Get Started

Going back to school as a non-traditional student can be overwhelming. Try to remind yourself that you are doing something quite remarkable: taking control of your future by finishing your education.
Keerun Ismail

Badger Ready student with Bucky

Apply to UW–Madison as a University Special student under the classification UNPS-Badger Ready.

Priority deadlines:

Fall – June 1
Spring – November 1

Submit your official transcripts by mail to: ACSSS, 21 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53715; or by email to: badger.ready@wisc.edu. Your application will not be complete until all  official transcripts have been received. If you studied outside the U.S. for high school or college, please read more about international transcripts.

Note: Please do NOT send your transcripts to the UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment. 

Once your application is complete, we will contact you to discuss next steps.

Once your application file is complete, you will meet with a Badger Ready advisor to assess your career goals, review your transcripts and course history, address financial concerns, and develop a tailored academic plan for UW–Madison or another college or university. Badger Ready is focused on the present and your current level of academic readiness. Your prior GPA alone will not be a barrier to admission. The advisor will help you determine if UW–Madison is a good fit for you and can help you explore other options as well. Our advisors collaborate with the Office of Admissions and Recruitment and other campus advisors to ensure your academic plans are achievable.