Current/Recent Special and Guest Students

Are you a current or recent Special or Guest student? The topics below offer helpful information throughout the semester and beyond. If you can’t find what you’re looking for contact us at assc@dcs.wisc.edu or call 608-263-6960.
NOTE: Returning students who need to apply go directly to the UW System online application.

Continuing as a Special or Guest student
Enrollment information
Tuition and Fees
Dropping and Withdrawing
Grading
Transcripts and Grade Reports

Continuing as a Special or Guest student

If you took a course as a Special or Guest student (or enrolled in a course and dropped the class after the first day of classes), you will be able to enroll for the next term if you were admitted in one of these classifications: UNDS, UNRS, UGST, UGSR, UNCS, UNIS. If you enrolled for spring and don't take a class in summer, you will still be able to enroll for the fall term.

If you were admitted in one of these classifications—UNHS, UNVS, UNOS, UNPS, UNES—contact assc@dcs.wisc.edu or call 608-263-6960 to see whether you can continue for the next term.

Enrollment information for Special and Guest students

Continuing Special students, Senior guest auditors, and Guest auditors enroll via My UW. Check “Student Center” in your My UW account enrollment dates and times. (Exchange and Capstone Certificate students have earlier enrollment times.)
Note: Senior and regular Guest auditors can only enroll after “permission” from the instructor is entered on the computer system. Pick up a permission assistance form from our office or download and print out the form at Step 4 in the enrollment process.

Class Search Timetable Tips

The online Timetable (list of classes offered) is accessed using “Class Search” located inside your “Student Center” in your My UW account. You can search for courses using key words, time of day, favorite instructor and different “modes of instruction” such as “Internet only.” Here are a few additional tips to help you with your search for classes via the Timetable:

  • By selecting a “Course Subject” only, you can get a list of all the courses offered by that department for the semester.
  • “Enrollment Packages for Course” lets you find out how many seats are open, and how discussion sections (“DIS”) and laboratory sections (“LAB”) connect with the main lectures (“LEC”).
  • The Registrar’s Web site also offers course information online in PDF format. This downloadable department-by-department information may be easier to access if you have a slower computer connection. Our office has print copies of the Timetable available. Come in and browse for courses and enjoy a cup of coffee on us!
  • If you need help finding course information, call the Registrar’s help line at 608-262-1355 or contact ASSC at 608-263-6960. Department Web sites may also provide important course information and syllabi.

Use “Wish List” to Plan Your Courses

“Wish List,” located in the “Student Center” and accessed via My UW can help you with course planning and enrollment. Add courses to your Wish List now and enroll when your enrollment time arrives. Courses will appear on a printable grid which may help you with scheduling.

By adding courses to your “Wish List” now and then checking “Validate Selected,” you can find out whether you will have trouble adding the course(s) at your first enrollment time.

If you receive a message such as “Requisites not met for class,” contact the department offering the class and get permission from the instructor to be able to add that class at your appointed enrollment time. Many classes such as math, foreign language and business cannot be added until you have been cleared in the computer system.

See a demonstration of the “Wish List” feature and other enrollment functions.

Tuition and fees

Shortly after you enroll in a class via MyUW you will receive a bill from the Bursar’s Office. You will also be able to check your fee via MyUW in the Student Center. Your bill will indicate your tuition due date, typically four weeks after you enroll. Your tuition amount depends on three variables:

  1. whether you are a Special or Guest student,
  2. whether or not you are a resident of Wisconsin, and
  3. the number of credits for which you are enrolling.

Our admission letter will indicate the Special or Guest student program under which you’ve been admitted. The letter will also indicate whether you are a Wisconsin resident for tuition purposes. If you have questions about your residency status contact the Residency Office at res4tuition@doit.wisc.edu or call 608-262-1355. To check current per-credit rates visit the Registrar’s fee page, select your term of enrollment and “student career” (either “Undergraduates and Specials” or “Guests”).

Tuition bill due date information

The due date for your tuition depends on when you successfully enroll for your first class. Some Special students who enroll earlier (such as Capstone Certificate students) will have a tuition due date similar to that for degree students. If you are a Special or Guest student enrolling just prior to the start of the term or later, your tuition due date will be later. Bills are sent by the Bursar's Office after you enroll in your first class. Students typically have three weeks to pay their tuition in full after the receipt of this mailed bill. Please make sure that you keep your mailing address updated in MyUW. After you are billed, your tuition due date and amount will also be posted in the Student Center in MyUW. You can pay your tuition by either a mailed check or via eCheck from within your MyUW/Student Center account. You may not pay your tuition with a credit card.

You will be assessed a $100 late fee by the Bursar’s Office if you don’t pay your bill by the due date. A hold will also be placed on your record until your bill is paid. This hold will block future enrollment and your ability to obtain a transcript. If you feel there are mitigating circumstances involving your late payment, you must appeal your fee using the Bursar’s appeal form.

