Founded in 1848, University of Wisconsin-Madison. is a Public college. Located in Wisconsin, which is a city setting in Wisconsin, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 30,958 full time undergraduate students, and 11,624 full time graduate students.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 18:1. There are 2127 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at University of Wisconsin-Madison include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
52%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
60
SAT Range
1200-1420
ACT Range
27-31
Admissions at UW are considered Selective, with ,213% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 20 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 94% were in the top quarter, and 58% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
1%
“We”re apathetic”
6%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
36%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
11%
“Sometimes, but not often”
58%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
26%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
16%
“I only go out in groups”
56%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
27%
“I feel extremely safe”
1%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
4%
“We bought the gear”
95%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
19%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
17%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
13%
“Available in class”
68%
“They keep regular office hours”
16%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
37%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
58%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
2%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
1%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
29%
“We only party on weekends”
69%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
2%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
42%
“There might be people who do”
48%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
8%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
1%
“We”re apathetic”
6%
“We know about current events and vote”
57%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
36%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
5%
“We save it for the classroom”
11%
“Sometimes, but not often”
58%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
26%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
16%
“I only go out in groups”
56%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
27%
“I feel extremely safe”
1%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
4%
“We bought the gear”
95%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
19%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
60%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
17%
“We”re a very artistic group”
3%
“Haven”t met them”
13%
“Available in class”
68%
“They keep regular office hours”
16%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
37%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
58%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
2%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
365 Students rated on-campus housing 3.6 stars. 17 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
285 Students rated off-campus housing 3.5 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
381 Students rated campus food 3.6 stars. 23 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
390 Students rated campus facilities 4.2 stars. 40 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
392 Students rated class size 3.6 stars. 19 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
389 Students rated school activities 4.4 stars. 55 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
392 Students rated local services 3.9 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
392 Students rated academics 4.3 stars. 52 % gave the school a 5.0.
University of Wisconsin-Madison REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of University of Wisconsin-Madison?
119 Students rated University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mikaylah
I personally really enjoy Madison. I had really struggled at the beginning of the school year because while the academics are very good and prestigious, the classes are fairly difficult. As the school year went on, I started to get the hang of things and I had finally started to warm up to Madison. Living in Madison is super fun and there are so many interesting and exciting things to do and try. Everyone is very friendly and supportive so making friends was easy and super great.
William
It's an extremely diverse campus. Lot's of opportunities to get involved in something or find things to do. Lot's of housing options on and off campus. There is something for anyone at the University of Wisconsin. There is a lot of pride and tradition in being a Badger.
Bodhi Pavlik
UW-Madison boasts a diverse array of academic programs spanning numerous disciplines, including STEM fields, humanities, social sciences, and the arts. The university's faculty comprises distinguished scholars, researchers, and experts who are leaders in their respective fields. Students benefit from rigorous academic curricula, innovative teaching methods, and access to state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, and resources. Additionally, UW-Madison's emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration fosters a dynamic learning environment conducive to intellectual growth and exploration.
Erika
I do think UW Madison is a great school. My only criticism is that there isn't enough on campus housing for students and the university is not very diverse. As a minority, I do feel left out in classes, groups, and parties. It's a little harder to meet people at first but eventually people open up to me.
Rachel
UW is definitely the work-hard/party-hard university in Wisconsin.
As an anthropology major, I found my department to be quite small and intimate. My capstone seminar, which you take senior year, was about 15 students, and the graduating class of 2022 was about 30 students. What that meant for me was that I saw the same familiar faces pretty regularly throughout the school year, and the anthropology professors knew my name. That was extremely helpful.
Freshmen at UW will definitely take time to adjust. It's a huge school with a lot of opportunities to remain anonymous and unnoticed, which can be intoxicating, debilitating, or a mixture of both. No one cares if you trip on the sidewalk on accident - everyone is too busy to notice or care. In terms of getting involved, there's clubs for every interest, and opportunities almost every day or night to meet people, whether in the dorms, dining halls, unions, or in class.
I had a rather difficult college journey, and if you end up struggling, the University will not "care" or reach out unless you do first. This makes it daunting for students and families seeking help with enrollment status or financial aid. But the help is there. You just have to look for it. The individuals I spoke with were concerned with my well-being and my overall experience with the university, but as a faceless institution, UW was indifferent.
Overall, I did enjoy my time at UW. I highly encourage prospective students to take a tour of campus, whether guided by the official tour guides, or on your own. On the day to day, there's plenty of cozy study spots, whether well-known or tucked away. Lots of food options and shopping round out the student experience. Not to mention the crazy, wild, enthralling sports events. Ultimately, your time at UW will depend on what you take advantage of.
