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Reentry Student

Who is a Reentry Student?

Students who previously attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an undergraduate and would like to complete their first undergraduate degree will need to apply for reentry admission. Reentry students are those who have not been enrolled in courses for a semester or more.

Process for applying

Students who left UW-Madison or the College of Engineering may be able to apply for reentry. The process for applying for reentry depends on

(1) your academic status when you left UW-Madison and

(2) what school/college you intend to join. Students who are in poor academic standing in another school or college at UW-Madison will not be admitted to the College of Engineering. Review the information below to understand how the reentry process applies to you.

If you have any questions about the reentry process, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Advising at coeadvising@engr.wisc.edu or 608-262-2473.

If you were not dropped from the university, you will be automatically readmitted after you submit the reentry application. Students in this situation need to:

  • Fill out the reentry Application Form.
  • In the “Additional Statement” section of the application, please indicate why you left UW-Madison, what you have been doing since you last attended, and why you are now ready to return.
  • If you attended another college/university since you last attended UW-Madison, you will need to submit an official transcript with final grades to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

If you were not dropped from the university, you will be automatically readmitted after you submit the reentry application. You will need to take action to transfer out of the College of Engineering after you are readmitted. Students in this situation need to:

  • Seek advising from the school/college you plan on transferring into for instructions on how to transfer.
  • Fill out the reentry Application Form.
  • In the “Additional Statement” section of the application, please indicate your intention to transfer out of the College of Engineering, the school/college you plan on transferring into, why you left UW-Madison, what you have been doing since you last attended, and why you are now ready to return.
  • If you attended another college/university since you last attended UW-Madison, you will need to submit an official transcript with final grades to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

If you were dropped from UW-Madison for academic reasons, your application will be reviewed by the academic dean and/or appropriate department. Please allow at least 8 weeks for processing. Students in this situation need to:

  • Develop a plan for reentry. The plan should: (1) address the issues that caused your poor academic performance, (2) indicate how you have addressed these issues and how they are going to lead to positive change in your actions upon your return to UW-Madison, and (3) include a two-semester course plan that will help you achieve your goals. If your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, include a calculation that indicates the number of credits you will need to complete and the grades you will need to earn in order to achieve a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The “Raise GPA” tab of this GPA Calculator can help.
  • If you have not yet progressed into an engineering department, include the courses you will take in the two semesters following your reentry and the grades you will need in these courses in order to meet progression requirements.
  • If you have already progressed in a department, include the courses you will take in the two semesters following your reentry, indicate how these fit into your degree requirements and the grades you will need in these courses in order to remain in good standing.
  • Fill out the reentry Application Form. Include the above information in the “Additional Statement” section of the application. After you submit your application, the College of Engineering may contact you via email to request additional information. You may also choose to send any supplemental application materials to engracademicdean@engr.wisc.edu.
  • If you attended another college/university since you last attended UW-Madison, you will need to submit an official transcript with final grades to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. The College of Engineering may also ask you to email an unofficial transcript as soon as final grades are available in order to expedite the reentry application review process. Please note: your academic improvement in rigorous coursework will be critical to readmission. The College of Engineering expects reentry applicants to earn B’s or better in all courses to demonstrate academic readiness to return to UW-Madison.

If you were dropped from UW-Madison for academic reasons, your application will be reviewed by the academic dean. Please allow at least 8 weeks for processing. After you are readmitted, you will need to take action to transfer out of the College of Engineering when you are academically eligible. Students in this situation need to:

  • Meet with an academic advisor of the major you intend to pursue to develop an academic plan.
  • The academic plan should: (1) address the issues that caused your poor academic performance, (2) indicate how you have addressed these issues and how they are going to lead to positive change in your actions upon your return to UW-Madison, and (3) include a course plan that will help you achieve your goals. If your cumulative GPA is below 2.0, include a calculation that indicates the number of credits you will need to complete and the grades you will need to earn in order to achieve a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The “Raise GPA” tab of this GPA Calculator can help.
  • Include the courses you will take in the two semesters following your reentry, indicate how these fit into your degree requirements and the grades you will need in these courses in order to remain in good standing.
  • Fill out the reentry Application Form. Include the above information in the “Additional Statement” section of the application. After you submit your application, the College of Engineering may contact you via email to request additional information. You may also choose to send any supplemental application materials to engracademicdean@engr.wisc.edu.
  • If you attended another college or university since you last attended UW-Madison, you will need to submit an official transcript with final grades to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. The College of Engineering may also ask you to email an unofficial transcript as soon as final grades are available in order to expedite the reentry application review process. Please note: your academic improvement in rigorous coursework will be critical to readmission. The College of Engineering expects reentry applicants to earn B’s or better in all courses to demonstrate academic readiness to return to UW-Madison.

Timeline for applying for reentry

Reentry admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Students who were dropped must allow at least 8 weeks for processing. Applications received less than two months before the start of the semester cannot be guaranteed consideration.

Students should submit the reentry application form as soon as they are prepared to initiate the readmission process, even before completing planned steps (working full-time, seeking treatment, completing coursework at another institution, etc).