University of Wisconsin-Madison

If you are planning on applying to UW Madison, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 15 and the fee for the application is $60.

Students who apply to UW Madison for the fall semester should anticipate a decision by March 31.

UW Madison Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of UW Madison's admissions stats.

UW Madison 2022	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.9
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	49%
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	15%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	46%
Waitlist	Yes

University of Wisconsin-Madison Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	No	––	––
Early Decision II	––	––	––
Early Action	Yes	November 1	January 31
Regular Decision	Yes	January 1	March 31

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Considering Applying Early to UW Madison?

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UW Madison does not offer early decision but does offer early action.

🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. UW Madison will release EA admissions decisions no later than January 31.

➡️ Discover a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on University of Wisconsin-Madison Admissions

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Is UW Madison Difficult To Get Into?

Getting into UW Madison is very difficult. UW Madison evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, UW Madison accepted 60% of all applicants, about 32,466 of the 53,829 students who applied.

Schools that are very difficult to get into, like UW Madison, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.

Transferring to University of Wisconsin-Madison

Transfer student admissions is moderately difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to UW Madison

In 2022, UW Madison waitlisted 8,128 students and 4,335 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 14 eventually got off the waitlist.

What Does UW Madison Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when determining who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college has a different way of determining which factors are are most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis on the areas where you shine.

Admissions Factors at UW Madison

Wondering what factors are considered by UW Madison during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Application Essay	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Academic GPA	Important
Recommendation(s)	Important
State Residency	Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Considered
Class Rank	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Extracurricular Activities	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Talent/Ability	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

Make sure to check with UW Madison for more information on admission factors.

UW Madison Application Requirements

To apply to UW Madison, all applicants must submit the following items. Check in with UW Madison's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview
Letter(s) of Recommendation		2
Transcript(S) of College Record
Standardized Test Scores
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√
Transcript of High School Record	√

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into UW Madison?

Students admitted to UW Madison have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.

Out of all students that were admitted, 30% submitted a class rank. At UW Madison 49% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 86% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At University of Wisconsin-Madison, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	45%
3.75 and 3.99	36%
3.50 and 3.74	14%
3.25 and 3.49	4%
3.00 and 3.24	1%
2.50 and 2.9	––
2.00 and 2.49	––

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to UW Madison directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

UW Madison looks at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

UW Madison is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 15% of UW Madison's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 46% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for UW Madison?

To be competitive with other UW Madison applicants, you should strive to score between 1350 and 1480 (or higher!) on the SAT. At UW Madison 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1480 and 25% of scored lower than 1350, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of UW Madison students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 650 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of UW Madison students scored 730 or higher, and 75% scored a 650 or higher.

What is a Good ACT Score for UW Madison?

To be most competitive at UW Madison, you should strive to earn between 28 and 32 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 32 means you fall in the 75th percentile for UW Madison's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 32, and three out of four students scored lower than 32 on the ACT.

A 28 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for UW Madison students. Only one out of every four students scored below 28.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

More Information on Transferring to University of Wisconsin-Madison

For transfer students, it is moderately difficult to get admitted to UW Madison.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by April 30.

Transfer students can enroll in UW Madison during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Spring Term

• Summer Term

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UW Madison Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to UW Madison?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to UW Madison.

Does UW Madison accept transfer credits?

✅ UW Madison accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions. UW Madison accepts:

• CLEP subject tests

Does UW Madison accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ UW Madison accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to UW Madison?

❌ No, UW Madison is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If your scores are higher than the school's average, you should strongly consider submitting them. If your scores are average or below average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is UW Madison's acceptance rate?

✅ UW Madison has an acceptance rate of 60%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at UW Madison?

❌ UW Madison does not offer early decision.

Want To Learn More About UW Madison?

Choose one of the options below to find out more about about UW Madison:

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