Dropping and withdrawing

Dropping courses

Dropping a course is defined as dropping one of several courses in a given semester. Withdrawing is defined as dropping all courses (could be one course) in a given semester. Drop deadlines occur before withdrawal deadlines in all semesters. If you are dropping your course(s) within the established deadlines, you simply need to go to your MyUW page, click on "Student Center" and then drop the class(es) you wish. If you are within a refund period, a check will be mailed to you from the Bursar’s office within a few weeks. Check the online Timetable for deadlines. If you want to drop ALL your courses please see “Withdrawal from the University.”

Withdrawal from the University

Withdrawing means you are dropping all your classes. The withdrawal deadline is towards the end of the semester and later than the last day to drop. Check the online Timetable for deadlines. If you are withdrawing from the university within the established deadlines, you may simply elect to drop all your classes via the MyUW system. Alternatively you can complete the withdrawal form online. After you complete the form, fax (608-265-2901) or send it to our office (Adult and Student Services Center, 21 N. Park St, Rm 7101, Madison, WI 53715) and we will process your withdrawal. If you are within a refund period, a check will be mailed to you from the Bursar’s office within a few weeks.

Grading

How semester grades are reported

Pass/fail option

University Special students may opt to take courses under the pass/fail privilege until the end of the fourth week of class (in summer the deadlines are prorated according to the length of the session). There is no limit on the number of pass/fail courses that Special students can carry as long as you do not exceed the maximum number of credits allowed for a Special student.

Complete the pass/fail option form. (Note: You cannot complete this form until you are enrolled in the class.) Submit it to the Adult and Student Services Center (fax: 608-265-2901) or send to 21 N. Park St, Rm 7101, Madison, WI 53715. When you elect to take a course pass/fail, you will not be allowed to cancel the agreement at a later date. Instructors do not know you are taking the course pass/fail unless you tell them, and they will submit a letter grade for you at the end of the term. If your letter grade is “A,” “B” or “C” you will receive an “S” for satisfactory on your record. A letter grade of “D” or “F” will result in a “U” for unsatisfactory on your record.

Credit/no credit courses

Some courses in the Timetable are designated as being offered on a Credit/No Credit basis. The transcript for the course will indicate either "CR," meaning the student earned the credits for which the course was offered, or "N," meaning that the student did not earn any credit even though enrolled for the course. Students may not take such courses on any other basis.

Incompletes

A grade of incomplete may be reported only when a student has been achieving passing grades until the end of a semester and then, because of illness or other substantial cause beyond his/her control, has been unable to take or complete the final examination or to complete some portion of the course requirements. Only the instructor can grant permission for an incomplete.  A University Special student has until the end of the next semester of enrollment at UW-Madison (not counting summer sessions) to complete the work and receive a final grade. The Incomplete will automatically lapse to an "F" at the end of the next semester of enrollment/completion if work is not completed. 

Transcripts and grade reports

Prior to requesting transcripts or grade reports, verify that grades have been posted at MyUW.

Official transcripts

Order official transcripts from the Registrar's Office.

Request a cumulative grade report

Cumulative grade reports, sent via e-mail, show all coursework completed at UW-Madison.

Currently enrolled UW-Madison students:

Log in to MyUW and follow these links: “Student Center,” then “Academic History,” and then click on “Request Student Record.” Another screen will open; click on the yellow “Request Student Record” button. Your unofficial grade report will be sent to your preferred e-mail account within a few seconds. 

Previously enrolled UW-Madison students:

Log in to MyInfo using your 10-digit campus ID and PIN. (If you do not remember your campus ID or PIN, contact Enrollment Services (608-263-6612) for assistance. Normal business hours are: Monday-Friday, 7:45 am-4:30 pm, excluding holidays.) Follow the links under the following headings: “Student Center,” then “Academic History,” and then click on “Request Student Record.” Another screen will open; click on the yellow “Request Student Record” button. Your unofficial grade report will arrive to your preferred e-mail account within a few seconds. 

Request a semester grade report

Semester grade reports, sent via U.S. mail, show coursework only from one selected semester.

Currently enrolled UW-Madison students:

Log in to MyUW and click on the “MyUW icon” icon above your name. Choose “Self Service,” then click on “Academic Records” located in the bottom center of the page. Next click on the “Request Mailed Grade Report” in the bottom center of the page. Select the semester you would like mailed and on the following screen choose the “Mail Grades” box and then “Save” (bottom left corner). 

Previously enrolled UW-Madison students:

Log in to MyInfo using your 10-digit campus ID and PIN. (If you do not remember your campus ID or PIN, contact Enrollment Services (608-263-6612) at the Office of the Registrar for assistance. Normal business hours are: Monday-Friday, 7:45 am-4:30 pm, excluding holidays.) Click on the “MyUW icon” icon above your name. Choose “Self Service,” then click on the words “Academic Records” located in the bottom center of the page. Next click on the “Request Mailed Grade Report” in the bottom center of the page. Select the semester you would like mailed and on the following screen choose the “Mail Grades” box and then “Save” (bottom left corner). 

NOTE: Summer grades are only sent in late August; spring and fall grades are sent weekly.

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