What is the senior resident requirement?

The L&S senior residence requirement states that all students must earn a minimum of 30 degree credits in residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after they have earned 90 credits toward their degree.

Why do colleges have a residence requirement?

Colleges use residence requirements to determine who earns a degree from their institution. Without residence requirements, it would be possible to earn a degree from an institution at which you only took a single course.

Is there an automatic exception to the residence requirement?

Yes, students who are under the curriculum of 2007 and have completed all of their first 90 credits in residence may take two courses (up to eight credits) of their last 30 credits out of residence without requesting an exception.

Will a residence exception guarantee that my course will transfer to UW?

No. The residence exception guarantees that you will be able to count a transferable course toward the residence requirement. The Office of Admissions determines transferability of courses [link here].

Is this the only residence requirement?

No. The College also requires that you complete 15 credits of upper level work in residence in each of your majors. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Courses taken in a UW Madison study abroad program do count as residence credit, and may account for the 15 credits of upper level work in a major. Students who cannot UW Madison study abroad credit as part of their 15 credits of upper level work in residence in the major must also complete at least 15 credits in the major while physically present on the Madison campus. These 15 credits do not need to be upper level.

How do I know if the course I select will transfer to UW?

The Office of Admissions determines transferability of courses [link here].

Did the senior residence requirement change when the Curriculum of 2007 was implemented?

There was only one change when the new curriculum was implemented. Under the new curriculum, any student who completes all of their first 90 credits in residence may take two courses (up to eight credits) of their last 30 credits out of residence without requesting an exception.

Who needs a residence exception?

Any student who plans to take a course out of residence after he or she has earned 90 credits will need a residence exception, unless he or she qualifies for the automatic exception. There are three common cases, where students request a residence exception:

• A student who plans to take one or two courses during the summer at another institution, often requests a residence exception.
• Students who study abroad in a non-UW Madison program during the second semester of their junior year often request a residence exception.
• Students who need to take a single course to complete their graduation requirements and to also need to leave Madison often request a residence exception.

Do courses taken abroad count as residence credit?

Courses taken in a UW Madison sponsored study abroad program do count as residence credit. Courses taken in a non-UW Madison program do not.

What happens if my online request is denied?

You may schedule an appointment with an undergraduate dean to discuss your request.

What happens if I do not request an exception or take more credits than the exception allows?

Your credits will be transferred, but will not reduce the number of credits you need to meet the residence requirement.

Example: Sally has 85 degree credits when she goes abroad in a non-UW Madison program. She earns 15 credits while abroad. Five of these credits will bring her up to 90. If she does not request an exception, the other ten credits will be transferred to her record, but she will still need 30 residence credits to complete the requirement. If she is allowed a 6 credit exception, she will only need 24 residence credits to complete the requirement.

What if I have already fulfilled the senior residence requirement, but want to take a course out of residence to complete my degree?

Once you have completed the senior residence requirement, you may take courses out of residence to complete your degree. Note, however, that courses taken out of residence will not affect your GPA or remedy any GPA deficiencies.

How do I request a residence exception?

Click on the link for 30-Credit rule at the upper left side of this page under "Forms" to request an exception. (the link takes the student to the form).

How soon will I receive a response?

You will normally receive an email response by the end of the second week after making the request.