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.
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 students and alumni
Muhammad Rehan, MIPA
"La Follette isn’t just a school; it’s a place where people lift each other up, making it an incredibly supportive environment."
Ali Mammadov, MPA, EAP
"La Follette deepened my understanding of the interconnectedness between local actions and global impacts, reinforcing my commitment to evidence-based, inclusive policymaking."
Gatiosso Traore, MIPA
"I’m planning to move to D.C. after graduation, and I already have alumni there helping me find a place and introducing me to people to connect with."
Miranda Garcia-Dove, Certificate in Public Policy
"The La Follette School has changed the way I think about policy by reinstating hope that we can work across difference and that there are shared goals and interests that we can leverage."
Andrew VanderMeer, MPA ’24
"In short, the core set of skills La Follette teaches were identical to what my employer was looking for!"
- More student and alumni contacts