Students on F-1/J-1 Visas
Students requesting F-1 or J-1 visas are required to submit proof of financial resources for visa documents to be prepared. The following estimates are based on:
- Tuition and Segregated fees covering the minimum number of credits for full-time enrollment as required by the F-1/J-1 visa for your educational level (undergraduate, graduate, or dissertator).
- Estimated living expenses for the program duration.* This amount includes mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), housing with utilities, food, books & supplies, the $100 semesterly International Student Services (ISS) fee and incidentals.
**NEW living expense calculations starting Fall 2026**
The office of International Student Services is now requiring that students show 6 months of living expenses for a semester program or 12 months of living expenses for an academic year– up from the 4 and 9 months that were historically used for calculations. This is true even if the student does not intend to arrive early and stay for their full grace period after the end of the semester.
Undergraduate level VISP: You will not have completed your undergraduate degree by the time you begin VISP.
Estimated Cost of Attendance for Undergraduate Level Students**
| 2026-27 Academic Year |
Fall or Spring (1 semester) |
Academic or Calendar Year (2 semesters) |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees Based on minimum enrollment of 12 credits each term |
$23,000 | $46,000 |
| Estimated Living Expenses for 6 or 12 months Note: This includes a 4 month semester/9 month academic year + 2-4 additional months to cover early arrival and late departure. |
$14,980 | $29,960 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $ 37,980 | $ 75,960 |
| Summer 2026 | 8-Week Session |
|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees Based on a minimum enrollment of 6 credits in the 8-week term |
$11,321 |
| Estimated Living Expenses | $5,060 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $16,381 |
Graduate level VISP: You have or will have completed your undergraduate degree by the start of your VISP program and/or are currently enrolled in graduate-level coursework abroad.
Estimated Cost of Attendance for Graduate Level Students**
| 2026-27 Academic Year | Fall or Spring (1 semester) |
Academic or Calendar Year (2 semesters) |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees* Based on minimum enrollment of 8 credits each term |
$15,500 | $31,000 |
| Estimated Living Expenses for 6 or 12 months Note: This includes a 4 month semester/9 month academic year + 2-4 additional months to cover early arrival and late departure. |
$14,980 | $29,960 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $ 30,480 | $ 60,960 |
| Summer 2026 | 8-Week Session |
|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees* Based on minimum enrollment of 4 credits in the 8-week term |
$7,562 |
| Estimated Living Expenses | $5,060 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $12,622 |
Dissertator level VISP: You have completed all PhD coursework requirements and are working on your dissertation OR you have completed your PhD.
Estimated Cost of Attendance for Dissertator Level Students**
| 2026-27 Academic Year | Fall or Spring (1 semester) |
Academic or Calendar Year (2 semesters) |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees* Based on minimum enrollment of 3 credits each term |
$5,750 | $11,500 |
| Estimated Living Expenses for 6 or 12 months Note: This includes a 4 month semester/9 month academic year + 2-4 additional months to cover early arrival and late departure. |
$14,980 | $29,960 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $ 20,730 | $ 41,460 |
| Summer 2026 | 8-Week Session |
|---|---|
| Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees* Based on minimum of 3 credits in the 8-week term |
$5,683 |
| Estimated Living Expenses |
$5,060 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $10,743 |
*VISP students pay international tuition, which is calculated on a per-credit basis. Tuition is capped between 12-18 credits during the fall and spring terms; 6-9 credits during the summer term. Graduate, dissertator level students, and all students in the 4-week summer term will see higher tuition costs if they enroll in more than the minimum enrollment requirement. The per-credit tuition rate is available below for your reference, and is based on the international column of the “Undergraduate & Special” tuition rate from the Bursar’s Office website.
**In addition to the tuition and segregated fees listed above, students will be charged a one-time official document fee of $130 by the Registrar’s Office to cover future transcript requests and other documents.
Students Without Enrollment Requirements
2026-27 Estimated Academic Year Per-Credit
Tuition Chart
| Number of Credits Taken | Estimated Tuition & Segregated Fees |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,937 |
| 2 | $3,874 |
| 3 | $5,750 |
| 4 | $7,748 |
| 5 | $9,442 |
| 6 | $11,321 |
| 7 | $13,200 |
| 8 | $15,500 |
| 9 | $17,433 |
| 10 | $19,370 |
| 11 | $21,350 |
| 12-18 credits | $23,000 |
Online-Only Students & Alternate Visa Situations
Students not on UW-Madison-issued F-1/J-1 visas have more flexibility in their enrollment. This group includes those studying with us online-only located outside of the U.S. taking part in special programs, individuals who hold dual citizenship, and those with other less-common visa situations.
Students without an enrollment requirement can enroll in as little as one credit or as many as 18 credits each fall or spring semester. Summer maximum enrollments vary by length of program.
All VISP students including this group are assessed tuition & fees on a per-credit basis using the chart to the left. This is based on the international column of the “Undergraduate & Special” tuition rate from the Bursar’s Office website.
Note: depending on your visa status, you may only be charged the non-resident rate instead of the international student rate, which would result in a nominal cost savings. If your bill is slightly lower than the amount listed here, that is likely the reason.
Additional Charges
In addition to the amounts listed on the chart to the left, students will be charged a one-time official document fee of $130 by the Registrar’s Office their first term of enrollment to cover future transcript requests and other documents. Additional fees may include electronic textbook fees, late payment fees, returned check fees, etc.
Summer Term
Our 8-week and 4-week summer sessions are the most popular, although there are other sessions also available. Sessions of varying lengths may have slightly different cost estimates based on length. Please check out our Summer page for more information and contact the VISP Coordinators for additional cost information.
Bringing Dependents
If you are bringing any dependents with you to Madison (spouse or children) you will need to show additional amounts of funding to cover their expected living expenses. They will also need to receive visa paperwork from UW-Madison in order to enter the U.S.
Funding Options
UW-Madison is unable to offer any need or merit-based individual scholarship support for our visiting international students. International students are not eligible for U.S. financial aid.
You may be able to secure outside scholarship support by looking at these potential funding resources or by applying for scholarships from your home country or institution.