How to Apply to Public Health at the University of Wisconsin–Madison: There Is No Degree Named “Public Health” in the Majors List, and the Closest Programs Are Global Health (BS) in Agricultural and Life Sciences and Health Promotion and Health Equity (BS) in Education, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) publishes its majors in a university-run CourseLeaf guide. Unlike our general life-sciences guide for UW–Madison, this one covers public health only. First, a fact to check: the “explore majors” list we read has no bachelor’s degree named Public Health. The public-health-oriented undergraduate options are Global Health (BS) in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and Health Promotion and Health Equity (BS) in the School of Education; there are also a Global Health certificate and a Health Policy certificate (La Follette School), which we mention only briefly. A course titled Introduction to Public Health (POP HLTH/C&E SOC 370) is one of the Global Health major’s core choices. This guide summarises the university’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Degrees and programs

• Global Health (BS): offered through CALS and the Department of Entomology; it leads to a bachelor of science and requires 120 degree credits. The guide describes it as combining biological and social sciences, covering disease biology, epidemiology, food systems, environmental health and public health. Graduates may become healthcare professionals, epidemiologists or researchers, or work in community health, policy, education and communication for government and non-governmental organisations.
• Health Promotion and Health Equity (BS): created jointly by the departments of Counseling Psychology, Kinesiology, and Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education in the School of Education; Kinesiology is its home department. It trains students to facilitate healthy practices at individual and societal levels and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of health promotion programs, for work in community health organisations, hospitals, mental health centres, clinics, schools, businesses, non-profits, government health offices and “other public health-related professions.”
• Practice and research: Global Health encourages field experiences (one week to a full semester), laboratory research, internships and volunteering; campus internship programs include the Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers, the Center for Patient Partnerships and overseas programs; there is a Global Health capstone requirement. The Health Promotion and Health Equity page states no required internship or practicum hours; not published there.
• Combined bachelor’s-master’s programs (4+1 or 3+2) and honors: not stated on the two major pages we read. STEM designation: not stated. Ask the program advisers.
• Additional majors: students in other schools may add Global Health as an additional major (contact a Global Health adviser); Health Promotion and Health Equity can be declared as an additional major by any undergraduate with adviser and home-college approval. Global Health majors cannot also earn the Global Health certificate or the Health and the Humanities certificate.