Noel
A university that is top notch! It is the top school to get into in Wisconsin and I understand why. It would be a privilege to be a graduate from this university because of the diverse programs offered and I look forward to the challenge! On Wisconsin!
Elise
UW-Madison is a big school, and very into the sports and party scene. If that is what you are looking for, you will always be able to find a sporting or other event. It also has strong academics, with many majors, internships, and research opportunities. A couple of drawbacks are the expensive and difficult to find off campus housing, sprawling campus, and lack of free parking anywhere. It is also big so you have to put in effort to join clubs or find groups to create a friend network. I believe most people who attend are happy with their choice, as there are a broad range of reasons why people chose this college, and all of those aspects live up to their reputation.
Ethan
UW-Madison is an amazing school and I absolutely loved my visit! There are incredible academics and strong school spirit which gives the students the opportunity to make the large school feel smaller and a chance to embrace everything the school and the city have to offer!
Sarah
For academics and research it is a top school, full of top professors and opportunities. There is also a variety of social activities and scenes, with a ton of student organizations and clubs. Greek culture here is like how it's shown in the movies, if that is appealing or not. People say that people at UW-Madison party as hard as they study, and they do both of those pretty hard.
Ashley
I was excited to come here for the many research opportunities and UW's reputation. However during my time here I've discovered that UW-Madison is a performative institution that claims to invest in the futures of its students, but in fact does the exact opposite. They don't support students with diverse identities, refuse to divest from the fossil fuel industry, and worst of all, pretend to care about us and our futures even though they don't. This institution is actively participating in the death of our planet and disregards the current and future wellbeing of humans just to make a profit. I would recommend staying as far away from this institution as possible.
Rachel
I am currently a junior at UW-Madison and getting my B.S. in Genetics and Genomics. I chose to go to Madison as I want to go to graduate school and hope to find a career in research. Madison is well known for its many research labs and opportunities on campus, so getting experience in a lab setting was easy to do, and I had many options. However, once coming to Madison, I have seen many, many ways in which the campus (and the entire UW system) is actively contributing to climate change by not taking sustainable measures around the campuses. The UW foundation is investing in fossil fuel infrastructure, which is then funding the very projects (eg; Line 3) that their students are actively protesting. There are multiple clubs, and many students, on the Madison campus that have repeatedly asked the University to divest away from fossil fuels and commit to cleaner, renewable energy programs that have been ignored. I will not recommend UW-Madison, or any of the other UW campuses, until they have all divested from fossil fuels and invested in their students' futures.
Dmitri
UW-Madison is a wonderful place of higher learning. I've enjoyed my time here thus far and I encourage anyone who is interested to look into the opportunities presented. The university is one of only 5 public universities with all academic departments ranked 30th or better in the nation; there are only 6 private universities that make this list. Academic departments used for the ranking are business and engineering (undergrad); biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, economics, education, English, history, math, physics, political science, psychology, and sociology (graduate level).
Emma
I have loved every second of being here, every person you meet is completely different and there's always things to do. Work hard play hard has never been more representative of a school. Due to COVID, I still haven't been able to experience all I have wanted to so I don't feel that my review will hold true in a few years, (the food is probably better under difference circumstances and clubs are more active etc).
Zeke
A bloated bureaucracy that doesn't have the resources or the care to help its undergrads succeed. I started college at 17 after being a successful high school student and couldn't get enough financial aid and worked 30 hours a week for rent and expenses during my engineering degree, and left the university with a 1.8 GPA. I transferred to another UW school for computer science and have a 4.0 now. This school made me hate myself, but in reality, it is a parasitic institution with 300 person classes and a lack of sufficient advisement. They pump money into things nobody cares about while neglecting their students and staff.
Bel
There are a bunch of intelligent, respected, and approachable professors! Many graduated from ivy leagues. They are always helpful and friendly, just like any other staff on campus. Academic advisors are very caring, competent, and eager to help. TAs are usually very smart, chill, and responsible. The staffs are genuinely willing to help. The school does a good job in making everything organized, up to date, transparent and humanitarian. I honestly loved this school!
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for University of Wisconsin-Madison is 52%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
los estudiantes universitarios necesitamos la trasmicion para poder tener informacion sobre todos los eventos relacionados a la universidad y a los trabajos de la universidad
Madison has it all! I absolutely love this university. It has a lot of school pride; the whole state of Wisconsin loves the Badgers! Game days are a must--the city is flooded with red attire and everyone is always in a great mood. One of my favorite places on campus is State Street. It has many ethnic restaurants and cute clothing stores and is always bustling with both locals and visitors.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
It has wonderful research opportunities. The professors here are very knowledgable and also find time to do research. A lot of the research is changing the lives of others and is therefore important. I'm doing research in cognitive development with one of my professors and the goal is to improve teaching methods for math which I feel is very beneficial.
