Parents and family

The most popular sessions are 3 weeks, 4 weeks, or 8 weeks long. They’ll cover the same material as they would during a traditional semester, but everything moves faster. It’s a quick but manageable pace.

There are many reasons to take summer courses and academic difficulty might be one of them, but that’s not usually the main reason. Summer Term lets students focus their attention in fewer courses often in a smaller classroom setting, which most students like better. Your student’s advisor can talk with them about summer courses and helping to figure out if it would be a good fit.

The UW–Madison Undergraduate Scholarship for Summer Study is a need-based scholarship awarded to high-achieving undergraduate students (of any major) seeking financial support to take courses in the upcoming summer session. Scholarship awards are between $500 and $1,000. Scholarship applications open and close dates TBD.

Financial aid eligibility for Summer 2021 will be based on your 2023-2024 FAFSA.

The student will be notified via email of any financial aid eligibility for Summer 2023 shortly after they enroll at least half-time in summer courses. You must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for most types of summer financial aid. Review the Office of Student Financial Aid’s enrollment chart for details.

The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) is available to help your student apply for other sources of financial aid for Summer Term. If you or your student wants to talk to someone about their financial aid, they can call OSFA at 608-262-3060 or email finaid@finaid.wisc.edu.

Taking a required course can be a great option for students to get ahead. Summer classes tend to be smaller, so students have the chance to really get to know the instructor. Also, students can really focus on the course material during an accelerated class over the summer.

If they’re staying on the Madison campus, one option would be to volunteer in the local community organization and get experience in the field at the same time that they are getting a challenging course out of the way.

For example, Badger Volunteers pairs teams of students with schools, nonprofits, and other types of community organizations. Participants volunteer one to four hours each week at the same organization throughout Summer Term, developing meaningful connections with the people they serve. Transportation, training, and more are provided.

Volunteer assignments fall into one of three categories — education, sustainability, and public health — but opportunities are available for a variety of majors and interests. Visit the Morgridge Center for Public Service to learn more.

Another option is to take an online course while volunteering or doing an internship.

Choose from more than 1,000 face-to-face courses and hundreds of online courses with our searchable summer course list. Browse courses by subject, courses available online, or courses that fulfill requirements like Ethnic Studies. A full and comprehensive list of all Summer 2023 courses will be available on the Search and Enroll App in February. Enrollment begins (date TBD).

View tuition and fee information.

UW–Madison online courses are taught by prestigious instructors from the university’s face-to-face courses. Instructors provide a syllabus listing important assignments, deadlines, virtual office hours, and a weekly flow diagram (also known as a weekly rhythm) that illustrates how to structure the week to succeed in the course.

Students should expect to be active participants in the learning process. They’ll learn through tools such as podcasts, mini-lectures, discussion forums, online journals, and multimedia elements. They can connect with the instructor — and classmates — through collaborative documents such as wikis, videoconferencing apps like Zoom, emailing, texting, and a host of interactive activities. Assignments and exams are submitted online.

Online courses also pair well with a summer job or internship.

While many learning support options available during the regular academic year are not open during Summer Term due to less demand, several units still offer support during the summer months. To see a full list of tutoring and learning support resources available in the summer, students and parents can visit advising.wisc.edu/tutoring and select the “Summer Term” filter located on the “Find Resources” page.

The Writing Center on campus can also help your student with writing assignments whether your student is on-campus or online.

University Housing offers housing for students during Summer Term. Located in the heart of campus, with easy access to bus lines, dining halls, fitness centers, and more, they’re a convenient place to live and get to know other students.

If your student is looking for off-campus housing near UW–Madison, the Campus Area Housing (CAH) office maintains a free, searchable list of rental vacancies, sublets, Private Housing Connections properties, and roommate openings in apartments and houses. The Summer Housing Boost can help students cover the cost of living in residence halls over the summer.

There are plenty of opportunities for full or part-time employment on campus during Summer Term that won’t interfere with your child’s summer curriculum. Many campus employers provide schedule flexibility that allows students to earn money and make progress on their academics in the summer. The Student Job Center lists summer job openings located at UW–Madison and off-campus in the private and public sectors.

Your student’s advisor is a great resource to learn how Summer Term can fit into their academic plans. Summer Term staff are also here to assist you. Email us at summerterm@wisc.edu.