Enrollment
Grading System
Credit/No Credit Courses
Pass/Fail
Failures
Incompletes
Audit
Class Standing
Senior Year in Residence
Expecting to Graduate
Tuition/Fees
Residence for Tuition Purposes
Availability of Academic Record Information to Parents or
Guardians or Others
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Student Photo ID Service Cards
The Office of the Registrar is responsible for maintaining the academic
records of students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and for
many services associated with these records, including enrollment and
grading. The office is located at 333 East Campus Mall #10101;
608-262-3811.
Many student services are available online in the Student Center on My UW-Madison (My UW), including enrolling for courses, viewing grades, and updating address and emergency contact information. Students are responsible for the accuracy of the addresses provided in My UW and for the courses selected when they enroll. For more information about services available through the Student Center, see the Student Demos section of the Office of the Registrar Web site.
My UW is available to eligible students, who gain access by using their Net ID and password. Access to My UW-Madison is available from any computer with Internet access. For further information about My UW-Madison, visit the DoIT (Division of Information Technology) Web site.
Students enroll for courses, obtain information about deadlines, view their class schedule, and more in the Student Center on My UW. Individuals who are not eligible to activiate their Net ID to access the Student Center can view an up-to-date schedule of classes at the Office of the Registrar Web site. Information about key deadlines and course enrollment, and online demonstrations of class search, course enrollment, and the Student Center are also available at the Office of the Registrar Web site. Additional assistance with the course enrollment process is available by calling 608-262-0920 or sending an e-mail to webenroll@em.wisc.edu.
The general quality of a student's work is expressed in terms of a grade point average (GPA). It is based on the total number of credits taken for which grades of A through F are received. Semester grades are reported by letter only; plus and minus signs are not authorized. The highest possible GPA is 4.0, representing A grades in every course; the lowest possible is 0.0. The following is the official scale of grades at UW-Madison.
Grade — Grade Points Per Credit
A (Excellent) — 4
AB (Intermediate Grade) — 3.5
B (Good) — 3
BC (Intermediate Grade) — 2.5
C (Fair) — 2
D (Poor) — 1
F (Failure) — 0
Excluded from the grade point average are:
S or U (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory) in courses taken on the pass/fail basis: S for grades A through C; U for grades D and F.
Cr or N (Credit or No Credit) in courses offered on a credit/no credit basis.
I (Incomplete), a temporary grade used when work is not completed during a term. The symbol IN will be used to indicate an incomplete in a Cr/N course.
Audited courses, denoted as AU in place of a number of credits on grade reports and transcripts, are graded either S (Satisfactory) or NR (No Report).
P (Progress), a temporary grade used for courses extending beyond one term. The final grade determines the grade for each term and replaces P grades for the course.
DR (Dropped), recorded for any course officially dropped later than two days before the last day to add courses.
NW (No Work) is used to indicate that the student never attended and no work was submitted.
In those relatively few cases in which no authorized grade is reported for a student at the close of a term, NR (No Report) will be used to signify the fact for record purposes.
Some courses are designated as being offered on a Credit/No Credit basis. The transcript for the course will indicate either CR, meaning the student earned the credits for which the course was offered, or N, meaning that the student did not earn any credit even though enrolled for the course. Students may not take such courses on any other basis.
Any student who takes a pass/fail course must earn at least a C to receive credit for the course. Only elective work may be carried on a pass/fail basis. Final grades for these courses will be indicated as pass (S) or fail (U) without any computation of grade points for those courses into the term or cumulative grade point average.
Every course grade of F counts as 0 grade points and remains permanently on the transcript. If the course is repeated, the original F will remain on the transcript and will be included in computing the GPA.
An Incomplete may be reported for a student who has carried a subject with a passing grade until near the end of the semester. If a student is unable to take or complete the final examination because of illness or other circumstances beyond his or her control, the student may be granted an Incomplete. An Incomplete is not given to a student who stays away from a final examination except as indicated above. In the absence of such proof the grade shall be F; even with such proof, if the instructor is convinced that the student cannot pass, the grade shall be F.
Undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Letters and Science must complete the course work for which they received the Incomplete by the end of the fourth week of classes of the student's next term of enrollment at UW-Madison (exclusive of summer sessions). Failure to do so will result in a lapse into a grade of F, unless the time limit has been formally extended. Letters and Science students should see the L&S section on Incompletes for important details.
Undergraduates enrolled in schools or colleges other than Letters and Science must complete the course work for which they received the Incomplete by the end of the student's next term of enrollment (exclusive of summer sessions). Incompletes incurred in the last term of enrollment may not be removed after five years of absence from the university without special advance permission of the student's associate or assistant dean. Such Incompletes remain on the record but do not lapse into a grade of F.
Students may audit courses with instructor and advisor consent, and if no laboratory or performance skills are involved. Auditors may not recite or take examinations but are expected to attend classes regularly and do some assigned work. Although courses for which students enroll as an auditor are factored into tuition, such courses do not earn academic credit and do not count in determining full-time/part-time load for enrollment certification in an academic term.The deadline to change a course from credit to audit is the end of the fourth week of classes. School and college policies may vary from this description. Students are advised to consult with the instructor concerning specific course requirements that must be satisfied.
Students are classified by year according to the number of credits and
grade points they have earned:
Freshman: less than 24 credits
Sophomore: at least 24 credits
Junior: at least 54 credits
Senior: at least 86 credits
As a minimum, the final 30 credits for the bachelor's degree must be earned in residence. For more information about residence credits, students should refer to the specific school or college section of this catalog or consult with an advisor.
