About University of Wisconsin-Madison

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 Rate52%
Application Deadline
Application Fee60
SAT Range1200-1420
ACT Range27-31

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

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”
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”

University of Wisconsin-Madison REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    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.

What's your overall opinion of University of Wisconsin-Madison?

124 Students rated University of Wisconsin-Madison

Elise - 11/01/2023

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 - 03/21/2023

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 - 11/14/2021

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 - 11/08/2021

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.

University of Wisconsin-Madison FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at University of Wisconsin-Madison?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for University of Wisconsin-Madison is 52%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. 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

    Read all  402 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    Fun loving, hard working, hard partying, social, smart friends for life who are going to go onto great things.

    Read all  157 answers
  4. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    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.

    Read all  96 answers
  5. 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.

    Read all  91 answers
  6. What are the academics like at your school?

    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.

    Read all  84 answers
  7. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    UW-Madison is a diverse school; in it's people, opportunities, and landscape.

    Read all  82 answers
  8. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    The worst thing about this school is the local police and how they deal with drinking violations.

    Read all  80 answers
  9. What's unique about your campus?

    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.

    Read all  75 answers
  10. 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.

    Read all  71 answers
  11. 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.

    Read all  65 answers
  12. 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.

    Read all  65 answers
  13. 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

    Read all  64 answers
  14. 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.

    Read all  63 answers
  15. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    If you want them to be. Wisconsin is diverse and big enough that you find whatever you are looking for out of the college experience.

    Read all  62 answers
  16. Describe your favorite campus 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.

    Read all  61 answers
  17. What kind of person should attend this school?

    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.

    Read all  52 answers
  18. 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.

    Read all  51 answers
  19. 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.

    Read all  42 answers
  20. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    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.

    Read all  12 answers
  21. Tell us about the sports scene on campus.

    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.

    Read all  10 answers

Student Body

Students

51%

female

49%

male

30,958

Total Undergrad Enrollment

11,624

Total Grad Students

35%

Out-Of-State

57%

In-State

8%

International

Organizations

895

Student Organizations

26

Fraternities

11

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

20%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
2%
% Hispanic/Latino
5%
% White or Caucasian
74%

TUITION & AID

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. While 34% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$32,738

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,200

Books and Supplies

$10,446

Room and Board

44,384

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$7,667
$30 - $48K
$10,700
$48 - $75K
$16,445
$75 - $110K
$21,835
$110K & UP
$23,663

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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