
6. Explore Housing Options
Refer to University Housing to learn more about the features of each of our Residence Halls and housing application deadlines. University Apartments are also offered for students who have families or prefer apartment-style accommodations. University Housing is neither required nor guaranteed. A variety of off-campus housing options are available in Madison and the surrounding area.
The Campus Area Housing website is UW–Madison’s official source of off-campus apartment listings. Campus Area Housing maintains a consolidated and free searchable list of campus area rental vacancies in apartments, houses, co-ops, private homes, and rooming houses to help you find the right place for your individual needs.
7. Sign Up for Placement Tests
Some transfer students are required to take placement tests in English, mathematics, world language, and/or English as a Second Language.
In addition to an email from the Office of the Registrar, transfer students can find information about which test(s) they need to take at the bottom of their Transfer Credit Evaluation, located in the Academic Records tile of their Student Center in MyUW.
Students who completed them at another UW institution will not be required to retest.
For information about testing, refer to the Testing and Evaluation Services website for incoming UW–Madison students.
Changes to the Math Placement Test:
This year, the university changed their math placement test requirement for new students to take a proctored math placement test.
As a result, new students are required to take “Math B”. This test is available via two options:
- In person – There are various Regional Testing sites located all around Wisconsin and one in Minneapolis, Minnesota at which students can schedule a testing date and time. Students can also schedule an appointment to test on campus on select dates. Taking the test in person is free and strongly encouraged for those who are able.
- Online – If students cannot take the exam in person, there is an option to pay a $40 fee* to complete an online proctored exam through Live Remote Proctoring.
Transfer students who are required to take the Math Placement Test, who took the exam prior to March 2023 are able to use those scores.
* Students who are unable to test in person and cannot afford the only exam encouraged to reach out to the Center for the First-Year Experience (CFYE) to discuss options
8. Sign Up for Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR)
Students admitted for the summer and fall will receive information regarding the SOAR sessions held in summer. Students admitted for the spring will receive information in early December regarding the SOAR sessions held in January. Details about the dates and registration will be sent by email, and students need to confirm their enrollment before signing up for SOAR. Additionally, students must submit their final term grades to be able to register at SOAR.
Students admitted for the fall term and wanting to start at UW–Madison during the summer term should sign up for Transfer Early Start Program (TESP). The Transfer Early Start Program structure will provide SOAR advising for both summer and fall (prior to summer courses starting in early June), summer course options, information related to cost and available scholarships for summer term, and allow you to meet fellow transfer students. Additional Transfer Early Start Program information will be emailed to you after you are offered admission. Final spring grades and transcripts (#8 & #9 below) must be received by the Office of Admissions and Recruitment prior to starting summer courses.
9. Self-Report Final Grades
Applicants are expected to self-report their final grades when prompted by email. In order to self-report, applicants must report their grades exactly as they appear on an official transcript or grade report that was issued by their school.
10. Send Us Your Final Transcript(s)
Make sure to request a final official transcript be sent to our office by the deadline below, after your final grades are posted.
Final Transcript Deadlines
| Admit Term | Final Transcript Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall First-Year Students | July 10 |
| Fall Transfer Students (semester schools) | June 14 |
| Fall Transfer Students (quarter schools and international schools) | July 10 |
| Spring First-Year Students | January 1 |
| Spring Transfer Students (semester schools) | January 4 |
| Spring Transfer Students (quarter schools) | January 4 |
| Summer Students | June 9* |
*This date is for the June 19 start. Summer term has multiple start dates. Final official documents must be received by our office at least seven days before the start of the summer term you will be taking coursework in.
It is very important that you successfully complete the course work entered on your application. A curriculum change could affect your admission status, and declining grades may be cause for revoking admission.
11. Send Your AP/CLEP/IB Scores
If you have scores from the AP, CLEP, or IB exams, you might be eligible to receive course credit for your scores. Request that the College Board or International Baccalaureate program send official scores directly to our office.
12. Connect With UW–Madison on Social Media
Connect with us on social media to meet other transfer students starting classes and get helpful information and tips for your transition to our university.
“Like” the Transfer Transition Program Facebook page to see transfer-specific updates on important deadlines, campus events, and useful resources.
Additional Checklist Items for International Students
In addition to our freshman and transfer Admitted Student Checklists, our international students have some additional steps to complete before arriving on campus, including information on obtaining your visa, the I-20 process, and additional information for your visa.