How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medicine-Related Majors at the University of Wisconsin–Madison: Biology, Neurobiology and Most Other Majors Are Declared After Enrolling With No Entry Requirements, Nursing Starts as Pre-Nursing and Needs a Later Application, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) places its life-science and health-related undergraduate majors in several schools: the College of Letters & Science (L&S) and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) hold Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Zoology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics and Genomics and Nutritional Sciences; Kinesiology is in the School of Education; nursing is in the School of Nursing. This guide follows the university’s websites and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. There is no pre-medicine major in the United States, so the pre-med section reports only what the university’s pre-health advising center says.

1. Which related undergraduate majors exist

• Biology: the Guide says it is designed for students with broad interests in the biological sciences: to prepare students for graduate study in many areas of biology, to prepare certain preprofessional students (such as medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry), to give broad exposure to biology, and to serve as initial preparation for students who later choose a more specialized major. There are BA and BS degrees in L&S (we read the BS page), and the major is also offered in CALS. The BS needs at least 31 credits of biological science and has a Named Option in Evolutionary Biology. The Guide says it cannot be combined as a double major with Molecular and Cell Biology or Neurobiology.
• Molecular and Cell Biology and Neurobiology (L&S BS). The Neurobiology page describes a rigorous education in neuroscience principles that prepares students for health-related, academic and industry careers, with more than 90 neuroscience research faculty and strong encouragement of laboratory research. It cannot be double-majored with Biology.
• Zoology, Microbiology and Biochemistry: Biochemistry has degrees in both L&S (BA/BS) and CALS (BS); the university’s major list also has Genetics and Genomics and Pharmacology and Toxicology.
• Nutrition and movement: Nutritional Sciences BS and its Nutrition and Dietetics option (described as ACEND-accredited and preparing students for the postgraduate training needed to become registered dietitian nutritionists); Kinesiology BS (School of Education), which calls itself a pre-professional program whose graduates report acceptance into programs such as Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Public Health, Doctor of Medicine, Physician Assistant and Doctor of Occupational Therapy.
• Nursing BSN: the School of Nursing offers a Traditional BSN (four years, of which the last two are the nursing program), an Accelerated BSN (12 months) for second-degree candidates, and an RN to BSN.
• Pharmacy: the major list has a “Pharmacy (Intended Doctor of Pharmacy)” fast track; it says a bachelor’s degree is not required to apply to the PharmD and that the fast track can lead to both a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a PharmD in as little as six years. We did not read the conditions; check the School of Pharmacy.
• Biomedical Engineering is on the major list; engineering is only mentioned here, not covered.
• STEM designation: not published on the pages we read.
• Combined programs (such as BS/MD): not mentioned on the pages we read.
• Degree basics (Guide): 120 credits in total with 30 in residence; the Core General Education requirement totals 30 credits (including 6 credits of mathematics and quantitative reasoning and 6 of natural science, one with a lab); mathematics competence means placing above MATH 96 or completing it or a more advanced course.

