Your I-20 program length depends on the number of credits required to complete a degree program.
New Undergraduate Students
If you are an incoming undergraduate student that has transfer credits added to your academic record by the Office of the Registrar’s Credit Evaluation Services team at the time of your admission to UW-Madison, your I-program length will depend on the number of transfer credits approved to count toward your degree program.
Please refer to the chart below which shows the I-20 program length based on how many transfer credits are in your academic record. Because summer enrollment is generally not required summer term is not included here.
| Number of Transfer Credits | I-20 Program Length |
| 0 credits | 8 semesters (4 academic years) |
| 1-29 credits | 7 semesters |
| 30-44 credits | 6 semesters (3 academic years) |
| 45-59 credits | 5 semesters |
| 60-74 credits | 4 semesters (2 academic years) |
| 75-89 credits | 3 semesters |
| 90 credits or more | 2 semesters (1 academic year) |
If your academic program requires a summer program start date or end date the I-20 program length will be calculated with that in mind. Please review the Full-Time Enrollment page for information about required summer enrollment and contact ISS if your I-20 does not list the correct program start and end dates.
New Graduate Students
Graduate students that have earned transfer credits for prior coursework do not automatically receive a shorter program length on their I-20 from UW–Madison.