2. How you get into the major, and the thresholds

• Global Health (CALS): choose it when you apply; entry to the major needs no application. The guide says: “No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare.” The courses and GPA required to get in are both “None”; the only requirement is that you have fewer than 86 credits. Students who do not meet this or are not in good standing can meet with CALS Dean on Call about exceptions. For prospective students, the guide says to select it as the first-choice major on the UW–Madison application; admitted students who enroll and attend SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration) with CALS can declare it at SOAR.
• Health Promotion and Health Equity (School of Education): new freshmen and off-campus transfers are admitted directly to the School of Education and the major upon admission to UW–Madison. Current UW–Madison students must meet with the School of Education Student Services office (608-262-1651) or the program adviser (hphe@education.wisc.edu) to transfer in and declare. Eligibility for a campus transfer: a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on UW–Madison coursework, as modified by the Last 60 Credits Rule (the higher of the GPA on all transferable coursework and on the last 60 credits is used), plus the program application and transcripts; the page notes that requirements and selection criteria may change from one period to the next.
• Neither page states a quota or an acceptance rate, nor whether you are always placed in the major you list. The application asks for first- and second-choice majors; Admissions says that if it cannot offer admission to the first choice, the second choice is considered to assess interest and preparation.
• Admissions says application requirements are the same for all students regardless of major, except dance and music (which need an additional application and audition); expectations may differ for business, engineering, dance and music.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school minimums (all first-year applicants): English 4 years, mathematics 3 (including at least one year each of algebra, geometry, and advanced math with an algebra or geometry prerequisite; statistics, business math and computer classes do not count), social science 3, natural science 3, electives 4, 17 credits in total. Two years of one world language are highly recommended. The public-health-related majors state no additional high school requirements.
• Global Health (BS) curriculum: 62 major credits: fundamental courses 29, core 15, depth 15, capstone 3 (the course list shows fundamental courses as 29–37 credits, which does not exactly match the 29 in the overview). Fundamentals: one math sequence (MATH 112+113 or MATH 114, 5–6 credits, or placement); one statistics course (STAT 371, 240 or 301); general chemistry (CHEM 103+104, 109 or 115+116, 5–10 credits); an introductory biology sequence (10 credits); two introductory social science courses (Group A and Group B, 6–8 credits).
• Core: one course from each of five areas: the gateway course Our Planet, Our Health (ENTOM/ENVIR ST 205); Introduction to Public Health (POP HLTH/C&E SOC 370); food systems and health (AGROECOL 377 or PL PATH 311); environmental health (A A E 352 or HIST SCI/ENVIR ST 213); disease biology and epidemiology (MICROBIO 345 or NUTR SCI 379).
• Depth: at least 15 credits, at least 9 from one category and 6 from the others; categories are public health, policy and development; food systems and nutrition; and ecosystem sustainability and planetary health. Capstone (3 credits): ENTOM 570, BIOCORE 587, C&E SOC/SOC 533, CSCS 470, CSCS 500, DY SCI 471 or GEN&WS/INTL ST 535.
• CALS requirements also apply: introductory chemistry (CHEM 103, 108 or 109), a 1-credit first-year seminar, 3 credits of ethnic studies, 3 credits of international comparisons, 5 credits of biological science, Communication A and B, Quantitative Reasoning A and B, and more; 120 credits to graduate and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. The Core General Education requirement is 30 credits. AP/IB credit: not stated on the pages we read.
• Health Promotion and Health Equity curriculum: at least 40 major credits (a 2.5 GPA across major coursework, with at least 15 upper-level credits numbered 300 or above taken in residence at a 2.5 GPA); a 31-credit required core including Human Physiology and Health (ANAT&PHY 235), Foundations of Health Behavior and Health Equity (KINES 150), Promoting Health in the Community (KINES 566), health promotion and self-management for disability and chronic illness (RP & SE 316, 325, 505) and mental health courses (COUN PSY 237, 531, 655); plus 9 credits of major electives from five areas (physical activity and public health; chronic illness, disability and health; health equity, mental health and well-being; social determinants of health; health sciences, which includes POP HLTH/C&E SOC 370). A minimum of 120 credits, a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and the last 30 credits in residence.

4. Rounds, fees and materials (first-year)

• Dates: fall Early Action (non-binding) application deadline November 1, materials November 9, decisions on or before January 31; Regular Decision deadline January 15, materials January 22, decisions on or before March 31. First-year applications open August 1 and processing of fall applications starts September 1. The application and all materials must arrive by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the deadline; incomplete files are not reviewed.
• Platform: the Common Application or the Universities of Wisconsin Application; UW–Madison does not prefer one.
• Application fee: $80, non-refundable; waivers are available for financial hardship.
• Essays: two — a Common App essay (or, with the Universities of Wisconsin Application, a prompt about the life experiences, talents and interests you would bring), plus a shared prompt on why you want to attend UW–Madison and why you are interested in your chosen major (or your areas of possible interest if undecided).
• Recommendation: one letter is required from someone who can attest to your academic ability (teacher, counselor or faculty member); a second letter from another source is optional.
• Grades and courses: course and grade information for grades 9–12 from every school attended (self-reported or an official transcript); official transcripts are required before enrollment. The university says it typically sees unweighted academic GPAs between 3.8 and 4.0 and a class rank in the 85th–97th percentile.
• Testing: optional for applicants through the spring 2028 term (application deadline October 1, 2027); not submitting scores is not held against you, and the choice made on the application is final.

5. Three groups of readers

U.S. applicants

• 2026-27 estimates: Wisconsin residents tuition and fees $12,532, total $31,524; Minnesota residents $18,328, total $37,574; non-residents tuition and fees $45,518, total $65,120. Housing and meals are $14,994 and books and supplies $700; incoming first-years also have a $330 new student fee estimate and $1,100 added to the supplies budget for a computer. The only tuition differentials listed are for Engineering, Nursing and Business; none is stated for Global Health or Health Promotion and Health Equity.
• Financial aid uses the FAFSA; the university offers need- and merit-based aid. CALS gives students more than $1.25 million a year in scholarships, including funding for Global Health majors in field experiences and overseas programs, through a single application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).
• In-state preference: not stated on the pages we read.

