International Students can be admitted to UWM for academic study as degree-seeking students. If you are a current IEP student, it is recommended that you apply online to your chosen academic program before you finish the ELA Intensive English Program or before you meet the minimum TOEFL or IELTS score requirement.

• Admission for undergraduate students
• Admission for graduate students

Admission to UWM for Academic Study for Undergraduates

Undergraduate students who are currently in the Intensive English Program can be admitted to UW-Milwaukee with regular admission with required foundational coursework by finishing B1 level placement in all of their core classes (Reading, Listening & Speaking, and Writing) student learning objectives. However, achieving this level of English proficiency does NOT mean that you have been admitted to UW-Milwaukee as an undergraduate student.  You still MUST apply and be accepted by UWM as a degree-seeking student!  (NOTE: With the B2 placement in all of the core classes, you do NOT have to submit a new TOEFL or IELTS score). 

Students also have the option to submit a new TOEFL or IELTS score to prove English proficiency instead of completing B1 level placement, if they wish.

For undergraduate students, there are three admission types:

Conditional Admission:

Students admitted with conditional admission have been admitted to their chosen degree program. However, they must study full-time in the Intensive English Program. They will study full-time in the IEP until they can begin taking academic courses in their academic degree program through finishing the B1 level placement student learning objectives in all three core classes or by providing a new TOEFL/IELTS score that meets admission requirements. Learn more about conditional admission for undergraduate students.

Full Admission with EAP Placement Hold (UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY): 

Foundation admission is for undergraduate students who have been admitted to UWM but still need to complete required foundational coursework. Foundation students must take academic courses in our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program. Learn more about full admission with EAP Placement hold.

Full Admission:

Students with regular admission are not required to take any foundational coursework aside from their GER/writing sequence requirements. This also means that no IEP recommendation can give a student regular admission. If an IEP student wants regular admission, he/she needs to get the required TOEFL or IELTS score to get such an admission status.

We encourage undergraduate students that have been admitted with regular admission to take courses in our English for Academic (EAP) Program to fulfill their general education requirements for English or to continue improving their English language skills. These courses are specifically designed for international students. They have smaller class sizes, and the teachers are trained to work with your multilingual background. Learn more about undergraduate EAP courses.

UWM Undergraduate English Proficiency Requirements: 

The UWM institutional TOEFL code is 1473. Register for TOEFL at the ETS website, www.ets.org. Register for IELTS at www.ielts.org. *Please note: Scores may not be older than two years old. 

Admission to UWM for Academic Study for Graduates

Graduate students currently in the Intensive English Program CANNOT be admitted to UW-Milwaukee by finishing B2 level placement in all core classes. Graduate students must provide a new TOEFL IBT, IELTS, or CAE/CPE score to be admitted for academic study, or students can be admitted for graduate study if they received a baccalaureate or higher degree from UWM or another approved institution where English is the sole language of instruction. In this case, students must also meet the following criteria:

• must have attended UWM for at least 1 year
• your degree was received within two years of your application to UWM OR your degree was not received within two years of your application to UWM but you have been continuously working in the U.S. since receiving your degree

For graduate students, there are three admission types:

Conditional Admission: 

In exceptional cases, graduate students can be admitted to UWM with conditional admission. Students who are conditionally admitted must study full-time in the Intensive English Program before they can begin taking academic courses towards their degree. Conditionally admitted students must finish the B2 level placement student learning objectives through portfolio assessment within two semesters of initial enrollment to be admitted for dual admission. Learn more about conditional admission for graduate students.

Dual Admission (GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY):

Graduate Students in the Intensive English Program can be admitted to UWM with dual admission (also known as admission with English deficiency). Dual Graduates are required to take half of their credits in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program and must demonstrate full English proficiency within three semesters of initial enrollment. Learn more about dual admission for graduate students.

Full Admission:

Students with full admission are not required to take any classes in the English Language Academy. However, we do encourage graduate students that have been admitted with regular admission to take courses in our English for Academic (EAP) Program to continue working to improve their English language skills. These courses are specifically designed for international students. They have smaller class sizes, and the teachers are trained to work with your multilingual background. Learn more about graduate EAP courses.

UWM Graduate English Proficiency Requirements

The UWM institutional TOEFL code is 1473. Register for TOEFL at the ETS website, www.ets.org. Register for IELTS at www.ielts.org. *Please note: Scores may not be older than two years old.