The University of Wisconsin-Madison is the main campus of the University of Wisconsin (UW) System. Its founding in 1848 was the result of a Wisconsin constitutional provision, mandating the institution of a state university within the state capital.
Situated over 900 acres, the university is home to eight different schools and colleges, offering more than 5,000 courses as well as Honors programs for outstanding students. At least 2,000 faculty members comprise the UW-Madison schools of Education, Human Ecology, Nursing, Pharmacy, the Wisconsin School of Business as well as the colleges of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Letters and Science, and Engineering.
Also distinguished as one of the best universities in the world, UW-Madison is a premier research university; offering various research grants and fellowships to its students. Alongside these is an annual research program called Pathways Scholars, an eight-week long training on research and writing that is funded in full and conducted by UW-Madison each summer for qualified applicants.
Opportunities for attending any of more than a hundred overseas academic programs are also provided. The Study Abroad Resource Center assists students with application processes, finding financial support, and other matters pertinent to studying in foreign countries.
Scholarships, loans, and student employment programs are handled by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Information on available merits and grants as well as current job openings, both in and out of the campus, are provided by this office.
Residential halls at UW-Madison house about 7,000 students each year. A housing listing service is also accessible for students who prefer other housing options such as private residences, apartments or condominiums in nearby areas.
Several museums and theaters are located within campus, providing venues for numerous cultural events and artistic performances. There is tremendous participation in collegiate sports, with the Wisconsin Badgers representing the university in several athletic events such as football, basketball, and ice hockey. Campus security is overseen by the UW Police Department, also located within university grounds.
Admission Requirements & Details
The information regarding admissions below may provide a better idea of the students University of Wisconsin – Madison accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any AP or college credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- Dual Credits
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
Total enrollment at University of Wisconsin – Madison is around 43,000 students, where graduate students make up roughly 15% of the student body.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $16,100. In order to calculate a more accurate and detailed cost of attendance check out their cost calculator here. There is also a $44 application fee for those applying to a program. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Tuition estimates per year:
- In-State Tuition: $9,300-$11,000
- Nonresident Student Tuition: $29,000-$34,230
- Part-time students are charged:
- In-State: $390-$460 per unit
- Out-of-State: $1,200-$1,400 per unit
Financial Aid Details
The table listed below helps break down the types of financial aid students receive and the percent receiving aid, as well as the average amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 67% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 51% | $5,999 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 40% | $7,294 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help students and recent graduates, University of Wisconsin – Madison may offer student services like those listed below:- Online classes
- Academic counseling for students
- Work study style employment
- Assistance to find work
- Child care
Graduation Rates
University of Wisconsin – Madison has a high graduation rate when compared to nearby similar schools.
| Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
|---|---|
| Students Graduating in 4 Years | 55% |
| Graduating in 5 Years | 24% |
| Graduating in 6 Years | 3% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Art and Design Program
- Clinical Audiology (Au.D.) Program
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Counseling Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Dietetics Program
- Law Program
- Medical (M.D.) Program
- Music Program
- Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program
- Nursing (MSN, DSN) Program
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Program
- Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) Program
- Graduate Level Public Health (Outside School of Public Health) Program
- Radiology Technician Program
- School Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Speech-Language Pathology Program
- Theatre Program
- Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) Program
Intercollegiate Athletics
University of Wisconsin – Madison is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports belonging to the NCAA Division I-A classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Basketball (Big Ten Conference)
- Track and Field (Big Ten Conference)
- Football (Big Ten Conference)
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by University of Wisconsin – Madison by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Agriculture Operations
- Agricultural Communication (B, M)
- Agricultural Business and Management (B)
- Food Science (B, D, M)
- Animal Science (B, D, M)
- Agricultural Economics (B, D, M)
- Dairy Science (B, D, M)
- Agronomy and Crop Science (B, D)
- Horticultural Science (B, D, M)
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture (M)
- Soil Science and Agronomy (B, M)
- Poultry Science
Architecture
- Urban Planning (D, M)
- Landscape Architect (B, M)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B)
- Biochemistry (B, D, M)
- Zoology (B, D, M)
- Microbiology (B, D, M)
- Genetics (B, D, M)
- Microbiology and Immunology (B)
- Molecular Biology (B, D, M)
- Biotechnology (M)
- Conservation Biology (B)
- Pharmacology and Toxicology (B)
- Neuroscience (D)
- Oncology and Cancer Biology (D, M)
- Botany (B, D, M)
- Plant Pathology, Phytopathology (B, D, M)
- Plant Genetics (D, M)
- Entomology (B, D, M)
- Human Genetics (M)
- Pathology, Experimental Pathology (D)
- Pharmacology (D, M)
- Environmental Toxicology (D)
- Biophysics (D, M)
- Physiology (D)
- Endocrinology (D, M)
- Biometry, Biometrics (M)
- Epidemiology (D)
- Molecular Biochemistry
Business and Marketing Studies
