Admission Application Process
Information regarding the admission process, deadlines, and application instructions is different for freshman students and transfer students. If you are applying from a school that does not use a US curriculum, we have provided information about necessary documentation.
All international applicants are required to submit official transcripts, which are the equivalent of grades 9-12, for all schools. They must be in the original language and include an official English translation. This translation cannot be done by the applicant. All students must complete their studies and earn their respective credentials (certificates, diplomas, etc.) before you can enroll.
China
Applicants from China (People's Republic of China) must submit original secondary school transcripts for the following years:
Junior Middle School (grade 9)
Senior Middle School (grades 10, 11)
If you have completed high school:
Official transcripts for Junior and Senior Middle school, along with your graduation certificate
TOEFL or IELTS Scores
Freshmen: Freshman applicants from non-English speaking countries must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score, unless English was the language of instruction for all courses in all years of secondary school.
Transfer students: Transfer applicants from non-English speaking countries must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score, unless they have completed a college level English composition course at a US college or university.
Waiver: If you feel that you qualify for a TOEFL or IELTS waiver based upon the requirements above, please submit all required transcripts to our office as soon as possible. Once your transcripts are marked as "Received" in your Student Center, please send an email to our office and a counselor will determine if the waiver criteria are met.
Generally, admitted students have an Internet-based TOEFL score in the 95-105 range (587-620 on the paper-based test) or an IELTS score of 6.5-7.5. Our TOEFL test code is 1846. TOEFL must be submitted electronically from the testing service. We do not accept the IELTS electronically. Please have a paper copy of your results sent to our office through the mail.
Financing Your Education
The cost of attendance is the total amount of tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, and other estimated school expenses. Scholarships@UW–Madison features a list of academic and merit opportunities offered by schools and colleges within the university. Students applying for the fall term do not need to submit financial documentation at the time of application. Enrolling students requesting documentation for an F-1 visa must submit the Financial Verification Form.
Transfer Credit
Our international admissions counselors review all international academic records for transfer credit. Once a student has been admitted and has confirmed enrollment, our counselors evaluate international course work and appropriately transfer all transferable credit to UW–Madison. Admitted international students requesting transfer credit must submit detailed course descriptions in both the original language and English when confirming their enrollment.
All incoming international transfer students will be asked to complete our ESLAT (English as a Second Language Assessment Test) placement test before attending orientation. The Office of Admissions and Recruitment will only grant credit for previously completed English coursework in the US if the student tests into or places out of our English 118 course.
