UNDERGRADUATE APPLICATION

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in the UW-Madison Art Department Undergraduate Program! We are excited to offer classes in various disciplines that support the campus with our BFA and Certificate programs. We are always looking to improve how we interact with potential UW students. To maintain our high standards of excellence, we are evaluating our use of the optional portfolio submission related to the university common application. We are withdrawing the optional portfolio submission from the university’s common admissions application during this time. We recognize that this shift differs from what was communicated to you during your visit or virtual meetings with Art Department advisors. Rest assured that the work you have committed to thus far is important and remains a crucial component within the Art Department and your academic journey.

Applicants must complete the UW-Madison general application using Common Application. Information on how to apply to the university as an Art major can be found here. Transfer students must apply via the UW System Application.

Indicating ART as an intended major is not binding. Students interested in Music, Theatre, Dance, Interior Architecture, Textile and Fashion Design, Communication Arts, or Landscape Architecture should not upload a portfolio and must contact those departments directly. 

If you have any questions about the Art Department programs, degree options, etc., please reach out to Matthew Mauk at mmauk@wisc.edu.

Important Dates & Deadlines:

  • August 1: Applications open
  • November 1: Fall Early Action for first-years
  • January 15: Fall Regular Decision for first-years
  • February 1: Transfer Student Priority Decision
  • March 1: Transfer Student Regular Decision
Humanities Building Exterior featuring the UW Art kiosk.

Art Department Admission Events

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Art Department hosts various information sessions and tours for prospective art students on select days throughout the semester and summer months.

We provide an overview of undergraduate Art Department programs and discuss degree options, course offerings, and various opportunities available for Art students at UW-Madison. These information sessions are offered in-person and virtual lasting from one to two hours.

To register please use the Visit Bucky portal and search Art Department Information Sessions. Visitors are also encouraged to register for a general UW-Madison campus tour, a housing tour, or an admissions information session on the Office of Admissions’.

Get a glimpse of the Glass Lab and creative process with BFA Candidate Abby Sunde.