- Finance (B, M)
- Advertising and Marketing (B, M)
- Accounting (B, M)
- Business Administration (B, M)
- Commerce (D, M)
- Retailing and Retail Operations (B)
- Real Estate (B, M)
- Risk Management and Insurance (B)
- Insurance (B, M)
- Financial Planning (B)
- Operations Management (B, M)
- International Business (B)
- Sales Manager (M)
- Information Systems (B)
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (B, D, M)
- Journalism (B, M)
- Media Studies (D)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer (B, D, M)
Education
- Elementary Education (B)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (D, M)
- Curriculum and Instruction (D, M)
- Special Education (B, D, M)
- Music Teacher Education (B)
- Bilingual and Multilingual Education (D)
- Social Studies Teacher Education (B)
- Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education (D, M)
- Art Teacher Education (B, M)
- Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education (B)
- Science Teacher (B)
- Guidance Counselor
- Adult and Continuing Education
- Mathematics Teacher Education
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Civil Engineering (B, D, M)
- Biomedical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Industrial Engineering (B, D, M)
- Chemical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering (B, D, M)
- Engineering (B, M)
- Computer Engineering (B)
- Nuclear Engineering (B, D, M)
- Materials Engineering (B, D, M)
- Systems Engineering (M)
- Engineering Mechanics (B, D, M)
- Geological and Geophysical Engineering (B, M)
- Engineering Physics (B)
- Environmental and Environmental Health Engineering
English Language and Literature
- English (B, D, M)
- Creative Writing (M)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- Women's Studies (B, M)
- Asian Studies (B)
- Latin American and Caribbean Studies (B, M)
- South Asian Studies (B, M)
- East Russian Language and Literature (M)
- Scandinavian Studies (B, D)
- African-American Black Studies (B, M)
- Southeast Asian Studies (M)
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Family Studies (B)
- Family and Community Services (B)
- Consumer Economics (B)
- Family and Consumer Sciences (D, M)
- Apparel and Textiles (B)
- Family and Consumer Sciences and Communication
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Spanish Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- French Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Germanic Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Classical Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, D)
- Chinese Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- Japanese Language and Literature (B, M)
- Russian Language and Literature (B)
- Italian Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Portuguese Language and Literature (B, M)
- Comparative Literature (B, D, M)
- Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (D)
- Polish Language and Literature (B)
- Hebrew Language and Literature (B, D, M)
- Latin Language and Literature
Health and Clinical Professions
- Nursing (B, D, M)
- Medicine (D)
- Pharmacy (D)
- Veterinary Medicine (D)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (B, D, M)
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling (B, D, M)
- Physician Assistant (M)
- Physical Therapy (D)
- Public Health (M)
- Health Physics (D, M)
- Occupational Therapy (M)
- Nursing Practice (D)
- Audiology, Hearing Sciences (D)
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine (D, M)
- Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology (D, M)
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design (D, M)
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration (M)
- Medical Scientist (D, M)
- Pharmacy Administration, Policy and Regulatory Affairs (D, M)
- Medical Technology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Veterinary Sciences
History
- History (B, D, M)
- History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (B, D, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- International and Global Studies (B)
- Nutrition (B, D)
Legal Professions and Studies
- Law (D)
- Legal Studies (B, M)
- Advanced Legal Research (D, M)
Library Science
- Library Science, Librarianship (M)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (B, D, M)
- Statistics (B, D, M)
- Applied Mathematics (B)
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental Studies (B)
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (B, D, M)
- Environmental Science (B)
- Land Use Planning and Management or Development (D, M)
- Environmental and Wildlife Management (M)
- Forest Sciences and Biology (B)
- Forestry (D, M)
- Water, Wetlands and Marine Resources Management (M)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D, M)
- Religious Studies (B)
- Jewish and Judaic Studies
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry (B, D, M)
- Physics (B, D, M)
- Geology (B, D, M)
- Meteorology (B, D, M)
- Astrophysics (B)
- Astronomy (D, M)
- Oceanography, Chemical and Physical (D, M)
- Environmental Chemistry (D, M)
- Geophysics and Seismology (M)
Psychology
- Psychology (B, D, M)
- Educational Psychology (D, M)
- Counseling Psychology (D, M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (B, D, M)
- Public Policy (M)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
- Kinesiology And Exercise Science (B, D, M)
Social Sciences
- Economics (B, D, M)
- Political Science (B, D, M)
- Sociology (B, D, M)
- Anthropology (B, D, M)
- Rural Sociology (B)
- Geography (B, D, M)
- International Relations (M)
- Cartography and GIS (B, M)
- Development Economics and International Development
Visual and Performing Arts
- Art Studies (B, M)
- Art History (B, D, M)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B, D, M)
- Interior Design (B)
- Music Performance (B, D, M)
- Dance (B)
- Music (B, D, M)
- Arts Management (M)
Other 4-Year Public Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to University of Wisconsin – Madison.
- University of Wisconsin - Whitewater in Whitewater, WI (37 miles away)
- University of Wisconsin - Platteville in Platteville, WI (53 miles away)
- University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in Milwaukee, WI (77 miles away)
- University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh in Oshkosh, WI (78 miles away)
- University of Wisconsin - Parkside in Kenosha, WI (84 miles away)
Also, you can compare schools by looking through our list of colleges & universities:
- Browse through our complete list of colleges in Wisconsin
- Find out what other state universities are located in Wisconsin