Academic Catalog

Admissions

Apply Online

The University of Wisconsin-Superior supports the UW System application for admission. Students may apply online at https://apply.wisconsin.edu.  The UW System application for admission opens at the beginning of August each year.  The University of Wisconsin-Superior does not charge an application fee for undergraduate applications. Graduate applicants are charged a $56 fee.

Visit Our Campus

We encourage prospective students to visit our campus regardless of what stage in the college search process the student is in.  The Office supports tailoring that visit experience to meet a student’s unique needs and interests, whether in-person or through a virtual visit.

Admissions Categories

Admissions requirements vary for different students. Common student types or admissions categories are defined below: 

Freshmen Students: Graduates of high schools in the United States or those who have received a GED or HSED who have not attended another university, technical college or other school after high school. Students who have earned college credits while in high school are considered Freshmen for admission and scholarship purposes, despite transferring in college credit.

Transfer Students: Students who have attempted or earned any college-level credit after graduating high school or completing their GED or HSED. 

International Students: Any student who is in, or intends to apply for, a nonimmigrant status such as F-1 or J-1.

Special Students/Non-degree Seeking Students: Anyone taking courses who does not wish to earn a degree. Special students are not eligible for financial aid.

Special Students Auditing a Course: Anyone who wished to enroll in a class and not receive credit or a grade. Auditing students are expected to attend class regularly, but will not be expected to submit assignments or take examinations. Audited courses do not count toward a degree and cannot be converted to credit after the last day to add classes.

Continuing Education Special Students: Non-degree seeking students who wish to enroll in Continuing Education credit programming, including certificate/credential programs.

High School Special Students: High school students who meet UW-Superior requirements can earn college credit through the Early College Credit Program (ECCP). To take courses through ECCP you must be a high school student at a public or private high school in Wisconsin. Under ECCP, the costs of the courses are shared among the institute of higher education, the school district or private school, the state, and in some cases the student's family.

Advanced Placement: High school seniors who have completed college-level courses through the College Board's Advanced Placement Programs. See how Advanced Placement classes will transfer.

Graduate Students: See the Graduate Studies portion of this catalog.

Freshmen Students

Admissions Requirements

  1. A completed UW System application, including the essay/statement.
  2. High school transcript.

Additional Items for Consideration

Standardized Test Scores

Students applying will have the option to decide whether or not they want their standardized test score (ACT/SAT) included in their admission review. Applicants can still submit an ACT or SAT scores as part of their application but also have the option to omit this in their application if they have not taken the ACT/SAT or if they do not feel their standardized test scores reflect their academic ability. The UW-Superior institutional code for the SAT is 1920, and for ACT, 4682

Applicants for admission as new first year students must satisfy the following minimum requirements to be considered:

  1. Graduation from a recognized high school or the equivalent.
    1. A recognized high school is
      1. Accredited by a regional accrediting association or state university.
      2. Recognized or accredited by a state department of public instruction or its equivalent.

An applicant who has not graduated from a recognized high school must provide evidence of satisfactory completion of the requirements for a high school equivalency certificate or a diploma from a recognized high school, school system, or state department of public instruction based on the GED examination, the Wisconsin High School Equivalency Diploma, or other established criteria. Applicants from alternative educational backgrounds, including home-schooled students, should contact the Admissions Office for specific information. Additional documents and a personal interview may be required. Home-school students will be considered for admission based on a complete review of their curriculum and other evidence that can be used to demonstrate their preparedness for college-level work. Other applicants who have not graduated from a recognized high school must provide evidence of ability to begin college work. Such evidence may include General Education Development (GED) test scores or a high school equivalency examination (HSED).

Completion of the following 17 high school credits is minimal preparation and is required for admission consideration. Applicants are strongly recommended to take advanced courses beyond the required 17 high school credits. Students admitted on the basis of a high school equivalency diploma are considered to have fulfilled these minimum subject matter requirements.

  1. Four credits of English.
  2. Three credits of mathematics, preferably algebra I, algebra II, and geometry.  Alternative courses may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Three credits of natural science with two credits from biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, or advanced courses in these disciplines.
  4. Three credits of social science (i.e., anthropology, economics, history [U.S. or world], political science [civics/government], psychology, or sociology).
  5.  Four academic credits from the above and/or in the fine arts, computer science, foreign language, or other academic areas.

Transfer Students

Admissions Requirements

  1. A completed UW System application, including the essay/statement.
  2. An official high school transcript if applicant has not earned an Associate degree, 60 transferable credits, or a higher degree from one of their transfer institutions.
  3. All official college transcripts sent directly from the institution(s) attended to the UW-Superior Admissions Office. This includes transcripts for credit earned at the applicant's current institution and any previous institutions (including college credits earned while in high school).

