The Agricultural and Applied Economics Department invites international students to take courses within their department.

Students can choose to enter the general cohort or one of the concentration areas: Quantitative and Applied Economics (QAE), International Development (ID), or Food Industry Management (FIM). Each concentration area has field-specific course offerings with a targeted plan of next steps.

How to Get in

Any international student who has completed at least one semester of college/university study and meets language proficiency requirements may apply. Applicants do not need to be currently enrolled in an educational institution. Students should apply at least three months before the intended start date at UW–Madison in order to complete the entire admission process and visa application (which may require many months to complete). A limited number of spots are available in VISP each semester, so applying early provides the best consideration.

Students are admitted in one of three levels which determines the minimum credit load requirements:

  • Undergraduate level students have completed at least one semester of college/university study and will not have completed their degree before arriving in Madison. Students must be in good academic standing with a minimum grade point average (GPA) equivalent at home university of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. UIUL is the designation on the admissions application and course roster.
  • Graduate level students have completed an undergraduate degree and may or may not have started a graduate program. No additional requirements apply for students in this classification. UIGL is the designation on the admissions application and course roster.
  • Dissertator-level students have completed all graduate coursework and are currently working on a dissertation, or have completed a PhD. No additional requirements apply for students in this classification. UIDL is the designation on the admissions application and course roster.

To Apply

Students must review eligibility requirements and then follow the application process outlined at the VISP website. VISP coordinators will assist with each step of the process. The coordinators will send an email to confirm the application has been received and to provide details on next steps.