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.

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.

Regent Policy Document 4-12, Academic Program Planning, Review, and Approval in the University of Wisconsin System