International applicants

• English: first-year applicants educated in non-English-speaking countries must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test (DET) unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school. Minimums: DET 115, IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80 for tests taken on or before January 20, 2026 and 4.5 for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026. No superscoring, no MyBest, scores must be no older than two years; DET scores must include subscores and each TOEFL needs the full score report; the TOEFL code is 1846. A waiver can be requested through the ELP Waiver Request in the Student Center; allow about 14 business days after your transcript has been received.
• There is no separate application for international students; they apply as first-year or transfer applicants.
• International students have “additional expenses including International Student Fees”; the amount is not stated on the pages we read. Proof of funds, international scholarships and limits on internships or work are also not stated on the pages we read; see International Student Services and the Admissions international page.

Applicants from China

• The Admissions international page has a China section (for the Chinese national curriculum). If you are in high school: transcripts from lower middle school (grade 9) and upper middle school (grades 10–11), in both Chinese and English; to finalize admission, an official transcript with grade 12 final grades; if the transcript lacks a graduation date, a Chinese graduation certificate with English translation. If you have already finished: official transcripts for lower middle school and grades 10–12, in both languages, plus the graduation certificate with translation if the transcript does not confirm graduation. Translations must be done by the school, a teacher or an EducationUSA official and submitted through official methods; email is not official. A-Level, IB and dual-diploma students have separate instructions.
• Not stated on the pages we read: whether the Gaokao is considered, and Huikao records. Contact onwisconsin@admissions.wisc.edu.

6. Transfer students

• Transfer to UW–Madison: you must have completed or be completing at least 24 transferable semester credits after high school (AP, A-Level, IB and CLEP do not count toward the 24); freshman-level transfers are not admitted. Deadlines: fall priority February 1 (materials February 16, decisions by March 31); fall regular March 1 (materials March 15, decisions by April 30); the application opens December 1; spring October 1. Fee $80 (waived if your last school was a Universities of Wisconsin institution within one year). Two essays, official college and high school transcripts; high school algebra (one year) and plane geometry (one year), a year of college-preparatory math (or a college course at Algebra 2 level or beyond) and two years of one world language (or two college semesters) are required. International transfers use the same process.
• Into Global Health: fewer than 86 credits; no separate program application.
• Into Health Promotion and Health Equity: off-campus transfers are admitted to the School of Education and the major upon admission; the page advises meeting School of Education Student Services in advance. Applicants with a prior degree are second-degree candidates and should consult an adviser.
• Transfer students have an estimated $256 new student fee.

7. Pre-health and graduate school

The Global Health page says the major suits students going into the workforce or on to graduate and professional study, including public health. For pre-health advising, see our general life-sciences guide for UW–Madison.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• List Global Health (CALS) or Health Promotion and Health Equity as your first-choice major; Global Health is declared at SOAR with fewer than 86 credits
• Early Action November 1 or Regular Decision January 15; one recommendation, two essays, $80 fee; testing optional

International applicants (including China):

• DET 115 / IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL iBT 4.5 (from January 21, 2026) or 80 (earlier); Chinese applicants send grade 9–11 transcripts in Chinese and English
• Gaokao use, proof of funds, international scholarships: not stated; ask Admissions

Transfer students:

• At least 24 transferable credits; February 1 or March 1; Global Health needs fewer than 86 credits; Health Promotion and Health Equity admits off-campus transfers with the university, campus transfers need a 2.5 GPA

Sources: University of Wisconsin–Madison, Explore majors list; Guide: Global Health, BS; Guide: Health Promotion and Health Equity, BS; Deadlines; Required materials; International students; What we consider; Cost and aid; Cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 estimates). The admissions deadline and materials pages (November 1, January 15, February 1, March 1 and so on) show no year; check the university’s website to confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry.