Topics Map > Tuition

Procedures: Tuition Surcharge for Undergraduate Excess Credits

Policy on the tuition surcharge for undergraduates completing more than 165 credits.

Policy

Tuition Surcharge for Undergraduate Excess Credits

Policy Number

UW-1080

Responsible Office

Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

Type

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose

The excess credit policy communicates to students the need to graduate in a timely manner. Credits that far exceed the minimum required for a bachelor’s degree do not add value to the degree. Students who remain enrolled beyond the time needed to graduate take the place of other students seeking enrollment in courses for their graduation. The excess credit policy allows students to remain enrolled but sets a limit on the tuition subsidy provided to Wisconsin residents.

Policy

Degree-seeking undergraduate students who are assessed Wisconsin resident tuition and who have earned more than 165 credits will be assessed a 100 percent tuition surcharge on any attempted credits over 165, including transfer credits from other UW institutions and from Wisconsin Technical College System institutions.

The following credits are not counted toward the 165-credit surcharge:

  • transfer credits from private institutions or from institutions outside Wisconsin,
  • third-party credit by exam (e.g., AP, IB, etc.) credits,
  • credits earned through departmental credit by exam,
  • retroactive credits,
  • remedial credits,
  • credits for the current semester because those credits are not yet completed credits.

Courses graded AU, F, I, N, NR, PI, or U are not counted toward the 165 credit maximum.

Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree who have already been awarded a bachelor’s degree from a UW institution or Wisconsin Technical College are exempt from the tuition surcharge.

Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources

Approval Authority

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Policy Manager

Vice Provost for Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

Contact

Associate Director, Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research -- Michelle Young, MEYOUNG@WISC.EDU, (608) 262-2143

Effective Date

04-15-2021
Source: View policy UW-1080 in the UW-Madison Policy Library

Procedures

Since 2002, the UW Board of Regents has had an Excess Credit Policy for undergraduate students who have earned more than 165 credits from a UW institution. The Board of Regents rescinded this policy in April 2021 with the provision that UW–Madison could establish a similar policy. 

While not widely applied, an excess credit policy communicates to students the need to graduate in a timely manner. Earning credits that go well beyond the minimum credits required for a bachelor’s degree does not add value to the degree. Students who remain enrolled beyond the time needed to graduate are taking the place of another student who could be working on their degree. The excess credit policy allows students to continue to be enrolled beyond the point of excess credit accumulation but sets a limit on how long they can benefit from the tuition subsidy provided to Wisconsin residents.


Keywords:
resident, 165, surcharge, excess, tuition, 
Doc ID:
110093
Owned by:
Karen M. in Academic Planning
Created:
2021-04-05
Updated:
2024-06-26
Sites:
Academic Planning