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University of Wisconsin–Madison
 

International Student Information

International Student Services (ISS)

International Student Services (ISS) is your main resource on campus and has advisors who can assist you with visa, social, and employment issues. Visit their website for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Mandatory Orientation

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires you to register with UW-Madison prior to starting your program of study in the United States. By completing the Immigration Check and attending International Student Orientation (a mandatory orientation program for new students), you will fulfill this obligation. Registration is required for orientation.

Student Visas

Graduate Admissions issues the federal I-20 form for initial F-1 Visa procurement. Initial J-1 Visa document (DS-2019) is handled by ISS. The Graduate Admissions office sometimes must collect financial information for the DS-2019, which is then forwarded to ISS. After the student is enrolled, all Visa matters are handled by ISS. Additional segregated fees are added for international students to handle visa processing.

Documents Required of New International Students

Many students are admitted with a condition that they submit their final academic documents after arrival on campus. Please submit your documents to the Graduate School admissions office at 228 Bascom Hall. Or departments may collect the documents and send them to the admissions office via campus mail. You should also provide a copy to the AOS graduate program manager for the department’s files. The admissions requirements page has a drop down menu under “degrees” which lists the documents required for each country.

Students with English as a Second Language (ESL) Requirements

Any student who was admitted with a TOEFL score below 92, or an IELTS score below 6.5 will be required to take the University of Wisconsin-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT) and any required English course during their first semester. Please consider this extra burden when planning your schedules.