University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin
United States of America

Language of instruction

English

   Generally available as a second or third preference.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has long been recognised as one of America's great universities, regularly ranked as a top three public research university in the United States. It is also regarded as offering one of the world's best engineering educations.

Founded in 1848, UW-Madison is the oldest and largest campus in the University of Wisconsin System. Students at UW are welcomed into the “Badger” community.

Madison is known for a vibrant entertainment and performing arts scene, and has frequently been ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. The cities of Milwaukee and Chicago are easily accessible by car or bus.

Semester dates

UQ SemesterHost SemesterDates
Semester 1Spring SemesterJanuary–May
Semester 2Fall SemesterSeptember–December

View UW-Madison's academic calendar.

Guides and additional information

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Student testimonials

Full-time study load

Undergraduate: 15 credits at UW-Madison is equivalent to 8 UQ units.
Engineering: 12 credits in engineering programs at UW-Madison is equivalent to 8 UQ units (if taking only engineering courses).

Host university requirements

GPA
You will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5 to study at UW-Madison.

Study Options
You must choose to be admitted under either the Engineering stream or the Uni-wide stream, and you must take the majority of courses within the chosen stream. Further details are outlined in the Additional Academic Information section below.

Find courses

Search the UW-Madison course catalogue and the public course search function if courses do not appear in the database.

Search the Credit Precedent Database to find courses offered by your host university that have been previously approved for credit at UQ. The database should be used as a general guide only. 
You must still check the host university course catalogue to see if courses from the Credit Precedent Database are still on offer and in the correct semester of your exchange.

Study areas taught in English

Undergraduate
Aerospace engineering
Animal studies
Anthropology
Art history
Biological sciences
Biomedical engineering
Biomedical science
Chemical engineering
Chemistry and biochemistry
Chinese
Civil engineering
Classical languages
Communication, digital media and PR
Computer science
Development
Drama
Earth and Geographical Sciences
Electrical engineering
English
English literature
Environmental engineering
Environmental studies
Food science
French
Gender Studies
General Electives
Geotechnical engineering
German
History and ancient history
Information technology
International relations
Italian
Japanese
Journalism
Korean
Linguistics
Materials engineering
Mathematics and statistics
Mechanical engineering
Microbiology
Music
Nutrition science
Philosophy
Physics
Political science
Psychology
Regional and town planning
Religion
Sociology
Spanish

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Accommodation

Residence halls are available to exchange students, though space is not guaranteed. Once you are accepted to the UW-Madison exchange program, the Division of University Housing will send you instructions on how to apply for on-campus housing. A variety of housing options are available to exchange students. If you plan to live in off-campus housing, it is up to you to find and arrange appropriate accommodations. UW-Madison’s Campus Area Housing Listing Service has information and FAQs about renting in the Madison area.

Cost of living

UW-M provides an outline of the estimated cost of attendance for students studying in Madison. Keep in mind that exchange students do not pay tuition to their host university. 

Additional Mandatory Fees

UW-M does not have any additional mandatory fees for exchange students.

Financial support

A range of funding for student exchange including scholarships, grants and loans are available to UQ students.  

Insurance

Students approved to participate in a Semester-based Exchange are automatically covered by UQ’s Travel Insurance for the country of their host university only.

For more information, read the Student Travel Insurance Policy Summary on UQ’s Travel Insurance web page (login required).

If you plan to travel outside of your host country, you should purchase additional insurance.

The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), offered through University Health Services (UHS), provides international students with a comprehensive and accessible health insurance plan. Registration with the SHIP office is mandatory for F-1 and J-1 visa holders.

Exchange students may be eligible to waive the Health Insurance Plan if they have additional cover that meets UW-M's minimum requirements. UQ’s Corporate Travel Insurance does not meet UW-M's minimum waiver requirements.

Before purchasing an additional policy, students should confirm that the policy meets UW-M's minimum waiver requirements. Please note that the waiver of the Health Insurance Plan is not guaranteed and subject to approval from UW-M.

A waiver is not automatic. Do not assume that a waiver will be approved or that you will receive a waiver based on the experience of a friend from UQ who studied at the same institution on exchange.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)

Organise your visa

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa for the country where you will be studying. As the Global Experiences team is not a visa-issuing authority we cannot provide visa advice.

UW-Madison has visa and immigration information for incoming exchange students.

Contact the US Embassy and Consulates for more visa information

Travel risk levels

The University of Queensland cannot and does not allow students to travel to any country with a risk level of 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) or above, as assessed by the Australian Government.

If a country's risk level changes to 3 or above, experiences to that country are suspended until the risk level improves.

Find out the risk level and travel advice, and sign up to receive updates for your host country on the Smartraveller website.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)