Dean’s List

This visualization was created by the Office of the Registrar. View an accessible version of this report. If you have questions, feedback or require additional assistance, contact data@registrar.wisc.edu.

Dean’s list requirements

To be eligible for a Dean’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Only undergraduate, degree-seeking students are eligible for and included in the Dean’s List. 

Dean’s List honors are noted on students’ transcripts, and students may receive a letter from their dean’s office. The University also notifies local newspapers around the country. Announcements are sent once per semester to the newspapers near the student’s home zip code.

Each undergraduate school or college sets the semester grade-point average requirements to receive an honor, the name of which varies from school to school. Some have more than one level of honor, such as the School of Human Ecology which grants Dean’s Honor List or Dean’s High Honors, depending on the semester grade-point average of the student. Find the requirements of each school or college:

My name wasn’t published on the Dean’s List

Questions about a particular student’s eligibility for a Dean’s List should come from the student (due to FERPA protections of student information) and should be directed to the student affairs section of the dean’s office in the school or college in which they are enrolled. Follow your school/college requirements link (on this page) to find their contact information.

  1. Some students have requested that some personal information, including name, awards, and street addresses, not be made public. This is commonly called a “FERPA hold.” Learn how to view and change your FERPA restrictions. Read more about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. If you have a FERPA hold, the Dean’s List honor will be recorded on your transcript but will not be publicly acknowledged on this website or in announcements sent to hometown newspapers.
  2. UW–Madison uses the student-entered home zip code listed under “Profile” in Student Center. Some students choose to enter a local Madison address or other address that may not reflect their hometown. Learn how to find your home zip code in Student Center. If you have used a home zip code that does not reflect your hometown at the time the Dean’s List is published, the announcement won’t go to your hometown newspaper(s). (Also, not all newspapers publish Dean’s List students.)
  3. Semester GPA is not the only requirement that must be satisfied to qualify for the Dean’s List. Other requirements may include number of graded credits taken in the semester; cumulative GPA; and student level (e.g., sophomore) based on total earned credits rather than number of semesters at UW–Madison. The requirements vary by school and college, so please see the links elsewhere on this page for details.
  4. The Dean’s List can change from day to day. For example, a grade change and resulting change in student GPA could affect whether a student meets their school or college’s requirements. To reflect these changes, the list on this page is updated frequently. However, hometown newspaper announcements are only sent once when the semester list is initially released.

If you believe you should be on this list, you have confirmed this with your dean’s office, and none of the above applies, please contact us and we’ll investigate.

FAQs

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These lists will show your name in use, if you've set one. How do I set my name in use?

Visit the Personal Information in UW Records page for more information.

I put a FERPA hold on my information. Can I still be on the Dean's List?

A FERPA hold does not affect your eligibility for Dean’s List honors, but it will mean your name is not included in any public announcements, including on this webpage. You can check your unofficial transcript to see if you are on the Dean’s List. For more information about editing your FERPA restrictions, see this document.