2. Admission: admitted to the university first, then declare; nursing and a few others apply separately

• Choosing a major on the application: the university says application requirements are the same regardless of major (dance and music direct entry need an extra application and audition). You list a first-choice and a second-choice major, and if the first cannot be offered, the second is considered. Expectations may differ for business, engineering, dance and music.
• Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Neurobiology: the Guide’s “How to Get in” says no application is required; all students who meet the requirements are eligible to declare; courses, GPA and credits required to get in are “None”. For how to declare, see Advising & Careers.
• Biochemistry and Nutritional Sciences (BS): also “no application required” with no course or GPA requirements, only that you have fewer than 86 credits; students who do not meet this can meet the CALS Dean on Call to discuss exceptions.
• Nutritional Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics option: students are Pre-Dietetics until admitted by completing prerequisite courses with a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a 2.0 mean GPA in the listed prerequisites, after at least one semester at UW–Madison; they must apply no later than the end of the semester in which they reach 86 credits, and department approval is required; students not admitted by then cannot continue as Pre-Dietetics.
• Kinesiology: freshmen typically enter as Pre-Kinesiology, finish general education and prerequisites in the first two years and declare in the sophomore year; declarations are accepted once a year, December 1 to February 1; moving from another on-campus major into Pre-Kinesiology needs a 2.75 GPA on UW–Madison coursework or the last 60 credits.
• Nursing (limited): students who indicate interest in nursing on the application are admitted as pre-nursing (PRN) students, with the School of Nursing as their academic home; they complete prerequisites and general education and most apply midway through the second year to enter the two-year Traditional BSN at the start of the third year. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the nursing program.
  • The application window is November 24 to January 15, submitted through NursingCAS, while the university application is reviewed at the same time.
  • Eligibility (Guide): seven prerequisite areas (chemistry; microbiology; human anatomy; human physiology; psychology PSYCH 202; sociology or anthropology; human growth and development); at application, any four of the seven with C or higher; cumulative GPA and prerequisite GPA both at least 2.75; at the end of spring, at least 54 credits and a C or higher in each of the seven; and no previous enrollment in a professional BSN program elsewhere. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee admission; the review looks at academic preparation, leadership, activities and service, health care experience, diversity of background and application statements.
  • Eligible applicants are invited to a virtual group interview (three faculty members, three or four applicants per session); an offer can be rescinded, for example if the Caregiver Background Check reveals disqualifying information. For notification, the Guide says “on or before July 1” while the School of Nursing’s site says notifications have historically been sent by mid-May; the two differ.
• Internal changes: current students may also apply to the Traditional BSN without being pre-nursing first, but pre-nursing students have dedicated advisors and priority enrollment in some prerequisites; moving into pre-nursing requires at least a 2.75 cumulative and prerequisite GPA (first-semester students without a GPA may transfer).

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school coursework (first-year): the minimum is English 4 years, math 3 years (at least one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced math with algebra or geometry prerequisites; statistics, business math and computer classes do not count), social science 3, natural science 3 and electives 4, 17 credits in total. Regardless of college credit earned, the transcript must show algebra 1 year, plane geometry 1 year, college-preparatory math 1 year (or one college course at Algebra 2 level or above), and two years of the same world language; students who do not complete the language in high school must do so at UW–Madison. Competitive applicants often take more core subject credits.
• Biology BS (Guide): math MATH 221 or MATH 211; statistics STAT 240, 301, 324 or 371; general chemistry (CHEM 103+104, or 109, or 115+116); organic chemistry CHEM 343, 344, 345; physics 103/104, 201/202 or 207/208; introductory biology by one of three options (Biology/Botany/Zoology 151+152; the Biocore series 381–485; or Zoology/Biology 101+102 with Botany 130); a foundation course such as BIOCHEM 501, GENETICS 466 or MICROBIO 470; and at least 13 credits of upper-level breadth including an approved lab. Biocore requires a separate application, according to the pre-health page.
• Molecular and Cell Biology BS: MATH 221 plus MATH 222, MATH 213 or a statistics course; general chemistry; organic chemistry CHEM 343/344/345; physics; introductory biology; biochemistry BIOCHEM 501 (or 507+508); cell biology ZOOLOGY 570; a molecular biology and genetics group; and 6 credits of depth coursework.
• Neurobiology BS: MATH 211 or 221; statistics STAT 371, 340 or 541; general chemistry; organic chemistry (CHEM 341, or 343+345); two semesters of physics; 30 credits of biology and neurobiology, including required ZOOLOGY/PSYCH 523, PSYCH 454 and ZOOLOGY 500 plus three distributed neuroscience courses.
• Nursing prerequisites: see Section 2; they can be completed through coursework, test credit, transfer work or placement exams.
• AP and similar: we did not read the admissions office’s AP/IB conversion table; not published on the pages we read, so check the university’s exam credit page. The pre-health page says most medical schools accept AP credit for CHEM 103 and at least one physics course, and students with AP biology credit should take additional advanced biology after the introductory sequence.

4. Pre-med and the health professions

• Advising center: the Center for Pre-Health Advising (CPHA) serves all UW–Madison students and alumni with no time limit; its expertise is supporting students to explore, prepare for and apply to graduate-level professional programs including MD/DO, Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Dental, Optometry, Public Health and Veterinary Medicine. It offers first-year coursework planning sessions and set drop-in hours. For nursing, pharmacy and veterinary medicine it encourages students to connect directly with the university’s programs.
• MD/DO prerequisites (CPHA page; requirements vary, so check each school): biology 8–10 credits (labs usually required); general chemistry 8–10; organic chemistry 6–8; physics 8–10; biochemistry (some schools require 3 credits); social science (PSYCH 202 and an introductory sociology course, as the MCAT covers them); English about 6 credits; statistics 3 credits. Students not majoring in a biological science should take at least one additional advanced biology course with a lab.
• Experience: the page says medical programs look for a sustained commitment to serving others; ideally you have at least one year of volunteering at the time you apply, though competitive applicants often have more and often paid experience; research is also valuable and helps you find faculty who can write letters. It lists completing the MCAT as one common admission factor; we did not read further detail.
• Major: the pre-health pages we read talk about prerequisite courses, not a required major; the Biology Guide says the Biology major is designed in part for preprofessional students.
• International students and pre-med: the pre-health pages we read do not give a separate statement for international students applying to U.S. medical schools; not published there. We do not cover medical school applications.
• Combined programs (BS/MD): not mentioned on the pages we read.

5. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Rounds (first-year): Fall Early Action November 1 (materials November 9, decisions on or before January 31, non-binding); Fall Regular January 15 (materials January 22, decisions on or before March 31); Spring Regular October 1 (materials October 15, decisions on or before December 31). Applications open August 1 and processing starts September 1; deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time; the national commitment date is May 1. The page describes the current cycle; confirm it is for fall 2027 entry.
• Application platforms: the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application, choose one; the university does not prefer either.
• Materials: application fee $80 (non-refundable; a fee waiver can be requested for hardship); essays (a Common App essay or the Universities of Wisconsin prompt, plus a prompt on why you want to attend and why you chose your majors); course and grade information for grades 9–12 (self-reported for Common App applicants or an official transcript); GPA and class rank (the university says it typically sees unweighted academic GPAs of 3.8–4.0 and class rank in the 85th–97th percentile); one required letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor or faculty member (a second is optional; letters expire after one year). Official transcripts from every school attended are required before enrollment.
• Testing: SAT/ACT are optional through the spring 2028 term (application deadline October 1, 2027); you will not be disadvantaged; the choice is made on the application and is final; ACT code 4656, SAT code 1846; only the top composite score is considered and superscores are not.
• Choice of major: see Section 2.

6. U.S. domestic applicants

• Wisconsin Guarantee: the university says that beginning fall 2025 it applies to first-year applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 5% of their class at the end of 11th grade (and certain home-schooled Wisconsin residents); see the official page for the conditions.
• Cost (the university’s 2026–27 estimate, undergraduate academic year): Wisconsin residents: tuition and fees $12,532, required course materials and educational supplies $700, housing and meals $14,994, personal $2,618, transportation $612, loan fees $68, total $31,524; non-residents: tuition and fees $45,518, transportation $1,222, total $65,120; Minnesota residents total $37,574. Tuition differentials: College of Engineering $3,200, School of Nursing $1,500, Wisconsin School of Business $3,000. An estimated new student fee of $330 applies to incoming first-year students ($256 for transfer students).
• Aid: need-based aid uses the FAFSA; the university lists programs including Badger Promise and Bucky’s Tuition Promise and a scholarship hub (WiSH); students applying for spring 2027 also complete the CSS Profile.
• Connections Program: a select group of Wisconsin residents offered a wait-list spot are offered Connections, starting at a partner college and finishing at UW–Madison.

7. International applicants

• How to apply: there is no separate process for international applicants; they apply as first-year or transfer students with the same deadlines.
• English proficiency: applicants educated in non-English-speaking countries must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (DET) score, unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school. First-year minimums: DET 115+, IELTS 6.5+, TOEFL iBT 80 for tests on or before January 20, 2026 and 4.5 for tests on or after January 21, 2026 (the new scale). Scores must come electronically from the testing service, are not superscored, TOEFL MyBest is not accepted, and reports cannot be older than two years; the TOEFL code is 1846. The university states that it does not accept the TOEFL iTP Plus for China but accepts the iBT Special Home Edition. A waiver can be requested through the ELP Waiver Request in the Student Center.
• Transcripts: each country has specific official transcript requirements; if the school does not issue English transcripts, an official translation of the whole transcript from the school or an EducationUSA official is required together with the original, and email is not official; final credentials must arrive before enrolling.
• Proof of funds: students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa must submit proof of funding for one full year; it is not part of the undergraduate application and is required after admission through the Terra Dotta portal, with a Financial Verification Form.
• International scholarships and costs: students from particular countries may be eligible for international scholarships including King-Morgridge; WiSH and the International Student Services funding page are also listed. Non-resident tuition is in Section 6; the cost page notes international students have additional expenses including International Student Fees, but the amount is not given on the page we read.
• Credit transfer: after admission and confirmed enrollment, international admissions counselors evaluate international coursework; students submit detailed course descriptions in the original language and English.
• Agents: the university says it does not partner with agents or consultants and they are not its representatives.
• Restrictions in nursing or clinical placements for international students: the pages we read do not say; not published there, so ask the School of Nursing admissions office (admissions@nursing.wisc.edu).

8. Applicants from China

• Transcripts: the international page says that for students in the Chinese national curriculum who are currently in upper secondary school at application, transcripts from lower middle school (chuzhong, grade 9) and upper middle school (gaozhong, grades 10–11) are required in both Chinese and English; to finalize admission an official transcript with final grade 12 results is required, and if the transcript does not include the graduation date, an official copy of the Chinese Graduation Certificate with an English translation is needed to enroll. Applicants who have already finished upper secondary school submit official transcripts for lower middle school and grades 10–12 in both languages. Transfer applicants from China do not need to submit grade 9 transcripts.
• International curricula: A-Level, IB and dual-diploma students use the matching drop-down menus on the same page.
• Gaokao and Huikao: the pages we read do not say whether Gaokao scores are considered or what Huikao materials are needed; not published there, so ask the Office of Admissions (onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu).
• English: see Section 7; the TOEFL iTP Plus is not accepted and the iBT Special Home Edition is.
• Recommendation: one letter is required (Section 5).

9. Transfer students

• Eligibility: you must have completed or be completing at least 24 transferable semester credits of college-level work after high school; AP, A-Level, IB and CLEP cannot count toward the 24; freshman-level transfers are not admitted.
• Deadlines (current cycle): fall priority February 1 (materials February 16, decisions on or before March 31) and regular March 1 (materials March 15, decisions on or before April 30); spring October 1 (materials October 15, decisions on or before December 31). Fall applications open December 1 and spring August 1.
• Materials: the Universities of Wisconsin Application only; $80 fee; two essays (applicants from other Universities of Wisconsin institutions only the second); official transcripts from every college and an official high school transcript; one recommendation letter; English proficiency for applicants educated in non-English-speaking countries (waived if a college English composition course was completed at an accredited U.S. institution). SAT/ACT scores are not considered for transfer admission.
• Majors: if business or engineering is the first-choice major, the second choice must be outside those schools. Entering Biology, Neurobiology and similar majors remains declaring after enrollment (Section 2); transfers interested in nursing enter as pre-nursing and then apply to the Traditional BSN.
• Credit: the admissions office cannot pre-evaluate courses; a detailed transfer credit evaluation comes after admission, and Transferology can show equivalencies.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply by November 1 (Early Action) or January 15 with the $80 fee, essays, grades and one recommendation letter; SAT/ACT optional
• Complete 17 high school credits (English 4, math 3, social science 3, natural science 3, electives 4) including algebra, geometry and two years of one language; if you want nursing, indicate it on the application and plan the seven prerequisites

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline; submit TOEFL/IELTS/DET; send Chinese and English transcripts as described for the Chinese national curriculum; funds proof comes after admission
• Gaokao and Huikao handling is not published; ask the admissions office

Transfer students:

• Apply by February 1 (priority) or March 1 for fall with at least 24 transferable credits; nursing is a separate application

Sources: University of Wisconsin–Madison, First-year application; Deadlines and decisions; Transfer application; International students; What we look for; Majors by interest area; Affordability; Cost of attendance; Guide: Biology BS; Guide: Molecular and Cell Biology BS; Guide: Neurobiology BS; Guide: Biochemistry BS; Guide: Nutritional Sciences BS; Guide: Nutritional Sciences BS Nutrition and Dietetics; Guide: Kinesiology BS; Guide: School of Nursing; Guide: Nursing BSN; School of Nursing: apply to the traditional BSN; School of Nursing: traditional BSN; Center for Pre-Health Advising; Pre-Health: medicine. The deadline pages describe the current application cycle; check the University of Wisconsin–Madison website to confirm the dates are for fall 2027 entry.