Apply as a Second Degree Student

School/College Specific Information

You may not apply as an undecided second degree applicant. Additionally, your application is reviewed for your first choice major only. Second choice majors are not considered in the review process.

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College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences accepts second degree applicants.

Majors in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Wisconsin School of Business

The Wisconsin School of Business does not accept second degree applicants.

School of Education

The School of Education accepts second degree applicants.

  • Art Education: If you are applying as an Education Special Student for certification in art education, please apply as a second degree-seeking student with art education as your intended major.

Majors in the School of Education

College of Engineering

The College of Engineering does not accept second degree applicants.

School of Human Ecology

The School of Human Ecology accepts second degree applicants.

  • Interior Architecture: Please note that students are admitted as Pre-Interior Architecture. Please refer to the IA Admission & Information site for more information.

Majors in the School of Human Ecology

College of Letters & Science

Only students whose first undergraduate degree is NOT a liberal arts degree are eligible to earn a second undergraduate degree in the College of Letters & Science.  Please refer to the L&S Second Undergraduate Degree site for more information.

The Computer Science major does not admit any second-undergraduate-degree candidates, regardless of the nature of their prior degree.  Computer Science recommends that students explore the Professional Capstone Certificate Program or the Professional Master’s Program.  Contact the Professional Programs Coordinator for more information by email at pcp-admissions@cs.wisc.edu or by phone at 608-264-0712.

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing accepts second degree applicants. Please note that there are two applications for the following programs—one for the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and one for the School of Nursing.

  • Accelerated BSN*: Second degree applicants to the Accelerated BSN program may only apply for the summer term.
  • Traditional BSN: Second degree applicants to the Traditional BSN program may only apply for the fall term and cannot be admitted as Pre-Nursing.

Applying to the accelerated BSN program disqualifies a candidate from also applying to the traditional BSN program during the same calendar year.

* Students applying to the Accelerated BSN are not required to submit a letter of recommendation.

Majors in the School of Nursing

School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy accepts second degree applicants.

Majors in the School of Pharmacy

Application Deadlines

The fall and spring term applications open August 1. The following deadlines pertain to both domestic and international applicants. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the noted deadline dates.

Application Terms Applications Deadlines Materials Deadlines Decision Notifications
Spring Term October 1 October 16 On or before December 31
Summer Term (Accelerated BSN only) October 1 October 16 On or before December 31
Fall Term March 1 March 15 On or before May 31

For technical issues with the application, please contact UW HELP at 800-442-6459 or uwhelp@uwex.edu. If you have any further questions or problems with this process, email onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu.

How to Apply

You must apply as a second degree student using the UW System Application. Please note that you will have the opportunity to indicate that you have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher and are looking to earn a second bachelor’s degree.

You may not apply as an undecided second degree applicant. Additionally, your application is reviewed for your first choice major only. Second choice majors are not considered in the review process.

Application Materials

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Application Fee

The application fee is not required if your last school attended was/is a UW System institution and it is within one year of enrollment as a degree seeking student at that institution.

Those who do not meet the above criteria must submit a $70.00 fee with their application.

Test Scores

Scores from either the ACT or the SAT are not required of second undergraduate degree-seeking students.

Second Degree applicants educated in non-English speaking countries must submit a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (DET) score unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school or a college level English composition course was successfully completed at an accredited US institution. This requirement will not be waived for English composition taken at U.S. branch campuses abroad.

All English proficiency exams should be sent electronically, directly from the testing service.

We do not superscore any English Proficiency exam and score reports cannot be older than 2 years from the time you apply.

Duolingo English Test (DET)

  • Minimum accepted score: 105+.
  • When submitting your score(s): Search category should be “Undergraduate,” then select “University of Wisconsin–Madison.”
  • Please do not send to offices listed under “Other,” as we are unable to retrieve those scores.
  • The DET should be sent with sub-scores.

IELTS

  • Minimum accepted score: 6.5+.
  • When submitting your score(s): IELTS does not require a code. Select our account name, “University of Wisconsin, Madison Undergraduate.”
  • Please do not send paper copies of your IELTS scores.
  • We do accept the IELTS Indicator. Please reach out to onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu with your IELTS Indicator Score ID.

TOEFL iBT:

  • Minimum accepted score: 80+.
  • When submitting your score(s): TOEFL test code is 1846.
  • We do not accept “MyBest” score from TOEFL nor any English Proficiency exam.
  • For each TOEFL you submit, we will require the full score report. Wisconsin does not accept the TOEFL iTP Plus for China but we will accept the iBT Special Home Edition.

If you feel that you qualify for an English Proficiency Exam waiver based upon the requirements above, please submit all required transcripts to our office. Other test scores such as ACT, SAT, or AP (Advanced Placement) scores do not meet the requirements for a waiver. Once your transcripts are received in our office (are no longer displayed on your to-do list in your Student Center), we will determine your waiver eligibility. Waivers will not be processed prior to receipt of both the admissions application and transcripts.

Essays

We ask you to answer the following questions on your application, each in the form of an essay.

  • This part is all about you. Tell us about something you’ve done—academically or personally—and what you’ve learned from it. Was it a success or a challenge? Did it represent a turning point in your life? How did this particular moment in your life influence you, and how will it continue to influence you as you pursue your college education?
  • Tell us why you would like to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest.

Transcripts

If you completed your first undergraduate degree at UW–Madison, you do not need to resubmit your high school transcript or college transcript for course work completed at UW–Madison.

If you completed your first undergraduate degree, or any additional coursework, at an institution other than UW–Madison, you must submit official transcripts from each college or university. The transcripts should include all college-level course work completed to date. Students applying from outside the United States can find country-specific official transcript requirements here.

We also require official high school transcript(s), sent to us by your school. We review your high school record to check for proof of graduation, the completion of core preparation requirements, and to learn more about your educational background. Students that attended secondary school outside the U.S. can find required documents listed by country here.

In order for a transcript to be official, a paper transcript sent to our office must bear an official school seal or be printed on the school’s custom watermarked/security paper. Official or unofficial transcripts sent by a student, family member, or counselor via email, will NOT be accepted. They will NOT meet the course and grade requirement and should not be sent. Electronic transcripts must be submitted through a secure, approved document sending service such as Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, SCOIR, Credentials Solutions, Naviance, Common Application, E-Scrip Safe, Xello, or Scribsoft to etranscripts@admissions.wisc.edu.

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 faculty member or school advisor. Remember to 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 to request a letter of recommendation from someone who can speak to their 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.

Your recommender can use our online recommendation form. Recommendations that are mailed to our office must include the applicant’s full name, birth date, and campus ID number (if known).

* Students applying to the Accelerated BSN are not required to submit a letter of recommendation.