Pathways to Admission Frequently Asked Questions

To qualify for The Wisconsin Guarantee, you must attend high school in Wisconsin, meet at least one of the following eligibility criteria, and apply by the appropriate application deadline listed below.

NOTE: To be considered for The Wisconsin Guarantee, your transcript or school report must indicate your rank is within the top 5% (UW-Madison) or 10% (all other UWs). We are unable to accept class rank reported within the letter of recommendation, or on any other document.

While you will be guaranteed admission to a UW university, all applicants will receive a holistic review to properly evaluate students for admission to available direct-entry programs and scholarship consideration. For further information, please contact the Undergraduate Admission office at the UW university you are considering.

Students who apply during Regular Admission Decision are not eligible for The Wisconsin Guarantee and will receive a holistic review.

Students who apply after the Regular Admission deadline are not eligible for the Wisconsin Guarantee and will receive a holistic review. However, if your high school is participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin and the UW university you are interested in is also participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin, you may receive an admission offer letter between July and October of your senior year.

Yes! There will be opportunities for Wisconsin high school students who are not in the top 5-10% of their class to still apply and be admitted to a UW university through either the traditional admission process or through Direct Admit Wisconsin for participating high schools. In fact, most Wisconsin high school graduates meet admissions requirements at most of our universities.

Students who are homeschooled but do not have an ACT score in the 90-98th percentile nationally can still apply to be considered for admission to UW-Madison and/or another UW university. While test scores are not required for a holistic application review, students who are homeschooled will need to provide additional materials for consideration. For further information, please contact the Undergraduate Admission office at the UW university you are considering.

New legislation requires Wisconsin school boards, charter school operators, and governing bodies of private schools and tribal schools that operate high schools to prepare a class ranking of students on the sole basis of their grade point average at the end of 11th grade, if there are at least 15 students in the class.

The class ranking must identify students who rank in the top 5% or top 10% of their high school class. Your school must also notify you if you are in the top 5% or 10% of your class and include it on your official transcript.

Universities of Wisconsin may revoke an offer of admission if a student admitted under The Wisconsin Guarantee fails to receive a high school diploma; engages in academic misconduct; experiences significantly declining grades after the application is submitted; or if they misrepresent their class rank, or status as a National Merit Scholarship finalist.

Yes, absolutely!

1. Pursuing the most rigorous courses available to you throughout the entirety of your high school experience is the best way to prepare for a successful college experience. Students who pursue rigorous courses ordinarily find that the transition from high school coursework to college coursework is much easier, and often, they earn higher grades than their peers who did not pursue a rigorous college preparatory path.
2. Further, The Wisconsin Guarantee only guarantees admission to a UW university, not to a specific major or program. Admission to some programs and majors is determined by a holistic review of your high school record, and the more you demonstrate your academic ability through advanced coursework, the more likely you will be admitted to competitive programs and majors.
3. Additionally, enrolling in early college credit programs or college courses and completing Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests can provide the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. The more college credit you earn in high school, the more flexibility you have in shaping your college experience. Earning college credit while in high school may allow you to graduate early and save money.

No. The Wisconsin Guarantee does not guarantee an applicant admission to any specific major, college, or school. Consideration for admission to direct-entry programs (e.g., Business, Engineering, Dance, Music) will remain part of the holistic review.

If you are admitted to a UW university through The Wisconsin Guarantee, you must meet the same requirements and/or apply for formal acceptance into your major/academic program (if required by the UW university). For further information, please contact the Undergraduate Admission office at the UW university you are considering.

No. Transfer students are not eligible for The Wisconsin Guarantee.

No. These are two distinct programs that both offer pathways to first-year student admission at any UW university, but that operate differently and have unique eligibility criteria.

Ten of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin are currently participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin. Direct Admit Wisconsin offers early and proactive admission to participating Universities of Wisconsin to high school seniors at participating Wisconsin high schools. The Universities of Wisconsin collaborate with participating high schools to review student academic records (high school courses and GPA) at the end of their junior year and make offers of admission to participating UW universities without the need to submit a traditional admission application.

The Wisconsin Guarantee offers guaranteed admission to all Universities of Wisconsin campuses except UW-Madison to first-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 10% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 90th percentile ranking or higher, or are a National Merit Scholarship finalist. First-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 5% of their class at the end of 11th grade, or Wisconsin residents who are homeschooled and receive an ACT score in the national 98th percentile ranking or higher, or who are a National Merit Scholarship finalist, will be guaranteed admission to the UW-Madison through The Wisconsin Guarantee.

Absolutely! Direct Admit Wisconsin removes the need to submit an admission application. There is no cost to participate, and you will get an early admission decision from any participating UW universities. Participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin does not preclude you from applying and gaining admission to any of the UW universities that are not participating (UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse & UW-Madison) in Direct Admit Wisconsin.

Offers of admission through Direct Admit Wisconsin will be sent out to participating high school students starting at the end of July, prior to their senior year, and continuing into October of their senior year. Students not admitted through Direct Admit Wisconsin or interested in a non-participating UW university should apply through the traditional admissions process.

You must submit a Universities of Wisconsin Admission Application for admission. The Universities of Wisconsin will begin reviewing applications and admitting students beginning August 1, 2024. Schedules for when admission decisions are released are determined individually by each UW university.

Students interested in the Universities of Wisconsin are encouraged to apply for admission through the traditional application process by submitting a Universities of Wisconsin Admission Application, which opens August 1st.

Further, students who attend high schools participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin must agree to participate in the Direct Admit Wisconsin program. Direct Admit Wisconsin does not require a student to be ranked in the top 5-10% of their class to be considered for early admission to any participating UW universities.