High School Students

Wisconsin’s Early College Credit Program (ECCP) is available to Wisconsin public and private high school juniors and seniors for fall, spring, and summer terms. Under ECCP, the cost of tuition for approved courses is shared among the school district or private school, the state, and in some cases, the students.

Qualified high school juniors and seniors taking ECCP classes at UW–Madison are admitted as University Special students. They can take up to two (2) online, blended, or in-person courses per term.

Are you a junior or senior but not eligible for ECCP? Please contact us at highschoolcredit@dcs.wisc.edu to learn about potential options.

Course enrollment not guaranteed

Enrollment in a course is not guaranteed, even if you have been approved for an ECCP course and admitted as a Special student. High school University Special students are in the last group of students to enroll in courses, and priority is given to degree-seeking students even when enrolling from a wait list. Final enrollment status may not be determined until after the first week of classes. There is no guarantee you will be able to get a spot in a class.

Enrolling in a college course at UW–Madison as a high school student is not to be taken lightly—it’s a big commitment and requires a lot of responsibility. Please carefully consider if taking a class at UW–Madison is right for you at this time. Review the following to get a better understanding of what it means to be a high school Special student.

UW–Madison transcript

As an enrolled high school student you earn university credit and establish a permanent UW–Madison record. The GPA earned from coursework completed as a high school University Special student would be applied to your undergraduate GPA should you attend UW–Madison as a degree-seeking student in the future.

Courses taken as a University Special student become part of the permanent University record and may affect subsequent admission to post-secondary institutions. A poor or incomplete grade could have a negative impact on a future admission decision.

Grades

Enrolled high school students are expected to fully participate in classes and are graded on par with their undergraduate classmates.

Commute time

Depending on where your high school is located, getting to and from campus can take a considerable amount of time. Parking is limited so you will need to build in time for finding a spot (if you intend to drive) and getting to your class from your parked car. Most courses involve both lecture and discussion and/or lab sections which may meet at different times of day, so you’ll want to factor this in as well.

Enrollment not guaranteed

High school University Special students are in the last group of students to enroll in courses, and priority is given to degree-seeking students even when enrolling from a wait list. Final enrollment status may not be determined until after the first week of classes. There is no guarantee you will be able to get a spot in a class.

Final exams

Final exams are usually scheduled outside of regular class time. When enrolling, check the date and time of the final exam. Make sure you will be available to take the exam.

Rights and responsibilities

Once enrolled, you have all the rights of university students as well as the responsibilities including meeting deadlines for enrollment, adding and dropping courses, and withdrawing. The Course Search and Enroll app has deadline information. For questions regarding University Special student policy, contact USSS.

Meetings outside of class

Some courses require student group meetings outside of class time which may include evenings. If you have other evening activities and/or live a considerable distance from campus, you’ll want to keep this in mind when deciding if taking a class will work for you.

Certain courses rarely available

Due to high demand from degree-seeking students, the availability of certain courses is limited. Languages, computer science, and sciences are a few examples of the types of classes that are often in high demand from degree-seeking students.

Placement tests

For language placement testing, see Languages at UW–Madison. You may also need to work with advisors in the math or foreign language departments to determine the correct placement based on previous coursework you may have had.

Student privacy rights

Student Privacy Rights (FERPA) rules apply to all University students. Communication is expected from students (not parents), and is restricted by law in regards to student record, including course schedule. This includes communicating with faculty, teaching assistants, advisors, and deans.

1. Be a high school junior or senior with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 (overall and in the most recent semester).
2. Attend a Wisconsin public or private high school.
3. Have support for your academic plan from your high school guidance counselor and district.

Complete these steps for each term you plan to enroll.

Talk with your high school counselor

Check in with your high school counselor to obtain the ECCP agreement form (ECCP application).

Search for courses

Use the Public Class Search to find UW–Madison courses of interest

Complete the ECCP form

Complete the ECCP agreement form and submit it to your high school counselor by:

• February 1 for summer courses
• March 1 for fall courses
• October 1 for spring courses

Apply as a University Special student

After receiving ECCP approval from your district, submit the UW–Madison University Special student application by:

• June 15 for fall term
• December 1 for spring term
• May 1 for summer term

Submit your ECCP agreement form and most recent high school transcript to highschoolcredit@dcs.wisc.edu, or as an attachment on the UW–Madison University Special student application by:

• May 15 for summer/fall term
• December 1 for spring term

Wait for admission decision

Once all materials are received, UW–Madison will notify applicants of their admissions decision via email within 1 to 2 weeks.

Enrollment is not guaranteed

Your ECCP application does not guarantee enrollment at UW–Madison. Even if you are admitted to UW–Madison under ECCP, enrollment will depend on whether or not your approved course is open at the time of your enrollment. Please work with your high school counselor to create a back-up plan should your course be full come enrollment time. Degree-seeking undergraduate students have priority for enrollment in classes.

