Admitted to UW-Madison? What to See Before You Commit

Admitted to UW-Madison? Before you commit by May 1, see a class in session, a residence hall, Bascom Hill, State Street and Langdon Street, and sign up for a spring admitted student event. This guide covers what to see, when the events run, what a year costs and the deadlines that follow. A private, student-led tour of Madison fills in whatever you still want to see.

What should admitted students see at UW-Madison before committing?

Admitted students should see what they will use every day at UW-Madison before committing: the buildings for their major, a class in session, a residence hall, the unions, State Street, Langdon Street and where sophomores rent. What to see, with walking times from Bascom Hall at the top of Bascom Hill (OpenStreetMap walking directions):

The buildings for the major. Find your student's department on the campus map before you go. The class visit list, for example, puts Intro Financial Accounting in Grainger Hall.
A class in session. Admitted students can drop in on listed classes from September to April with no registration.
A residence hall. University Housing runs 45-minute tours from the Carson Gulley Center, 1515 Tripp Circle, through a first-year room in the Lakeshore halls and Four Lakes Market.
Memorial Union and Union South. About 8 and 11 minutes away. Each residence hall neighborhood has its own union.
State Street. About 12 minutes to State Street at North Frances Street.
Langdon Street. About 10 minutes to North Lake Street. The Panhellenic Association calls it home to most sorority houses. See it from the sidewalk.
Where sophomores rent. Mifflin and Bassett, 17 to 23 minutes away, and Regent Street, 14 to 16. Many students sign those leases in the fall of freshman year, so this stop is worth it.

Visit on a weekday during the semester if you can, so you see campus with classes running. Our UW-Madison dorms guide compares all 19 halls before your student ranks them.

When are UW-Madison's admitted student events?

UW-Madison's admitted student events run on campus in the spring, and admitted students register by logging in with their NetID on the Office of Admissions and Recruitment's visit site. "We encourage you to attend" an admitted student event "on our campus in the spring," the first-year admitted student checklist says, calling it a chance to "decide if our campus is your next home away from home."

What to know about the timing, as of November 2026:

Dates sit behind the login. The admitted event list opens only after your student activates a NetID, using the 10-digit Campus ID from the admission letter.
Invitations come by email. The admissions office tells admitted students to check email often for event invitations.
May 1 is the deadline to plan around. Fall enrollment must be confirmed by May 1, so a spring visit has to land before it.
Housing tours and class visits are separate. They run on their own schedules, apart from the admitted events.

If the admitted event dates don't fit your calendar, a weekday visit with a housing tour and a class covers much of the same ground. A private tour can add Langdon Street, State Street and the sophomore neighborhoods on your own schedule.

Can admitted students sit in on a UW-Madison class?

Yes, admitted students can sit in on a UW-Madison class, with no registration, from September to April. "Just find a time that works for you, go to the class, and introduce yourself to the professor," the admissions office's classroom visit page says. Prospective students can go too.

How it works, per that page as of November 2026:

Pick from the posted list. The page lists specific intro classes by time and room, such as General Microbiology in the Microbial Sciences Building and Statics in Engineering Hall.
Stay for the whole class. Professors ask visitors to stay for the full period and turn off phones and other devices.
Check the calendar. Fall 2026 classes run September 2 to December 9, with no classes over Thanksgiving recess, November 26 to 29. Exams happen throughout the semester, and the schedule can change.

Use the campus map to find the building, and pick a class in your student's intended major if one is listed.

How much does a year at UW-Madison cost in 2026-27?

A year at UW-Madison costs $31,524 for a Wisconsin resident and $65,120 for a nonresident in 2026-27, according to the Office of Student Financial Aid's estimated cost of attendance for undergraduates. Minnesota residents see $37,574.

What goes into the number:

Tuition and fees: $12,532 for Wisconsin residents, $45,518 for nonresidents and $18,328 for Minnesota residents.
Housing and meals: $14,994 for everyone, or $4,556 for a student living at home.
Course materials: $700. Personal: $2,618.
Transportation: $612 for Wisconsin residents, $1,222 for nonresidents.

The housing line is an estimate. Actual 2026-27 residence hall rooms run $3,675 to $5,075 a semester plus a dining plan of $2,100 to $2,950, per University Housing. Our first-year dorms guide breaks those rates down by hall.

Your own number depends on financial aid, so compare this budget with each school's award letter.

What are the deadlines after you're admitted to UW-Madison?

The deadlines after you're admitted to UW-Madison run in six steps, most of them by May 1, according to the admitted student checklist and University Housing's first-year page:

Activate the NetID and MyUW. The checklist, admitted events and financial aid package live there.
Confirm enrollment by May 1 and pay the $200 deposit. It goes toward first-semester tuition and isn't refundable after the deadline.
Sign the housing contract by May 1 (for most students) and pay $75, a non-refundable application fee, plus a $225 advance payment. The contract arrives on its own after admission, and a student who signs and pays by the due date is guaranteed a space.
Rank halls and set a roommate in My UW Housing, also by May 1.
Summer: SOAR, the assignment and the dining plan. At Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration, your student meets an advisor and enrolls in first-semester classes. Housing assignments and dining plan choices come in summer too.
Pay the fall bill. Housing and tuition share one bill, due September 11 in 2026.

To walk Bascom Hill, State Street and Langdon Street with a current student before May 1, a private tour is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Is housing guaranteed for admitted UW-Madison freshmen?

Yes, housing is guaranteed for admitted UW-Madison freshmen who sign the housing contract and pay the advance payment by their due date, May 1 for most students. University Housing says assignments "are not first come first serve," so there's no need to sign early. Living on campus isn't required, but over 90 percent of the freshman class does.

How many new students did UW-Madison enroll in fall 2026?

UW-Madison enrolled 9,781 new undergraduates in fall 2026, selected from 79,600 applicants, according to UW-Madison News on September 25, 2026. That included 3,920 Wisconsin first-year students. Preliminary total enrollment for the fall was 50,965, graduate students included.

What is SOAR at UW-Madison?

SOAR is Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration, UW-Madison's summer program that "welcomes all incoming students to their first year," per the SOAR site. At SOAR, your student works with an advisor on a first-semester academic plan and enrolls in classes. Students register online through the SOAR site, which also has a section for parents and guests.

Sources, read November 2026: Admitted student checklist · Classroom visits · Cost of attendance · First-year housing · Housing tours · SOAR