Experience UW before the fall semester starts

Students who have accepted an offer of admission to UW–Madison for fall 2026 are eligible to participate. Students who are eligible for other early start programs at UW–Madison can contact WIExpSummerLaunch@wisc.edu to verify whether they are eligible for Wisconsin Experience Summer Launch.

Students must complete high school prior to the start of the program on June 15, 2026 to be eligible to participate in WESL. Students will be required to submit their final high school grades to Admissions before June 5, 2026 or they may not be able to participate in the program. Students will be able to self-report their final grades in their MyUW Student Center which they will receive instructions for. Students should plan on self-reporting and submitting their final, official transcript by July 15, 2026.

• The summer 2026 WESL application opens February 16, 2026
• Applications are due by May 3, 2026

Over eight weeks in the summer, students will complete three online courses:

• A 3-credit course which fulfills common requirements (June 15–August 9, 2026) See Course Options below for more information
• A 1-credit seminar, How to Succeed in College,  focused on learning techniques (June 15–July 12, 2026)
• A 1-credit seminar, The Wisconsin Experience Seminar, to learn more about UW–Madison (July 13–August 9, 2026)

The 1-credit seminars will be comprised of only incoming first-year students participating in Wisconsin Experience Summer Launch.  Together, the cohort will take the 1-credit course covering learning techniques for academic success and the 1-credit online Wisconsin Experience Seminar to learn about UW–Madison.

WESL students will be asked to sign-up for a weekly 45 minute synchronous discussion time with other WESL students. This will be a requirement of the program and graded. Students will be able to select a time that works best for their schedules.

The courses included in this program are standard UW–Madison courses, and are taught at an accelerated pace for summer session. These courses will appear on students’ UW–Madison transcripts and their grades from these courses will be included in their GPA. Student’s participation in welcome Canvas components and engagement in their coursework is mandatory. Students can be withdrawn from their classes if they are not actively participating.

To be successful, students should plan to spend on average 20-25 hours each week on course work and will need to balance summer activities with the program.

Students will need to have access to a device that has microphone and video capabilities and will need access to the internet for the full 8-week program.

WESL students will have the opportunity to move to campus early and participate in activities with other WESL students.

The early move-in date for fall 2026 will be Wednesday, August 26th. Students can indicate their interest in participating in early move-in through the program application.

Some activities WESL students have participated in in the past include scavenger hunts, campus resource tours, lunch with faculty members and many other opportunities to get to know the campus and the Madison area.

Summer 2026 WESL program costs:

• Wisconsin resident: $2,538.51
• Minnesota resident: $3,710.51
• Non-resident: $9,210.26
• International student: $9,418.61 

Other fees may be applied to a student’s summer bill, including document fees or course specific book fees. To review tuition rates and possible fees that may be assessed on a student’s account please visit the Bursar’s Tuition and Fees page. *Students admitted into the College of Engineering should select “Undergraduate Engineering” under the Select Specific Tuition Rate on the Bursar’s Office Tuition Fee Table.

Scholarships:

Students can choose to be considered for additional scholarships awarded based on financial need. Students can indicate on their program application that they want to be considered for these additional scholarships. To be eligible for these awards, students must have a 2026–27 FAFSA on file with UW–Madison. Students will be notified in their participation letter whether they have been awarded a scholarship.

Federal Aid:

Students who want to be considered for federal aid for summer 2026 need to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA using 2023 tax information. This is because federal financial aid for summer at UW-Madison is attached to the end of the previous academic year. You should complete the 2025-26 FAFSA no later than 24 hours after submitting your WESL program application. You can find the FAFSA form on the Federal Student Aid website here. You  will be notified if you are eligible for federal aid for summer in your program participation letter. 

Minnesota Reciprocity:

Minnesota students must be approved for reciprocity for the Summer term to pay at the Minnesota rate. Since summer is the last term of the academic year, students must submit a reciprocity application for the academic year prior to their fall enrollment. For example, if you applied to start as a freshman in fall 2026 and you want to enroll in summer 2026 courses, you will need to apply for reciprocity for the 2025–2026 academic year — even if you have already completed a Minnesota Reciprocity application for the 2026–2027 academic year. Apply for Minnesota Reciprocity.