Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (2024)

Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (1)

Feel the magic of UW–Madison. Bustling pedestrian malls lead to serene lakeside views, and modern facilities blend in comfortably with historic landmarks. The city’s vibrant arts scene attracts the world’s top talent, and changing seasons regularly afford unexpected experiences. Come see for yourself.

Find a visit option that’s right for you

Whether you join us in person or from the comforts of home, you can experience all that UW–Madison has to offer. Check out our many options for exploring campus.

Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (2)

Campus events for prospective students

Explore UW–Madison through a variety of events specifically for prospective and admitted undergraduate students and their guests. Choose from open houses, admissions information sessions, campus tours, transfer visit days, academic-specific sessions, and more.

Register for an in-person event

Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (3)

Specialty group campus tours

Campus walking tours are available for school and adult groups visiting campus. Discover UW–Madison’s history, traditions, academic excellence, campus landmarks, dynamic and diverse student life, and more.

Request a specialty tour

Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (4)

Cultural landscape tour

The First Nations Cultural Landscape Tour provides an introduction to the 12,000 years of human history along the shores of Lake Mendota and the relationship between the Native Nations and Teejop (the area now known as Madison).

Request a cultural landscape tour

Take a student-led tour using our app

Discover UW–Madison using our free mobile app featuring a student-led narrated tour. The tour includes information about buildings, academics, transportation, housing, and all things surrounding the student experience.

Explore our favorite places on campus

Find something fun to do

  • Find an event

Ready to visit? Start building your itinerary

Transportation

UW–Madison is located in the capital city of Madison, in south-central Wisconsin. Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), on Madison’s northeast side, provides regional and national air service to and from Madison. Additionally, long distance intercity bus services provide scheduled service to and from Madison, connecting to Milwaukee and Chicago airports and to Amtrak in Chicago.

Hotels

UW–Madison offers accommodations for guests attending university-related functions or conducting university business. Check individual websites for current rates and guest eligibility guidelines.

Discounted private hotel partner options are also available for campus visitors at the DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Downtown (15% discount) and Hyatt Place (20% discount). Campus visitor rates are based on availability. If available, the discount will appear for your designated travel dates.

Looking for more options? Destination Madison has complete listings. Availability may be limited when there are large events and conventions being held in the city or on campus.

Where to park

Visitor parking is available in university garages and in city-run ramps and lots. Please note that parking on or near campus is limited. Give yourself 45–60 minutes to park and arrive at your destination. Street parking near campus is usually restricted to two hours.

  • Real-time parking availability
  • Visitor parking rates
  • Accessible parking options

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Where should I park when visiting campus?

Hourly parking is available in campus gated lots (garages/ramps) and some surface lots on campus. The campus map shows locations of public parking on campus, including a realtime count of open spots in each public lot.

You can also check online for current parking availability in campus ramps and garages, or visit the Transportation Services drive-through location at 21 North Park St. upon arrival.

If you plan to visit a welcome center, we recommend the following campus parking lots:

  • Union South - Lot 17, Lot 20, or Lot 80
  • Discovery Building - Lot 17, Lot 20, or Lot 80
  • Memorial Union - Lot 6

What options are available to avoid parking on campus?

Consider door-to-door service by taking a taxi, shuttle, or ridesharing service to your destination.

While on campus, get around for free on the campus circulator bus (routes 80, 81, 82, or 84). Routes 80 and 84 provide daytime service, and routes 80, 81, and 82 provide nighttime service. Find information about routes and schedules on the bus page.

If you prefer to park off campus, a full list of city parking options are available on the City of Madison website.

Who can I contact with parking questions?

If you have questions, check out the visitor parking help center or contact Transportation Services.

Places to eat

Campus and the surrounding Madison area offer a wide selection of dining options.

Campus information

If you have any questions or need assistance, Campus and Visitor Relations is available to help.

  • Welcome centers
  • Campus map
  • Submit a question

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Visit UW–Madison: University of Wisconsin–Madison (2024)

FAQs

How can I increase my chances of getting into UW-Madison? ›

So, to boost your chances of admission, be sure to maintain a high GPA, explore your interests through extracurricular activities, and use statistics like the UW–Madison GPA requirements to see how you compare to admitted students. Figuring out how to get into UW–Madison takes strategy. We can help.

