Senior Guest Auditors

Please take a moment to review our Established Rules and Requirements for auditors.

What is auditing?

Auditing is defined as sitting in on a lecture course and not actively participating. Auditors may not recite, perform, or take examinations. Auditors are not graded and do not receive credit for the courses they enroll in. Space availability and instructor permission are required to audit.

Courses not typically available for auditing include:

• conversational languages, including American Sign Language (ASL)
• studio and performing arts including music
• writing, math, computer, and lab courses
• independent study and directed study
• seminar, research, and colloquium courses

Questions?

Email seniorauditor@dcs.wisc.edu

Apply

Review our application tips for Senior Guest auditors

Questions?

If you have questions while completing the application, please email seniorauditor@dcs.wisc.edu or call 608-263-6960.

Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email and our office will begin processing your application.

Processing your application will take between 2 and 7 business days. During this time, please keep an eye on your email. You will receive an email once you have been admitted. This email will contain your campus ID number which you can use to proceed to the next step.

While you are waiting to be officially admitted, you may proceed to Step 5; however be sure to complete Step 4 once you receive your admission email.

Your NetID is a university-assigned username which will allow you to access your MyUW student portal. You must activate your NetID and create a password for your account. Your wisc.edu email account will be automatically activated through this process.

Use the following steps to help you.

1. Go to www.mynetid.wisc.edu.
2. Enter your 10-digit campus ID number (this was provided to you in your admission email and letter) and your Date of Birth.
3. Click activate.
4. You will be given your NetID (this will be some combination of your first and last name).
5. Create a password unique to you and your account.
6. Be sure to write down your wisc.edu email address, NetID, and password as you will need to use this frequently.

Additional information about activating your NetID and email.

If you’re a returning Guest auditor and have forgotten your NetID and/or password, please contact the DoIT Help Desk (608-264-4357).

Summer 2025

Schedule of classes

Search for courses utilizing the official, up-to-date Course Search & Enroll tool:

• Admitted senior guest auditors can follow these Course Search Instructions.
• Anyone can browse the online Public Class Search tool regardless of admission status.
• Use the search feature on the left-hand side of the page and select desired term.
  • Looking for online courses? In the Schedule of classes, search by Mode of Instruction. Select Online All for both synchronous (will have date and time listed) and asynchronous courses (will not have date and time listed).

Department of History list of courses available for auditing

Music performance classes are not auditable.

Summer 2025

Available in early May

Complete the permission-to-enroll form for the course(s) you would like to audit. Your submitted form will go to the professor and/or department. Please do not reach out to the professor or department directly.

Remember, once you receive permission to enroll you need to enroll in the class via the Class Search & Enroll tool. Senior guest auditors can enroll starting the first day of class. To enroll, follow the instructions in the “Enroll in classes” step.

If it is less than a week before the start of the term and you haven’t had a response about your request, please see our related FAQ under the enrollment section of our FAQ page.

Once the department has entered a permission into the enrollment system and it is the first day or the term or later, you will be able to enroll.

You will enroll online using the Course Search & Enroll tool which can also be found in your MyUW portal. Use our enrollment instructions guide to walk you through the enrollment process.

Note, if you added a class to your cart before permission was granted remove the class from your cart at this time to avoid any errors. Then proceed with the enrollment process found on our enrollment instruction guide.

Enrollment troubleshooting and tips

Canvas access:

• After you have enrolled in the course, it may take 2-4 hours for it to appear in the Canvas learning management system.
• UW–La Crosse provides helpful tips on accessing, navigating, and using Canvas. Most of the content is specific to Canvas alone although there are some references to UW–La Crosse. A new UW–Madison Canvas training should be available later this year.
  

Additional Notes:

• You must enroll by the end of the second week of classes to avoid the late enrollment fee.
• Complete the enrollment step for your Guest auditor status to remain active.
• Senior Guest auditors will be automatically opted out of any Digital Course Materials (eTexts). There is not an option to opt in, however you may independently obtain the materials in an alternative version.

The day after you enroll in at least one course, you can pick up your Wiscard at Union South.

Your Wiscard is your UW–Madison photo ID card and will be needed to access campus libraries and computer labs. You will also need a Wiscard if you plan to purchase an affiliate membership for access to the recreational facilities.

Even if you have previously audited courses, please take a moment to review our Established Rules and Requirements for auditors.

What is auditing?

Auditing is defined as sitting in on a lecture course and not actively participating. Auditors may not recite, perform, or take examinations. Auditors are not graded and do not receive credit for the courses they enroll in. Space availability and instructor permission are required to audit.

Courses not typically available for auditing include:

• conversational languages, including American Sign Language (ASL)
• studio and performing arts including music
• writing, math, computer, and lab courses
• independent study and directed study
• seminar, research, and colloquial courses

Questions?

Email seniorauditor@dcs.wisc.edu

If you enrolled in and audited a class in the most recent term, you should be eligible for the upcoming term.

To confirm:

• Login to your MyUW account
• Select the Course Search and Enroll tile
• Look for your earliest enrollment date and time. Note, if you check before mid-October for spring or before mid-March for summer/fall you will not yet see an earliest enrollment date.
  OR
• Email our office to ask about your eligibility for the upcoming term: seniorauditor@dcs.wisc.edu

Apply again only if you are not eligible for the current term. (You will be ineligible to enroll if you skipped a semester, not counting summer.)

Summer 2025

Schedule of classes

Search for courses utilizing the official, up-to-date Course Search & Enroll tool:

• Admitted senior guest auditors can follow these Course Search Instructions.
• Anyone can browse the online Public Class Search tool regardless of admission status.
• Use the search feature on the left-hand side of the page and select desired term.
  • Looking for online courses? In the Schedule of classes, search by Mode of Instruction. Select Online All for both synchronous (will have date and time listed) and asynchronous courses (will not have date and time listed).

Department of History list of courses available for auditing

Music performance classes are not auditable.

Summer 2025

Available in early May

Complete the permission-to-enroll form for the course(s) you would like to audit. Your submitted form will go to the professor and/or department. Please do not reach out to the professor or department directly.

Remember, once you receive permission to enroll you need to enroll in the class via the Class Search & Enroll tool. Senior guest auditors can enroll starting the first day of class. To enroll, follow the instructions in the Enroll in classes step.

If it is less than a week before the start of the term and you haven’t had a response about your request, please see our related FAQ under the enrollment section of our FAQ page.

Once the department has entered a permission into the enrollment system and it is the first day or the term or later, you will be able to enroll.

You will enroll online using the Course Search & Enroll tool which can also be found in your MyUW portal. Use our enrollment instructions guide to walk you through the enrollment process.

Note, if you added a class to your cart before permission was granted remove the class from your cart at this time to avoid any errors. Then proceed with the enrollment process found on our enrollment instruction guide.

Enrollment troubleshooting and tips

Canvas access:

• After you have enrolled in the course, it may take 2 to 4 hours for it to appear in the Canvas learning management system.
• UW–La Crosse provides helpful tips on accessing, navigating, and using Canvas. Most of the content is specific to Canvas alone although there are some references to UW–La Crosse. A new UW–Madison Canvas training should be available later this year.
•  

Additional Notes:

• You must enroll by the end of the second week of classes to avoid the late enrollment fee.
• Complete this enrollment step for your Guest auditor status to remain active.
• Senior Guest auditors will be automatically opted out of any Digital Course Materials (eTexts). There is not an option to opt in, however you may independently obtain the materials in an alternative version.