“Direct Admit Wisconsin makes it easy to enroll in and pursue a UW education. We want students and their families to know there is a place for them at the Universities of Wisconsin. Some students don’t see themselves as succeeding at the college level. Direct Admit Wisconsin tells them otherwise and makes enrollment as easy as possible.”
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman
Direct Admit Checklist
Once you’ve received your direct admission offers, use this checklist to guide your next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
First, you must be enrolled in a participating school district and opt to participate in the program. Then, if you are on track to complete the credits required for admission – 4 units of English, 3 units of approved math, 3 units of social science, 3 units of natural science, and 4 additional academic units – you will receive an admission offer through Direct Admit Wisconsin.
No, Direct Admit Wisconsin is not a mandatory program. Depending on the high school, the student will have the option to either opt in to the program or opt out of participation.
Students need to be a member of the class of 2025 and agree to participate. Participation is facilitated by the high school. Students will need to meet the direct admission criteria to receive admission offers through Direct Admit Wisconsin.
NOTE: The deadline for the Class of 2025 to sign up to participate in Direct Admit Wisconsin has passed, however it is not too late to apply for admission. Students interested in admission at any UW university are encouraged to submit a traditional application at www.apply.wisconsin.edu.
No. There is no fee or cost to participate or submit the Direct Admit form for students.
Students in the Class of 2025 at participating high schools will agree to participate during the spring semester of their junior year. In the future, the choice to participate will become a part of the regular registration process for incoming junior students. Each high school will determine the best way to facilitate the participation process for their students.
The deadline for the class of 2025 to participate was June 2024. The class of 2026 who attend participating high schools will engage in the participation process during their junior year.
They are agreeing to share information with the Universities of Wisconsin so that we can provide a streamlined admission acceptance process into participating UW universities. Participation also provides consent to receive communications about Direct Admit Wisconsin.
Students will receive their Direct Admit offer of admission letter in a communication sent to them via email, hard copy letter and/or their high school student portal beginning in late July and running through early October. The letter is an official admission offer letter from the Universities of Wisconsin and will list the UW universities/campuses that the student is admitted to.
Students continue to have the option to complete the Universities of Wisconsin online application for universities that are not participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin. Some universities also accept the Common App. Students can wait to receive admission decisions from other schools before accepting a direct admit or traditional admission offer.
Students need to complete the Direct Admit form in the Universities of Wisconsin Admission Pathway Portal to claim their direct admission offers. The offer letter will link to the Direct Admit Form for students to provide more information and to indicate which UW universities/campuses they would like to attend, explore, or learn more about. There is no fee for accepting admission offers and no limit to the number of universities that students can connect with. Direct Admit students do not need to fill out the Universities of Wisconsin application.
Direct Admit students must complete the requirements for admission during the senior year and graduate from high school. If they do not, admission offers will be rescinded.
UW HELP has robust resources and information to help students and families explore the Universities of Wisconsin and discover which campus is right for them. Students can reach out to the UW HELP team at uwhelp@uwsa.edu, 800-442-6459, or visit the website to access a live chat.
For the Class of 2026, participating high schools will include the direct admission participation and information release form in registration materials or during the 2024-25 school year. This will streamline the process for students and families.
Still have questions about Direct Admit Wisconsin?
Contact dawi@go.wisconsin.edu or 800-442-6459.