What is a good GPA to get into UW-Madison? ›

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring at a 1390 SAT or above will already give you a great shot at getting in. Scoring a 1500 will nearly guarantee you admission, given that your GPA is roughly the average of 3.88.

How prestigious is UW-Madison? ›

University of Wisconsin--Madison is ranked #35 out of 439 National Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

Is UW-Madison a hard school to get into? ›

For every 100 applicants, 49 are admitted. This means the school is moderately selective. The school expects you to meet their requirements for GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but they're more flexible than other schools. If you exceed their requirements, you have an excellent chance of getting in.

What is the most popular degree at UW-Madison? ›

The most popular majors at University of Wisconsin--Madison include: Computer and Information Sciences, General; Economics, General; Psychology, General; Finance, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Political Science and Government, General; Neuroscience; Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Mathematics, ...

What is the hardest college to get into? ›

The answer to what college has the lowest acceptance rate is the same as what ivy league college has the lowest acceptance rate: Harvard. While all Ivies are known for having some of the lowest college acceptance rates of all colleges, Harvard has generally been the most selective.

What is the lowest GPA UW will accept? ›

GPA is an essential factor for admission to the University of Washington. Students require a 3.75 and above the University Of Washington GPA to be admitted to the university. Top-rated schools like the University of Washington receive numerous applications every year.

Is UW-Madison hard to get into out-of-state? ›

Who Gets Into UW-Madison? Let's look at the demographics of current freshmen (2023-24): In-State: 48% Out-of-State: 52%

Why is UW Madison so popular? ›

Academic excellence is at the heart of UW-Madison's mission–that's why the university is recognized worldwide for its commitment to academics and out-of-classroom learning.

Is UW Madison a public ivy? ›

UW–Madison has been named a “new Ivy” by Forbes, one of 10 public and 10 private universities across the United States that are “turning out the smart, driven graduates craved by employers of all types.” When it drew up the list of new Ivies, Forbes looked at more than just test scores and admissions selectivity.

What is the hardest school to get into in Wisconsin? ›

UW Madison has the highest admission rate of the three Midwest states accepting 49.1% of its applicants, but is the hardest college to get into in Wisconsin. The median SAT scores are 690 in reading and writing, 740 in math.

Is UW-Madison a pretty campus? ›

UW-Madison has top notch facilities and a gorgeous campus. The curriculum is rigorous but as expected. The city of Madison is a wonderful host for this great school, State St. is filed with great food and drink establishments, too many to check out them all although I tried.

Is a degree from UW-Madison good? ›

The UW–Madison programs ranked this year, including ranked specialties, are: Business: 43rd for full-time MBA; 26th for part-time MBA (up from 33rd last year); ranked specialties include 29th in accounting (six-way tie), and fifth in real estate (two-way tie). Computer Science: 13th overall (four-way tie).

What are the odds of getting into UW-Madison? ›

University of Wisconsin--Madison has an acceptance rate of 49%. Half the applicants admitted to University of Wisconsin who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1350 and 1510 or an ACT score of 28 and 33.

How can I increase my chances of getting into UW? ›

This means a minimum GPA of 3.8 and SAT/ACT scores of 1410 and 32 or above. You can also make your application stand out by including meaningful extracurriculars and compelling essays about your passions and significant experiences. Below is a list of the required materials for admission into UW.

How to get accepted into UW-Madison? ›

We look for you to be earning top grades—mostly As—in challenging courses, including honors, IB, and/or AP, when available. While we don't specifically base a decision on your GPA or your class rank, we do consider your academic performance in the context of the available offerings at your school.

Can I get into UW-Madison with a 3.7 GPA? ›

For Chart 1, the 90% confidence interval shows that we would expect 90% of UW-Madison students with a high school GPA of 3.7 (approximate UW-Madison average) to have first-year GPAs between 2.20 (where 3.7 high school GPA intersects the lower black line) and 4.00 (where it intersects the top black line).

Does UW-Madison admit by major? ›

All students are initially admitted into the university and not into specific programs and majors, with the exception of our Direct Entry programs.

References

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