Application Process
Application for admission to the department consists of the following:
- Application to the Graduate School submitted on line at https://www.gradsch.wisc.edu/eapp/eapp.pl
- Official transcripts or academic records from each institution
attended. **International academic records must be in the original
language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents
must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and official
signatures.
Transcripts should be sent to the department to which the person is applying – NOT to the Graduate School.The Department of Urban and Regional Planning at UW-Madison only requires you send one official copy of your transcripts.
The Department of Urban and Regional Planning requires GRE scores, and TOEFL scores are required of all international applicants for the Department and The Graduate School.
Please send official transcripts to:
Emily Reynolds 110 Music Hall / 925 Bascom Mall Department of Urban & Regional Planning University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706
- Submission of results from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required.
Since it takes about six weeks after the test for the department
to get GRE scores, students should take the test sufficiently in
advance of sending their applications. GRE scores are sent electronically
from ETS. Use ETS institution code 1846. For information on the
GRE, go to:http://www.gre.org/ttindex.html
- Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose
undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide official
scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL scores are sent electronically
from ETS. Use ETS institution code 1846. Paper copies of the TOEFL are not acceptable. Official IELTS scores should be sent by mail to the department at the address above.
UW-Madison requires that an admitted applicant whose TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580; TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score below 237; or MELAB below 82 take an English assessment test upon arrival. You must then register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in the first semester you are enrolled.
- Statement of Purpose. This should be a thoughtful, reflective, one
or two page statement discussing why you wish to go into the field
of planning and what you expect to do professionally. If you have
an interest in a particular concentration, you should discuss that;
if you have planning or planning related experience, this should
also be discussed.
- Three letters of reference from people who know your academic or professional work. Letters will be submitted according to the Graduate School's requirements. These requirements can be found at:
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/elorinstructions.html - In reviewing applications the department gives extra weight to planning related work, such as volunteer service in the U.S. Peace Corps or professional planning experience. The department also considers graduate work (not taken as an undergraduate), even if it is in another field. If students have such experience it should be stressed in the application.
The official admission requirements for the UW-Madison Graduate School
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html.
The checklist of things that must be sent to the Graduate School
is found at:
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/gschecklist.html
Deadlines
Students may apply for admission to the program beginning with either the Fall semester or the Spring semester. As a general policy, however, most students will be admitted for the Fall semester so that they can follow the typical course of study.
Fall Semester Admission
Applicants intending to pursue a Ph.D. and who wish to be included in the University’s fellowship competition must have their completed application to the Department by November 1. The application deadline for applicants who wish to be considered for an Advanced Opportunity Fellowship (AOF) and Departmental Scholarships is February 1. All other applicants are encouraged to apply by February 1 for priority consideration. For applicants that do not apply by February 1, the application deadline is April 1 for admission to the Fall semester as space allows. Applicants whose complete applications are received after this deadline will be notified that they did not meet the application deadline, but should consider application for the following Spring semester. Exceptions to the April 1 deadline can be made only if there are missing letters of reference that can reasonably be expected to arrive by May 1, and for other extenuating circumstances.
Spring Admission
For admission in the Spring semester, applications must be submitted by October 15. Students will be admitted for Spring semester only as space allows.
Contacts / Inquiries
Please direct requests for information about our Ph.D. and Master's programs to:
Emily Reynolds
110 Music Hall / 925 Bascom Mall
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53706
Email: emreynolds2@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-1005
Fax: (608) 262-9307