International Students

Information for international students applying to our graduate programs.  We welcome applications from international students.


International Student Services provides information, workshops, support, and assistance concerning visas.

Requirements

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Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. For specific information about comparable degrees in your country, and which academic documents are required, refer to the Grad School Admissions Requirements web page.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose entire undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL information can be found at www.ets.org.  The La Follette School requires a TOEFL paper-based test score of 580 or above, TOEFL computer-based test score of 237 or above, TOEFL Internet-based test score of 92 or above, or an IELTS score of 7 or above.  The UW–Madison institution code is 1846. Tests should be completed to ensure scores are received by January 1.

The admissions committee may ask a student regardless of their English test results to take a University of Wisconsin–Madison English assessment test upon arrival, and the student must register for any recommended English-as-a-second-language course(s) in the first semester of graduate study.

Meet UW-Madison Graduate School Minimum Requirements

Financial documents

The Graduate School does not request financial documents from international applications until a recommendation for admission has been received. Students wishing to learn more about the cost of attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison should consult the office of Financial Aid.

Office of Financial Aid

Summer school

International students are strongly advised to improve their language skills before beginning a La Follette School degree program. The University of Wisconsin–Madison offers two English-as-a-second-language courses during the eight-week summer session:

  • English 110 Intensive English as a Second Language
  • English 118 English as a Second Language: English Composition

For more information about these courses, students should contact the ESL program directly.

Contact admissions staff

Contact students and alumni

  • Portrait of Jenna Greene

    Jenna Greene, MPA ’22

    "I enjoyed the group work at LFS - I learned a lot from my classmates and enjoyed the discussions we had in and outside the classroom."

  • Portrait of Matthew Hansen.

    Matthew Hansen, JD-MPA ’22

    "La Follette is a very reputable program with a great faculty that actually care about your success."

  • Portrait of Katie Pollock

    Katie Pollock, MPA ’22

    "My client-based capstone project had a significant impact on my career path. This experience encouraged me to apply for a job opening in DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, where I currently work. Before my capstone experience, I would not have pictured myself working in the nuclear energy sector."

  • Portrait of Mitchell Wenzel

    Mitchell Wenzel, MPA ’23

    "At La Follette, I gained essential analytical skills through courses like Public Budgeting and Program Evaluation, which prepared me to navigate the complexities of government finance."

  • Portrait of Jean Vilbert

    Jean Vilbert, MIPA ’22

    "I would highly recommend the La Follette School to any prospective student because of its exceptional placement record. The school consistently positions its graduates for success across a range of career paths (government, NGOs, and academia)."

  • More student and alumni contacts