Fall Term – Useful Dates
Tuesday, August 26 – Financial Aid eRefunds begin processing (1-3 days to reach account)
Wednesday, August 27 – Financial Aid paper check refunds begin processing
Monday, September 1 – Labor Day (Most UW Offices Closed)
Friday, September 12 – Student Account Balances Due
Learn more about financial aid disbursement and refunds.
You can still complete your 2025-26 FAFSA®! Though you may not have your financial aid before your student account balance is due, we continue processing FASFAs for enrolled students throughout the academic year.
Peak Season – Drop In Advising
From August 25 to September 12, scheduled advising appointments will be temporarily unavailable. Instead, we’ll be offering 15-minute drop-in advising sessions, both in-person and via phone, throughout our regular business hours.
Getting Started
What will it cost?
Your cost of attendance (COA) is an ESTIMATE of what it will cost you to cover the expenses of attending UW-Madison. Your COA includes more than just tuition and fees - click below to learn what's included or try our Net Price Calculator.

How to apply?
Learn how to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), apply for scholarships using the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH), and more.

Connect with Us!
The whole team at OSFA is here to help you navigate the financial aid process to get the most out of your experience at UW-Madison. Reach out and let us know what we can do for you!

Office Hours & Events
- September
- September 3
- September 11
- September 17Using Financial Aid towards Study AbroadDrop-in Advising Sessions10:00 AM, Study Abroad Resource Center (3rd Floor Red Gym)
- September 17
- September 25
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