Flexible Enrollment, Real Academic Experience
Whether you are currently in the United States studying at another institution, in your home country wishing to come to our campus for just a few weeks, UW-Madison is a great choice for your summer educational plans.
UW-Madison offers a variety of course sessions to allow students to customize their learning experience: most courses run in our four or eight-week sessions. While not a degree program, VISP students earn official UW-Madison academic credit for the classes taken.
Popular Subjects for Summer VISP Participants
As a VISP student, you’ll have access to courses from across the UW-Madison curriculum. Popular areas include:
Accounting, Art, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Communication Arts, Computer Science, Economics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, English as a Second Language, Finance, Math, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics.
Learn more about why Summer is a great time to be at UW on the UW-Madison Summer Term page.
On-Campus Housing Available
VISP summer participants are welcome to apply for Summer Term Housing in our campus residence halls. Single and double rooms are available during the 4 or 8-week sessions highlighted on this page. Space is limited, so apply early for best consideration.
Popular Summer Sessions
- June 20 – August 12: 8 week session
- June 20 – July 15: 4 week session
- July 18 – August 12: 4 week session
"This is my home away from home. UW-Madison is the combination of a world-class academic institution while at the same time an incomparable college experience."
VISP Credit Participant
Summer Application Timeline
Research our program through our website to make sure that VISP is the right fit for you.
Next Steps: You can learn more about our program eligibility, estimated cost of attendance, and our required application materials you’ll need to start collecting via our website.
Receive permission to attend VISP from your university, if currently enrolled.
Check out the 2022 Summer Course Preview to see what classes are offered in-person this summer.
Apply by mid-March for the most flexibility with housing and class selection. After your formal admission to our program, you’ll receive additional information about obtaining a student visa, enrolling in classes, and more.
Next Steps: Ready to apply? Visit our How to Apply page for required materials and to get started with your application.
Enroll in your summer class(es), and get ready to start your adventure!
Next Steps: Read over the information you received with your admission, as well as information on our website to learn more about Summer Term Housing, about the City of Madison, and get inspired by listening to testimonials of former VISP students.
2022 Summer Course Preview
Each year, our staff creates a handy PDF guide showcasing the classes our students are most likely to be interested in taking, and those that work with our on-campus housing options.

Typical Summer Enrollment
In the summer, students typically enroll in 1 class in our 4-week programs or 2-3 classes in our 8-week program for a total of between 3-9 credits.

Ready to Apply?
You've looked over everything and now you know VISP is the right fit. Go ahead and start your program application. The VISP staff will be in touch soon. Questions? Contact the VISP Coordinators for assistance.
