The University of Wisconsin is a world-class university and admission is both competitive and selective.

Our international admission counselors review each application individually and are looking for students who demonstrate strong academic ability in a competitive secondary school program. We consider the characteristics of your national system of education, level and stream of studies completed, quality of achievement, and type of institution(s) attended. Other personal characteristics that will contribute to the strength and diversity of our university are also considered.

The majority of students enter as freshmen: first-year university students who have completed secondary school but have not pursued university-level studies. To be considered for freshman admission, international students must meet the following requirements. (Please click here for a complete application checklist.)

Academic Course Preparation

Academic preparation, and specifically the strength of your high school coursework, is the primary consideration for admission. To be considered for admission, you must complete a minimum of 17 units within the five traditional academic areas (literature, mathematics, physical and biological sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages) as listed below.

Admission is competitive. We generally expect students to enroll in the most competitive academic program they can within their system of education.

^* Math requirement includes at least one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced math, or an integrated sequence of courses.

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Academic Records & Class Rank

Applicants are expected to achieve a high level of performance in the course work they pursue and an increasingly strong academic record. We ask for the academic records of your last four years of secondary school (typically grades 9–12). In addition to internal academic records/transcripts, we ask for all external examination certificates, if applicable to your education system. We also ask for your GPA or class rank, if applicable to your education system. Academic records must be official in the original language, with an unofficial English translation, if necessary.

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Test Scores

ACT/SAT
Either the ACT or the SAT is required. We consider the highest composite score obtained in a single test administration as your “official” score, although we will look at all scores reported in an effort to get a true sense of your achievement. We must receive your test scores directly from the testing service. Our test codes are 4656 for the ACT and 1846 for the SAT.

TOEFL OR IELTS
Students for whom English is not their first language, and who have studied in a language other than English must take an official test of English as a foreign language. UW–Madison accepts both the TOEFL and the IELTS tests. These tests are meant to give our admission counselors a more accurate reading of the applicant’s English level. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test, 213 on the computer test, or 80 on the Internet-based test is required. The minimum score for the IELTS test is 6.0. We must receive all TOEFL and IELTS scores directly from the testing service. Our TOEFL test code is 1846.

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Extracurricular Commitments

Numbers alone do not determine admissibility. We look for students with special or unique talents, who give of themselves, and who learn outside the classroom as well as inside. There is space on our application to list your activities and employment experiences. We also have two personal statements, and we’d like to see two letters of recommendation as well. Use these aspects of your applications to give us a sense of your character, service, leadership, talents, and interests.

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Freshman Vs. Transfer Admission

You will likely not be considered for freshman admission if you:

• Have begun a post-secondary program of study. In this case, you should consider applying for transfer admission to UW–Madison
• Completed your secondary-level studies in a country that requires a total of less than 12 years of formal education before entering a university
• Pursued an academic stream in commerce, social studies, or language at the secondary level

In the cases of the second and third bullets above, your pattern of course work will likely not be competitive with that of other first-year students. We recommend you begin your university education elsewhere and apply for transfer admission to UW–Madison in the future.

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