International Students (Undergraduate)

Application Procedures and Requirements

UW-Superior welcomes applications from students from other countries. International students must complete an application for admission, provide evidence of English proficiency, and submit academic records, examination results and proof of sponsorship. Further information about the application process, required documents, and international student financial assistance/scholarships is available on the UW-Superior international admissions website (undergraduate programs) and Graduate Studies website (graduate programs).

Special Students/Non-degree Seeking Students

Admission Requirements

Special Students (Non-degree seeking) may take university courses without being admitted as degree-seeking students. This is useful for high school students starting early on college coursework and adults seeking specific credits to advance their careers or gain personal enrichment.

To be admitted as a Special Student, an applicant must be a current 9th-12th grade student, a high school graduate, or the holder of a GED.

Special students should be aware that they:

  1. In most instances, cannot qualify for financial aid.
  2. Cannot compete in intercollegiate athletics.
  3. Can only earn up to 29 semester credits under this classification. Special exemptions may be made for students seeking certificates requiring more than 29 credits.
  4. Can apply appropriate credits earned toward a degree.
  5. Pay the same tuition and fees as a degree-seeking student.
  6. Admitted students who wish to enroll must pay a $100 enrollment deposit, as described in their letter of admission. This deposit will be applied to the costs of the first semester of attendance. High School Special Students, online special students and students enrolling through the Center for Continuing Education are exempt from this.

Application Procedures

High school students must complete a UW System application available online at www.uwsuper.edu/admissions and submit a high school transcript to the Admissions Office.

Other applicants seeking to enroll as a special adult student must complete the UW System special (non-degree seeking) application available online at www.uwsuper.edu/admissions. There is no application fee.

Changing From Special to Degree-Seeking Status

Special students who elected to enter the institution as non-degree-seeking students must follow the admissions criteria and application process outlined by the Admissions Office for an incoming transfer student. Students are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office for assistance through this process.

Special Auditing Students

Students may audit courses in which they will not receive credit nor a grade. Audited courses do not count toward a degree and cannot be converted to credit after the last day to add classes. Information regarding costs of auditing courses can be found online.

Application Procedures: Submit UW-Superior Application and indicate wish to audit courses and include registration for the classes they wish to audit. Auditors who are eligible for Social Security Disability must provide the eligibility documentation to Educational Success Center.

Continuing Education Special Students

Non-degree seeking students can enroll as "Special Students" in the Center for Continuing Education’s credit programming by completing the Academic Credit Class Enrollment form prior to the start of each semester. These forms can be submitted via email to conted@uwsuper.edu or in-person. Continuing Education Special Students are not eligible for financial aid. If Continuing Education Special Students request to become degree seeking, they will be required to formally apply to the university through the UW-Superior Admissions Office.

High School Special Students

Admissions Requirements

High school students at public and private high schools in Wisconsin can earn college credit while still in high school through the Early College Credit Program (ECCP). A student selected for the program may be permitted to enroll at UW-Superior to take one or more courses for which the student may earn high school credit, post-secondary credit, or both. Under ECCP, the costs of the courses are shared among the institute of higher education, the school district or private school, the state, and in some cases the student’s family.

High school students who wish to earn college credit outside of the Early College Credit Program will be assessed all tuition and associated fees.

UW-Superior welcomes high school students and will attempt to accommodate them if they meet admission requirements and if there is space available in the desired courses. School district approval as an ECCP student will not guarantee admission to UW-Superior or enrollment in desired courses.

Application Procedures

To be considered for admission as a high school student, applicants must submit to the Admissions Office the following:

  1. A completed UW System application for admission which is available online at www.uwsuper.edu/apply.
  2. A transcript of all high school credit completed as of the end of the prior semester.

Admission to UW-Superior as a high school student is subject to course, program and institutional enrollment limits, and to admission requirements as authorized by the Board of Regents. Generally, a high school student should have a GPA of 3.0 to be considered for admission to University of Wisconsin-Superior.

High school special students should be aware of the following:

  1. Course enrollment priority will be given to UW-Superior's degree-seeking students.
  2. If admitted to UW-Superior, the Center for Continuing Education will inform high school students the procedures for registering for classes. Before registering for university courses, ECCP students must submit proof that the proposed coursework has been approved by the school administration.
  3. High school students will be subject to UW-Superior codes of conduct and academic policies.
  4. All coursework taken by high school students will be recorded and transcribed as post-secondary credit. It is the responsibility of the student and the school board to determine whether the coursework may also satisfy high school credit requirements.
  5. Course selection is dependent upon appropriate high school preparation, course prerequisites and, in some cases, consent of the instructor.

Advanced Placement

High School seniors who have completed college-level courses through the College Board's Advanced Placement Programs may take the appropriate examination administered by the Educational Testing Service and have their scores, test papers and reports sent to UW-Superior. The university has approved the granting of credit for Advanced Placement in a number of areas. Further information is available by contacting the Admissions Office.

Project Lead the Way

High school students who have completed Project Lead the Way courses may be eligible for college credit.