I really enjoy going to class and learninnbg at UW Madison. We have some brilliant professors many of whom are world renowned. Ttghere are many academic resources available to us and we have a over a 90 percent retention and graduation rate.
The best thing about UW Madison is the people. You will meet new friends and they will help you as you help them. There will be a bond you have never felt before. The people are open. They do not care about race or religion. The person you are is what others' searching for. Even when you feel leftout, there are groups of people feeling your pain. You will find yourself friends worthy to be called true friends.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
There are countless organizations on campus. You can join anything from the equestrian team to dance to book clubs. I am a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. We do a lot of local volunteering and fundraising for events. Athletic events are very popular on campus. On the day of a sporting event, people are walking around everywhere in their Badger gear. Dorms are great for socializing during your first year. Students usually keep their doors open and the house fellows organize events for each floor, so it is easy to meet other students.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
Before coming to UW-Madison, I wish that I would have known how quickly the large campus becomes a small environment. I worried about being lost on the campus, but found that a strong group of friends is easily created.
What kind of person should not attend this school?
Someone who gets overwhelmed with numbers and wants especially small classes. If you are committed to having conversations one-on-one with your professors and teaching assistants, it's easy to do because they are committed to teaching you all you want to know. It is just as easy, however to feel lost in a crowd especially when taking general education requirements where the students number in the hundreds. A student at UW-Madison should have a good head on their shoulders when it comes to standing up for themselves and seeking the attention they want or need.
What is the stereotype of students at your school?
That we drink all the time. People come to visit me and then think that is all we are going to do. But the kids here are smart too. The joke is that we still do well on tests even when we're drunk
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
The school spirit. Wisoconsin recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of our school song, "On, Wisconsin!" and I have never felt prouder to be part of the university. There really is no other place like UW-Madison - it offers so many opportunites for learning - formally and informally. It's impossible to describe to friends that don't go here, but they are able to get a small taste of what it feels like to be a badger when they go to a football or hockey game, etc. That experience is very unique to this university because of its history and traditions.
People tend to associate the school with the state of Wisconsin, so people think of cows, cheese and beer. That's not entirely true, though cheese and beer are very prevalent in Madison. People who have been to Madison know it as a great city with one of the best nightlifes in the Midwest.
A person that wants to take advantage of a lot of opportunities and not just sit around and waste there college experience by not getting involved in some way. Any person whether or not they have a plan for their career can benefit from the vastness of opportunites that are present at the University of Wisconsin. I guess another attribute of a person who should attend this school is someone who wants to be part of a great tradition and is proud of what they do.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The most frustrating thing about my school is the amount of money I have to pay. I am an out-of-state student and I pay 3 times as much money as an in-state student. It frustrates me that I have to pay more money to attend a world-renown university but pay more money simply because I live out of state.
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
The biggest stereotype at UW-M is Coasties. This term mainly applies to kids from New York and California, but also sometimes to people from Chicago. Coastie style staples are Uggs and black leggings. There's even a popular Youtube video called The Coastie Song.
Madison it's self is simply a wonderful place. There is a great music culture, sports culture, and social enviroment here. So no matter if you're a jock, a hippy, or simply a friendly nerd (like myself). There is always something to do here. The classes are challenging and the staff extremely helpful, but these aren't the only reason I decided to come here. Madison is simply put one of the friendlest places I have ever lived.
Coming from Boston, I'm used to cheering for winners. Thus far, I have not been disappointed by the Badgers. I'm a rabid sports fan, with passion that borders on insanity at times, and yet, that passion is reverberated by most of my fellow students. Camp Randall is famous for being the most raucous stadium in Big Ten football, to the point of getting us in trouble. Our credit union debit cards are emblazoned with "Jump Around", our infamous 4th quarter ritual. Our players and coaches have rewarded us with consecutive trips to the Rose Bowl. Our basketball team is a shoe-in for the NCAA tourney every year and our head coach Bo Ryan has experienced unprecedented success, setting a home win percentage that rivals the best in history. I have rushed Camp Randall after beating #1 Ohio State and rushed the Kohl Center court after knocking off #5 Duke -- jealous? You should be. This school has an amazing athletic department that spares no expense to win and create fun and enjoyable experiences for true fans.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
66% of students attending University of Wisconsin-Madison receive some sort of financial aid.
12% were awarded federal grants.34%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
