What Else Is Important? Frequently Asked Questions

UW–Madison’s application review process is holistic. Students who have continually challenged themselves in the curriculum available in their schools would be considered competitive applicants and may be a good fit for the university. That could include: taking honors, advanced placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes  in core areas of math, English, science, social studies, and foreign language (when available) and receiving A/B grades in those classes; and sustaining commitments outside the classroom (extracurricular activities, work, family responsibilities, leadership). We also look for student who will live out the Wisconsin Idea – our guiding principal that what is learned here should go beyond the walls of our classroom to positively impact our state, country, and the world.

First-Year Application and Materials Deadlines

Decision Plan	Application Deadline	Materials Deadline	Decision Release
Spring Regular Decision	October 1	October 15	On or before December 31
Fall Early Action	November 1	November 8	On or before January 31
Fall Regular Decision	January 15	January 22	On or before March 31

First-year fall and spring term applications open August 1.

Applications and all required application materials must arrive in our office by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the noted deadline dates.

Please note that it may take up to 72 hours for our system to reflect that you have submitted an application; you will receive an email the next business day acknowledging its receipt.

Students who submit their application within 5 days of the deadline will not receive a reminder of materials that are missing from their application.

Early Action is non-binding. You’ll receive your admissions decision earlier but will not be required to commit until the national deadline of May 1.

 

Transfer Application and Materials Deadlines

Decision Plan	Application Opens	Application Deadline	Materials Deadline	Decision Release
Spring Regular Decision	August 1	October 1	October 15	On or before December 31
Fall Priority Decision	December 1	February 1	February 17	On or before March 31
Fall Regular Decision	December 1	March 1	March 17	On or before April 30

Applications and all required application materials must arrive in our office by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the noted deadline dates.

Please note that it may take up to 72 hours for our system to reflect that you have submitted an application; you will receive an email the next business day acknowledging its receipt.

Students who submit their application within 5 days of the deadline will not receive a reminder of materials that are missing from their application.

As a public, state flagship institution, we have a Board of Regents responsibility to in-state students that compels us to make 3,600 of our incoming student population Wisconsin state residents. The remaining seats in our incoming freshman class are made up of students from across the country and around the world.

“First generation” is defined by the Universities of Wisconsin as neither parent having graduated with a bachelor’s degree (i.e., four-year undergraduate degree from a higher education institution).

Students are not required to live on campus at UW–Madison, but over 90 percent of our freshmen do. There are over 20 residence halls on campus and a variety of off-campus housing options throughout the area.

We offer over 1,000 student organizations, along with Big 10 Badger sports, intramurals and sport clubs, arts and cultural opportunities (like concerts, comedians, and movie nights), and tons of other opportunities to meet new people and try new things!

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is available each year. Students may apply online at fafsa.gov before or after they submit an application for admission. Note that the family income information (i.e., federal income tax) is used from the prior tax year.

The FAFSA opens on October 1 each year, and UW–Madison’s priority deadline is December 1.

Students should explore scholarship opportunities through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) to find all scholarships that applicants may be eligible for. Students do not need to be accepted to apply for scholarships. The deadline for most scholarships is February 1.

Students who are undocumented or international cannot submit a FAFSA but may be eligible for partial tuition scholarships. For questions or more information, contact 608-262-3060 or email finaid@finaid.wisc.edu.

Yes!

We are also a great resource for your specific questions. We are open for financial aid questions, even for students who do not necessarily plan to attend UW–Madison. Students and families may visit our website at financialaid.wisc.edu to learn about events and drop-in hours and locations for students and families seeking additional information.

Bucky’s Tuition Promise guarantees scholarships and grants to pay for tuition and segregated fees for Wisconsin state resident students whose household adjusted gross income (AGI) is $65,000 or less. First-year students may receive this financial support for eight consecutive semesters, while transfer students may receive the support for four consecutive semesters.

Badger Promise guarantees a period of free tuition and segregated fees to Wisconsin resident, first-generation students who have successfully transferred from any of the two-year Universities of Wisconsin branch campuses or from liberal arts associate degree programs at Madison College (Madison Area Technical College), Milwaukee Area Technical College, and other UW–Madison partner institutions.

No. Each of these opportunities requires Wisconsin residency, determined by state statute, which is typically not provided to DACA or undocumented students. Each also requires a FAFSA, which cannot be completed by a DACA or undocumented student. However, there are a number of smaller scholarships available for which students may apply that do not require FAFSA eligibility.