Admitted Special students
Congratulations on being admitted as a University Special student!
Follow the steps below to enroll in courses and prepare for the upcoming term.
Not admitted yet?
In order to enroll, you must be admitted as a University Special student.
First, review our Special student types to see which fits you best. Next search for courses that fit your educational plans. Then apply to UW-Madison using the University Special student application.



Enrollment steps
- Activate your NetID
Activate your NetID and create a password. You will need your 10-digit Campus ID number (found in your application confirmation email) for this step. Your NetID and password gives you access to your MyUW portal.
Your NetID (aka username) and the password you choose gives you access to University services including your campus email.
If you are a former student of UW–Madison, but do not recall your NetID or password, please contact the DoIT Help Desk for assistance.
- Log in to MyUW
Log in to your MyUW portal using your NetID and password. In the portal, you will be able to access several key apps including:
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- Course Search & Enroll – find earliest enrollment time, search for courses, enroll
- Student Center – includes your financial account, tasks (pre-enrollment checklist and holds), academic records (grades, enrollment verification, etc.), and more
- Academic calendar
- View your earliest enrollment date
View your earliest enrollment date and time within the Course Search & Enroll tile found in your MyUW. Note, it may take up to 24 hours after you’ve been admitted for your enrollment appointment to appear in your MyUW.
Enrollment appointments are published by the Office of the Registrar in late March/early April for summer and fall enrollment, and early November for spring enrollment.
- Search for courses
Log in to MyUW using your NetID and password. Select Course Search & Enroll, and use the filters provided to find courses. Select your desired course to view course description, requisites, instructor, and course notes. There may be limited access for Special students to courses in some departments and schools.
Most courses involve both a lecture and a discussion section (lab courses will include a lab section). Make sure that the lecture, discussion, and lab if applicable, all fit into your schedule. Once you find a section that works for you, add the course to your Shopping Cart.
- Resolve any validation errors
In your Shopping Cart, you may see a Validation failed message if you don’t meet requisites or you need permission to enroll in the course. To see why validation failed, click on the orange circle. The most common reason Special students receive the validation failed message are:
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- Requisites are not met (even if you do have the requisite, our enrollment system does not know that)
- Need permission to enroll
For either of these messages, please contact the department’s curricular representative as they are the only people who can help you resolve these issues.
For more on validation and error messages, see this Office of the Registrar’s KB document.
- Complete the pre-enrollment checklist
In your Student Center, view the Tasks tile to find the 7 tasks that must be completed prior to enrollment. These tasks should only take about 5 minutes to complete. Once your checklist is complete, the enrollment hold will be lifted from your student record. See the pre-enrollment checklist guide for more information.
One checklist task is to electronically sign the required Financial Responsibility Agreement listed in the holds section. For more information regarding the Terms and Conditions of this agreement, please see the Bursar’s Office FAQs. Note, this does not apply to Senior Guest auditors (UGSR).
- Enroll
Any time after your earliest enrollment time, you can log in to MyUW to enroll. Find your Shopping Cart in the My Courses section of Course Search & Enroll, select your desired courses, and click Enroll. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete your enrollment. Enroll before the enrollment deadline to avoid a late fee. If a section is full and a waitlist is available, continue to enroll in the course to secure your spot on the waitlist. The waitlist does not pertain to Senior Guest auditors.
Contact the department’s curricular representative for course questions and access issues.
Feeling overwhelmed by the enrollment process? Get assistance from the help desk.
- Tuition
After you enroll, your eBill will be available for viewing under the Financial account tab in your MyUW Student Center. Pay your tuition on time to avoid the $100 late payment fee.
- Deadlines to note
Now that you are enrolled, it is important to be aware of important dates and deadlines including add, drop, audit, and withdrawal deadlines.
- Obtaining a transcript
After the successful completion of your course(s), you may order an official transcript. Once your grade is posted in your Student Center, you may go to the Office of the Registrar’s webpage for order instructions.