What SAT or ACT score do you need for Wisconsin?

As of November 2026: The University of Wisconsin-Madison is test-optional for first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, including fall 2027, and the middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score scored 1360 to 1510. On the ACT, the middle half of senders scored 28 to 32.

Wisconsin does not require a score for fall 2027, but a strong one still helps. Here is what enrolled first-years sent, what it costs, and what we tell families to do next.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

Wisconsin is test-optional through spring 2028. First-year applicants for spring 2027, fall 2027 and spring 2028 do not have to send an ACT or SAT score. A score that is sent is considered.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1360 to 1510. Among enrolled first-years in fall 2023 who sent an SAT, the middle half scored from 1360 to 1510. On the ACT, the middle half scored from 28 to 32.

Wisconsin admitted 43.3 percent of applicants. In fall 2023, 63,505 students applied to Wisconsin and 27,498 were admitted.

Does Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT?

Wisconsin's test policy for first-year applicants, in the university's own words.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the university's words	Source
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Test-optional	first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, explicitly including fall 2027	ACT/SAT scores are optional through the spring 2028 term.	Source

Test-optional means a score is read if one is sent. It is not required.

Wisconsin: score bands, who sends a score, how many get in, what it costs

Score bands describe enrolled first-years in fall 2023 who sent that test. Prices are for a year of attendance.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	63505
admits, fall 2023	27498
admit rate, percent	43.3
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1360
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1510
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	28
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	32
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	14
share who sent an ACT, percent	30
application fee, dollars	70
full price of a year, dollars	28679
average net price after aid, dollars	17354

The bands count only enrolled first-years who sent that test. They are not a cutoff.

Wisconsin deadlines for fall 2027 entry

Application dates for fall 2027 entry, from the university's own page.

College	Early action	Regular decision	In the university's words	Source
University of Wisconsin-Madison	2026-11-01	2027-01-15	Fall Early Action ... Application Deadline: November 1 ... Fall Regular Decision ... Application Deadline: January 15	Source

Early decision, restrictive early action and priority dates are not listed for this cycle.

Does Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT?

No, the University of Wisconsin-Madison does not require the SAT or ACT for first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, which includes fall 2027. The university's own page says, "ACT/SAT scores are optional through the spring 2028 term." It also names the terms. Students applying for spring 2027, fall 2027 and spring 2028 will not be required to submit an ACT or SAT score.

Optional does not mean scores are ignored. If your child sends a score, Wisconsin considers it. Wisconsin accepts official scores only, not self-reported ones. Plan to send an official score report rather than typing a score into the application.

For high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, who start college in fall 2027, this is the rule that applies. Transfer students are a different case. ACT and SAT scores are not considered for transfer admission at Wisconsin, even if a student sends them.

What SAT score do enrolled first-years at Wisconsin carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score in fall 2023 scored between 1360 and 1510. That is the most recent federal count. It describes students who enrolled and chose to send the SAT.

We tell families to read the band as a picture of a class, not a line to clear. Some students below 1360 enrolled. Some above 1510 enrolled too. A score from 1360 to 1510 sits inside the band. A score above 1510 sits above it.

The band leaves out every enrolled student who did not send an SAT. So it tells you about senders only, not about the whole class.

What ACT score do enrolled first-years at Wisconsin carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT score in fall 2023 scored between 28 and 32.

The same reading applies here. A composite from 28 to 32 sits inside the band. A composite above 32 sits above it. A composite below 28 sits under the band, though some students with those scores still enrolled.

Wisconsin takes either test. Our students often sit a mock SAT and a mock ACT before they pick one. We tell families to choose the test where their child lands higher against that test's own band, and then put their prep there.

How many Wisconsin students send an SAT or ACT score?

In fall 2023, 14 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score and 30 percent sent an ACT score.

These shares are for each test on its own. A student could send both tests, so we do not add the shares together.

The ACT is the more common test among Wisconsin's enrolled senders. That does not mean the ACT is the better choice for your child. If your child is already strong on the SAT, there is no reason to switch.

Should my child send a score to Wisconsin?

Our rule for Wisconsin is simple: an SAT score of 1360 or higher, or an ACT score of 28 or higher, is a score to send. A score below the band at a test-optional college like Wisconsin is one to think hard about before sending.

We tell families that at a selective test-optional college like Wisconsin, it is nearly always good to have a score. A strong score bolsters the odds of getting in, and most merit scholarships are keyed to one.

So the goal is not to skip the test. The goal is to prepare, sit the test, and then decide with a real score in hand. If the first score lands below the band, steady prep and a later sitting give your child a fresh chance to move into it.

How hard is it to get into Wisconsin?

Wisconsin admitted 43.3 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

That year, 63,505 students applied and 27,498 were admitted. The admit rate covers every applicant, not only the students who sent scores.

We tell families to see Wisconsin as a reach for some students and a match for others. Where your child's score falls against the bands is one clear clue. Grades and the rest of the application matter too, so we never treat a score as the whole picture.

What does it cost to apply to and attend Wisconsin?

The application fee at Wisconsin is $70.

The full price of a year at Wisconsin is $28,679. The average net price after aid is $17,354. Net price is what families pay on average once grants and scholarships come off the full price.

Your own price could be higher or lower than the average. Wisconsin publishes a net price calculator, as every US college must. We tell families to run it early with their own income and savings, so the cost question is settled before the application is.

When are the Wisconsin application deadlines for fall 2027?

Wisconsin lists January 15, 2027 as the regular decision deadline for fall 2027 entry.

Fall early action was due November 1, 2026. For high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year, that date has passed as of November 2026. Regular decision is the date still ahead.

Early decision, restrictive early action and priority dates are not listed for this cycle. Because Wisconsin takes official scores only, we tell families to pick a test date that counts well before January 15 and send the official report as soon as the score is in.

What should we do this month?

This month, have your child sit a full-length mock SAT and a full-length mock ACT, then compare each result with Wisconsin's bands of 1360 to 1510 on the SAT and 28 to 32 on the ACT.

Pick the test that fits your child best. Then plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before a test date that counts. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not only the hardest part, because the full score is what your child sends.

Test Prep Gurus offers a free mock SAT and a free mock ACT. Call us at 949.229.5359 or start at https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will go over the results with you and help you build a plan.

Questions parents ask

Does Wisconsin require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
No, the University of Wisconsin-Madison does not require the SAT or ACT for first-year applicants through the spring 2028 term, which includes fall 2027.

What SAT scores do Wisconsin students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT score in fall 2023 scored between 1360 and 1510.

What ACT scores do Wisconsin students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an ACT score in fall 2023 scored between 28 and 32.

Should my child send a test score to Wisconsin?
Our rule for Wisconsin is simple: an SAT score of 1360 or higher, or an ACT score of 28 or higher, is a score to send.

What is Wisconsin's admit rate?
Wisconsin admitted 43.3 percent of applicants for fall 2023.

When is the Wisconsin regular decision deadline?
Wisconsin lists January 15, 2027 as the regular decision deadline for fall 2027 entry.

Method and sources: The test policy comes from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's own admissions page, which states that scores are optional through the spring 2028 term, including fall 2027. The SAT and ACT bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file from IPEDS, so they leave out students who did not send a score and are not admission cutoffs. Applicant counts and the admit rate are also from IPEDS for fall 2023, and prices come from the College Scorecard. Deadlines come from the university's own application page for fall 2027 entry.