Graduate School

About the school

Established in 1848, the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) ranks 10th among public institutions, per U.S. News & World Report’s (2022-23) Best Colleges ranking. It ranks eighth in national research rankings among private and public universities. UW-Madison is home to 20 Nobel laureates and 41 Pulitzer winners from alumni and faculty.

The Graduate School at UW-Madison includes some of the nation's most prestigious and consistently high-ranking programmes. In its 2023-24 edition, U.S. News & World Report places programmes in Biology at 17th, Chemistry at 14th, Computer Science at 12th, Economics at 14th, Education at 13th, Engineering at 27th, Physics at 21st, and Medicine at 26th spots, affirming the Graduate School’s eminence on a national scale.

Among the famous University alumni, the notable ones are:

Carol Bartz (former president and CEO of Yahoo! Inc.) Dick Cheney (former US vice president) John Bardeen (double Nobel laureate in Physics) Raymond Damadian (inventor, magnetic resonance imager for diagnosis) James Dumesic (inventor of the process for turning biomass into hydrogen) Karl Paul Link (inventor of blood thinner Dicumerol)

UW-Madison is nestled in the capital city of Madison, the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin. Its economy features a vast and booming technology sector, and the city is home to many biotechnology and health systems startups. International students can thrive in the city's natural splendour and burgeoning economy.

Location of the school

Life at the Graduate School

An excellent way for international students to get involved, meet new people, and develop leadership skills is to join a student organisation on campus, choosing among over 900 student organisations. UW-Madison hosts several cultural programmes to foster a culturally aware campus community where students can learn and celebrate diversity.

You can reside in one of the three on-campus apartment communities designed for graduates. The one to two-bedroom apartments are fully furnished and are available with all the modern amenities.

Off-campus housing options include apartments, houses, rooms in private homes, privately owned residence halls, co-operatives, and boarding/rooming houses, all in walking distance of the campus.

Several meal plans are available at the campus dining markets, coffee shops, and convenience stores. Registered dietitians and online tools are available to cater to your nutrition and dietary needs.

The campus offers many recreational avenues, including intramural sports, sports clubs, ice skating and hockey, youth programmes, group fitness activities and personal training, swimming, athletic training, massage therapy, and much more.

The campus offers limited paid parking spaces for students, and commuting options include the campus bus with discounted employee bus passes, carpool and vanpool parking, and the emergency ride home (ERH) programme.

Additional benefits of studying at the Graduate School

The campus houses the most extensive museum collection in the Big Ten, a 650-seat concert hall, and numerous performance spaces for student productions and world-famous acts. The bookworm in you will find ample libraries on the premises, devoted to geology, history, and art, with individual study rooms and single-person study carrels available on reservation. Additionally, you will have access to the vast database library offering multiple useful databases for research purposes.

Admissions criteria

The minimum requirement entails that international applicants should have obtained a degree equivalent to a regionally accredited US Bachelor's degree and completed their undergraduate degree, or similar before commencing graduate school. Further, they must complete the online application for the preferred graduate programme.

Post-completion of the online form, you must attach the following documents:

Minimum Scores/UG GPA required: 3.0

A personal statement/Statement of Purpose

Letter(s) of recommendation

Undergraduate transcripts (translated into English)

Graduate admissions test result (GMAT, GRE, LSAT): For specific programmes

Proof of proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL/IELTS): If you are a non-native English speaker or did not have your undergraduate instruction language as English, you need to submit scores for one of the tests mentioned below:

Minimum test scores required:

TOEFL (paper-based): 580 TOEFL iBT: 92 IELTS: 7.0 IELTS (indicator): 7.0

Resume/CV: For specific programmes

Proof of Financial Support

Please view this link for more details on the admission process.

Please refer to the page for information on tuition rates for specific programmes.

Job placements

UW-Madison graduate students can leverage complimentary memberships and resources for skill development, networking, career exploration, and beyond. The University uses a decentralised career services model that aligns with students’ academic programme's specific needs, ensuring tailored advice for career advancement and job searches within their field. The Graduate School and campus partners host nearly 400 professional development events every semester The Graduate School Office of Professional Development offers a professional database that helps graduate students self-assess their strengths and weaknesses and get customised recommendations based on their academic and professional goals.