Frequently Asked Questions
Courses
Yes. Every WISLI applicant who does not currently attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison must complete the special student application form to be formally admitted to the university for the summer. The special student status is needed to enable you to register for the language courses and obtain access to university resources.
Once we have received all your application materials and you have been admitted into the program, we will send you information on how to apply to become a UW–Madison special student.
No. Only applicants who are not currently enrolled as UW–Madison students need to submit the Special Student form.
WISLI policies and procedures differ from standard UW–Madison courses. Even as a current UW–Madison student, you will need to apply to the program and be admitted before you can enroll in WISLI classes.
No. WISLI policy does not allow auditors. All students must enroll in the course for full credit.
Yes, this option is available through your Student Center in your MyUW account once you have enrolled in classes. However, first confirm with your program that the Pass/Fail option is permissible depending on your funding award(s).
Students currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program at UW–Madison: please contact the WISLI office before submitting your form, as your process will be slightly different
Technically, yes — but we strongly discourage it. WISLI courses are intensive, and missing class time will affect your learning and your grade.
- Late arrival: If you start after the program begins, you are responsible for catching up on your own. Instructors cannot provide individual catch-up sessions, and your grade may be affected.
- Early departure: We do not administer final exams early, and no incomplete grades will be given. Leaving the program before it ends will result in a lower grade. If you know in advance that you cannot stay through the end, we recommend that you do not register for the second session.
If you anticipate a schedule conflict, please inform us as soon as possible so we can discuss options with you and your professors. Please refer to the WISLI Attendance and Commitment Policies for further details.
Yes, but you will not receive full-year academic credit, and you will still be required to pay the full tuition amount for the entire program.
Final course decisions typically occur in April after the priority deadline has passed. Classes with relatively larger enrollments may be confirmed earlier than others.
Other course decisions are contingent upon student commitments, so please confirm your decision to participate in WISLI as soon as possible, so we can determine the number of students to expect for each level.
We often receive inquiries about less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) not listed on WISLI’s standard application. We keep track of these requests and may offer additional languages if there is enough interest and a qualified instructor can be found. If you are interested, please email wisli@lpo.wisc.edu as early as possible in the application cycle.
If you are interested in a language—or a level of a language—that is rarely offered in the U.S., consider our Intensive Multilanguage Seminar (MULTI). This program allows you to independently and asynchronously study the language of your choice, guided by an expert in second language acquisition who specializes in supporting self-directed language learners.
Funding and Billing
The maximum cost of tuition for WISLI 2025 is $5,000. This cost may be less for current UW–Madison students and Wisconsin and Minnesota residents. View scholarship and fee remission opportunities.
Tuition does not include additional fees assessed by UW–Madison, such as segregated fees, the New Student Document Fee, or other charges that may apply based on your individual circumstances.
Additionally, WISLI encourages you to check with your home institution’s scholarship database and financial aid office. Advisors and mentors may also know about opportunities within your department, college, or graduate school that can support summer language study. In addition to language learning, grants classified for research, summer sessions, professional development, or another purpose may also qualify.
If you’re not a Wisconsin resident, your initial bill may be much higher than expected. Don’t worry—your balance will be reduced before the start of classes or shortly thereafter. Your tuition charge will be adjusted to $5,000 minus any tuition remissions or scholarships you’ve been awarded.
You’ll also be responsible for student fees, such as segregated fees and a $130 document fee if you’re new to UW–Madison. These fees will appear on your Bursar account along with tuition balance.
If someone will sponsor you to attend WISLI (i.e., pay your tuition), please review the following procedures for third-party payments. Please note that WISLI does not accept Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Grants.
Program fees are generally due to UW–Madison by the first Friday of classes. Check your student account to confirm your specific payment due date. No tuition or fee refunds are issued after the first Friday of classes.
No refunds will be issued to students who miss a portion of the program due to academic dismissal or other reasons. WISLI does not issue refunds on the $25 application fee except in the event of class cancellations.
Post-Program
All WISLI participants who are not UW–Madison students during the academic year will lose access to their UW–Madison email account early in the fall semester following their participation in WISLI.
You will always have access to your grades and unofficial transcript online, even after you are no longer enrolled at UW–Madison.
To view your grades, go to my.wisc.edu and log in using your NetID and Password. Then, launch your Student Center, select “Self-Service” at the top of the window, followed by “Academic Records” and then “Request My Student Record.”
Official UW–Madison transcripts containing your WISLI grades can also be obtained through the “Academic Records” section of your Student Record.
Students can request an official transcript from the UW–Madison Office of the Registrar.
To transfer credits to your home university, check with the registrar’s office at your home institution; you will likely provide them with the official transcript.
WISLI courses fall within the 300-600 range, which are not designated as undergraduate or graduate because they can be applied to either. Please review the information on the UW–Madison Graduate School Grading website for details. Ultimately, you should discuss with your home institution how the credits will be transferred.