Apply to be a Visiting Undergraduate University Special student if:
- You’re not currently enrolled in a degree program at UW–Madison
- You’re not planning to apply for transfer admission to UW–Madison
- You want to take a course at UW–Madison and transfer the credit back to your home institution
Admission details:
- An advisor in the office of Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS) will review your application materials to make an admission decision
- Enrollment is typically limited to the Summer Term
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Apply
Who may apply
Applications are welcome from students currently enrolled in any U.S. college or university. International students not currently studying in the U.S. should consult with our Visiting International Student Program.
How to apply
Step 1: Complete our application
Please apply using the University Special student application at least three weeks before the start of the course, as it takes 2 to 3 weeks to review and process an application. UNVS is the designation on the application. There is no application fee.
Step 2: Submit official transcripts
Submit *official transcripts from all other colleges and universities to confirm good standing and a minimum GPA of 2.0 cumulative and in the most recent semester. Submit your official transcripts to Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS), advising@dcs.wisc.edu.
Your application will not be considered complete until we receive official transcripts from all institutions you have attended or are currently attending.
*Definition of an official transcript
A certified record issued directly by a college or university that includes a student’s complete academic history. It is typically sent directly from the institution in a sealed envelope or through a secure electronic delivery service (such as Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse) to ensure authenticity.
We cannot accept transcripts that are sent directly from you via email or U.S. Mail.
Tuition and fees
Tuition and segregated fees
Tuition and segregated fees for UNVS students can be found in the tuition schedule under Undergraduate and Special Students. Be sure you are viewing the correct term. If you are not a resident (for tuition purposes) of Wisconsin you will pay the nonresident tuition rate. Residents of Minnesota may qualify for tuition reciprocity.
Document fee
In addition to tuition and segregated fees, the Registrar’s Office will charge students a one-time official document fee of $130 to cover future transcript requests and other documents.
Billing and payment details can be reviewed on the Bursar’s Office webpage.
Admission
An advisor in Adult Career and Special Student Services will review your application materials and make an admission decision. Watch the email you provided in your application for your admission decision.
Admission is for one term only.
Enrollment
Enrollment is not guaranteed and is contingent on there being a space available in the class after degree students have enrolled and completion of all course requisites.
Class requisites/Permission to enroll
As a visiting student, our enrollment system will not recognize your previous course history. Even if you meet the course requisites, you may get an error message when trying to enroll. If you get either of these messages when trying to enroll, Requisites are not met OR Need permission to enroll, please contact the department’s curricular representative as they are the only people who can help you resolve these issues.
Credit limits
You can take a maximum of 12 credits during Summer Term, and you may enroll for 1 credit per week of instruction. For example, you may take 3 credits during a three-week summer session. The exception is the eight-week session, which has a limit of 9 credits.
One term only
UNVS is a one-term-only classification. If you would like to continue beyond the first term, please consult with an ACSSS advisor to determine if continuation is appropriate.
Dropped courses
Please refer to the official schedule of session dates maintained by the Registrar’s Office for tuition adjustments and refunds for dropped courses.
Non-eligible courses and programs
Eligible courses include stand-alone UW–Madison classes that are not affiliated with existing university programs.
Non-eligible and excluded programs include but are not limited to:
- Capstone certificate courses
- Summer intensive language institutes
- Visiting International Student Program
- Early College Credit Program
- Certain degree tracks
For questions about the eligibility of a specific course, please contact Adult Career and Special Student Services.
Searching for courses
To search for courses, use the UW–Madison Public Course Search and Enroll app.
You can find tips on how to search for courses on this Registrar’s KB page.