Tuition bill

Even as an ECCP student enrolled in an approved course, you will see a tuition bill in your Student Center financial tab. As long as you are enrolled in an approved course, you will not need to pay tuition. You may receive one or more notifications from the UW–Madison Bursar’s Office before they post your school district’s payment to your records. This is due to the delay in the third-party billing process.

Approved vs. non-approved courses

You must enroll for the course that was approved on your ECCP form. If this course is closed or you want to enroll in a different course, that course must be approved by your school district. If you are not enrolled in an approved course, you will be responsible for 100% of the tuition and related course fees.

Orientation

First semester High School Special students must complete a mandatory orientation in order to enroll in their course. Information about the orientation will be sent to students upon admission.

If you drop a course

If you choose to drop your UW–Madison course and do so after the 100% refund period, you will be responsible for the payment of the remaining tuition and fees.

Important Dates and Deadlines

You are responsible for knowing the key dates and deadlines for each term you are enrolled. If you are considering dropping a class or withdrawing for the term, you are expected to adhere to all UW–Madison dates and deadlines.

UW–Madison has a plethora of resources for students. While not a comprehensive list, we provide resources we think will be helpful to you as a high school student, including academic support, study skills, accommodations for disabilities, transportation, textbooks, and more!

Advising and dean’s office

University Special Student Services is your advising and dean’s office while enrolled as a University Special student in ECCP. Please reach out to your advisor, Stacy Iruk, with questions.highschoolcredit@dcs.wisc.edu
608-263-6960

Newly admitted students

If you have been admitted for the first time, you will need to complete the New Student orientation.

New student orientation

Returning students

Review the enrollment steps and resources. You do not need to complete the orientation, but are welcome to view the content again as a refresher!

Departments with courses frequently requested by high school students:

Math
Chemistry
Computer Science
Spanish

It is your responsibility to make sure your enrollment is accurate. Verify your enrollment by viewing your class schedule within Course Search and Enroll.

Make sure you have enrolled in an ECCP-approved course to avoid tuition and fee charges.

New students

If you are a new high school student, you will need to complete the orientation before you will be cleared to enroll.

Returning students

You need to reapply as a University Special student and submit an ECCP form for each term you plan to enroll.

Once you have been readmitted, you should be ready to enroll and should not need to reactivate your NetID.

If you’ve been a student at UW–Madison previously, but do not recall your NetID and/or password, contact the DoIT Help Desk for assistance.

ECCP students

Even if you are enrolled in a district-approved ECCP course, you will receive an eBill notification of your tuition summary. Your school district will be billed for your tuition and fees.

If you enroll in a non-approved course, or you are not an ECCP student, you will be billed 100% of tuition and segregated fees for your course(s).

Dropping your UW–Madison course beyond the tuition adjustment deadline, may result in your school district requesting tuition reimbursement from you.

Non-ECCP students

If you are not an ECCP student, or you enrolled in a non-approved course, you are responsible for 100% of your tuition and fees.

• Check your Student Center for your tuition invoice
• Check tuition rates for the term you are enrolled
• You are responsible for all tuition and fees
• You will be assessed a $100 late fee if your tuition is not paid by the due date

Questions?

If you have questions about your eBill or how your tuition will be charged, please contact our office: highschoolcredit@dcs.wisc.edu or 608-263-6960.

If you are dropping a class or withdrawing for the term, you are expected to adhere to all UW–Madison dates and deadlines.

If you are an ECCP student, make yourself aware of the deadlines for submitting your ECCP forms for upcoming terms.

Check your schedule in Course Search and Enroll to see when your class meets for the first time and confirm you know where it meets. It is important to attend all class lectures, discussions, and labs (if applicable) to get the full benefit from the class, plus your grade will likely depend on it!

Don’t be shy about introducing yourself to the professor and TA near the beginning of the term. You will feel more comfortable asking for help, if you find you need it, as the class progresses.

Have fun and enjoy the class!

You’re eligible to apply to continue as a high school Special student for subsequent terms if you complete your current UW–Madison course in good standing, maintain a high school GPA of 3.0 overall and in the most recent semester, and have not graduated from high school.

Continuing students must complete another Special student application and submit the supplemental materials. Follow this application process.

1. Talk with your high school guidance counselor to determine if continuing in the Early College Credit Program (ECCP) is a good fit for you. Your counselor will consider how your desired UW–Madison courses align with your academic plans and if you meet the prerequisites.
2. Complete the ECCP application/form, and submit it to your school officials (by March 1 for summer/fall; by October 1 for spring).
3. Complete the Special student application (by June 15 for fall; by December 1 for spring; by May 1 for summer)
4. Submit, or have your high school submit the following materials via email to highschoolcredit@dcs.wisc.edu:
   • Your most recent high school transcript
   • Your ECCP form

Your materials will be reviewed by an advisor, and you will be notified via email if you’re approved to continue as a high school Special student for the following semester.