Students who expect to graduate and/or attend a commencement ceremony must indicate their intent via the Student Center in My UW. They will then be notified about the graduation ceremony. Students also should notify their advisors, and report any change in graduation plans.
Tuition and fees are set annually by the UW System Board of Regents. Tuition rates are available on the Office of the Registrar Web site. All registered students are mailed student account invoices with a due date and instructions for payment. Students can view up-to-date information regarding their tuition account balance, including tuition due date, via the Student Center in My UW.
For more information regarding tuition and fee bills and how to make payments, see Student Account Frequently Asked Questions.
UW-Madison does not offer an installment plan for payment of student accounts. Students should be aware that the tuition and fee schedule is subject to change without notice.
A late initial enrollment fee of $25 will be assessed to all students who initially enroll after the Friday of the first official week of classes in a term, except for Special and Guest students, who have until the Friday of the second week of classes. Students whose payments are received after their due date will be subject to a $100 late payment fee.
Around the middle of the term, a hold will be placed on accounts with remaining unpaid balances, preventing future enrollment and record releases such as transcripts and diplomas.
Questions about tuition rates should be directed to the Office of the Registrar, Tuition Assessment Section, 333 East Campus Mall #10301, Madison, WI 53715-1384; 608-262-4031; tuition@em.wisc.edu.
Questions about tuition payments should be directed to the Bursar's Office, 333 East Campus Mall #10501, Madison, WI 53715-1383; 608-262-3611; tuition@bussvc.wisc.edu.
Wisconsin Statutes, Section 36.27(2), governs resident status for tuition purposes at all University of Wisconsin System institutions. Students who do not qualify under one of the exceptions in the statute will be assessed nonresident tuition. In determining resident status for tuition purposes, standards are different from those used for voting, paying taxes, applying for various licenses, and the like. In general, a student must be a bona fide resident of Wisconsin for at least 12 months before enrollment for any term in order to be eligible for in-state tuition. However, a student who comes to Wisconsin primarily for educational reasons does not automatically qualify as a Wisconsin resident even after living in Wisconsin for a year or more.
For more information and the full text of Wisconsin Statutes, Section 36.27(2), see the Office of the Registrar Web site or contact a residence counselor at 608-262-1355; res4tuition@em.wisc.edu.
Minnesota Residents who are certified by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education for the appropriate term to attend UW-Madison under the Minnesota-Wisconsin Tuition Reciprocity Agreement will be assessed the approved reciprocity tuition rate, plus the segregated fees assessed all UW-Madison students. Students under this program will be classified as nonresidents of Wisconsin.
It is the student's responsibility to inquire about application procedures, deadline dates, and re-application procedures. Students may apply online at this Web site. Questions may be directed to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55108-5227; telephone 651-642-0567 or 1-800-657-3866. They may also be directed to the UW-Madison Office of the Registrar, Tuition Assessment Section, 333 East Campus Mall #10301, Madison, WI 53715-1384; tuition@em.wisc.edu; telephone 608-262-4031.
Students have the right to inspect and review most education records maintained about them by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and, in many cases, decide if a third person can obtain information from them. Students may challenge information in their records which they believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate.
The university has adopted a policy statement implementing all provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. A copy of this statement may be obtained at the Office of the Registrar, 333 East Campus Mall #10101. The university, in accordance with the act, has designated the following as "directory information," which is publicly available unless a student asks to have any or all of it withheld: name; addresses, e-mail address, telephone numbers; date of birth; major field of study and number of academic credits earned toward degree; attendance status (including current year, credit load, and full-or part-time status); dates of attendance (matriculation and withdrawal dates); degrees and awards received (type of degree and date granted); most recent previous educational agency or institution attended; participation in officially recognized activities; and participation in athletics and weight and height of athletes.
Students wishing to keep confidential some or all of the "directory information" should follow the links at this Web site. Students with questions about the provisions of the act or who believe the university is not complying with the act may obtain assistance from the Office of the Registrar, 333 East Campus Mall #10101.
Students have the right to file complaints alleging university noncompliance with the act with the federal agency that enforces the act. The address is: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office, Department of Education, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201.
A student may authorize a third party (e.g., a parent, guardian, spouse, potential employer, etc.) access to academic record information. An authorization form is available at the registrar's Web site, or by visiting the Office of the Registrar, 333 East Campus Mall #10101. The authorization form permits release of specified information on a one-time basis to the specified third party. If no authorization is on file, it will be assumed that the student does not wish to give a third party access to academic record information. This policy is designed to give students specific control over the parties to whom academic record information may be released.
Grade reports will not be sent by the university to parents or guardians. Students are urged to keep their parents informed of their academic progress.
The UW-Madison requires that all enrolled students obtain a student photo ID card. The card provides official identification for students at the university and is necessary for access to libraries, recreation facilities, and other services. The ID also serves as a debit card (Wiscard), allowing students to add value to an account and use the ID to make purchases at more than 45 campus area locations.
To obtain a card, students must present a form of photo identification (valid driver's license/passport/state ID). The first ID is issued at no cost. Lost, stolen, or misplaced cards may be replaced for a fee of $25. Invalid cards that are presented for any purpose are subject to being collected since they are considered property of the university.
The Wiscard Office is located in Memorial Union, Room 4316.