Billing & Rates

The projected 2023-24 academic year room rates listed below are per resident and include housing during fall and spring breaks (winter break housing is available for an additional fee). Most new residents are assigned to a double room. Costs are billed by semester, combined with the tuition bill.

For current year costs, visit our 2022-23 rates page.

Note: total costs of room and board can be calculated by:

• [Room Rate] + [Dining Plan Rate] = Total Room & Board Costs

Additional Options

• Winter break housing: available for an additional fee
• Summer term housing: available for an additional fee

Notes

• Rates vary based on hall amenities, room type, and learning community fees. Costs include room, utilities (heating/cooling, electricity, and water), furnishings, Internet, digital or cable TV, maintenance/repairs, cleaning of bathrooms and common spaces, and 24/7 full-time staff support. During the year, students may receive notices regarding additional charges that have been posted to residents’ Housing accounts. Examples include: charges for loaner keys, lock changes, damages, or movie rentals.
• Learning Community fees are added to bills for residents living in those communities. All residents of Bradley and Chadbourne are members of the learning community in those buildings.

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The projected 2023-24 academic year dining plan rates listed below are per resident. Students select from one of three dining plan options based on their eating habits and how much they plan to dine on campus. Meals and Dining Dollars are loaded onto their Wiscard for food purchases. All Housing dining markets offer all-you-care-to-eat service.

For current year costs, visit our 2022-23 rates page.

Note: total costs of room and board can be calculated by:

• [Room Rate] + [Dining Plan Rate] = Total Room & Board Costs

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Students may give parents and other individuals access to view and make payment to their student’s tuition bill, which includes room and dining plan charges, by setting them up as an authorized payer.

Housing Advance Payments

As part of student’s Housing application checklist in My UW Housing, they will submit their advance payment to complete their application. This application and payment are made in My UW Housing. The only Housing payment made in My UW Housing is for your advance payment.

Room and Dining Plan Payments

All other room and dining plan charges will be included on a student’s tuition bill. Payment methods and instruction are detailed here.

Wiscard Account

Resident Dining Plan funds are preloaded on to students’ Wiscards before fall and spring semester begins so that students may utilize the dining facilities upon arrival. These preloaded funds are paid for when the tuition bill is paid in full. Residents with University Housing who are required to have a dining plan will be billed each semester for the dining plan they chose. If a student runs out of funds on their dining plan, additional funds can be added through the Wiscard site. Dining plans are not paid to the Wiscard office.

Note: if a student makes an additional payment to the Wiscard for their dining plan, they will still be billed the full semester amount for spring.

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It is students’ responsibility to ensure payments for collections and holds are received by University Housing on or before the due date. If you anticipate a problem with meeting a payment or deadline, call or email our cashier’s office at 608-262-2230.

• If you do not receive a semester bill email notification, log in to My UW Housing and click on “View Bill”. Your bills should be available for view. If not, call or email our cashier’s office at 608-262-2230.
• University Housing is not responsible for late payments caused by a delay in U.S. Mail or campus mail.
• A late fee of $100 is assessed by the Bursar’s Office for each semester bill not paid on time.
• Residents who are delinquent on semester payments place their Housing contract at risk.

Paying by Check

• University Housing processes all checks on the date they are received.
• Checks will not be held for any period of time; checks may clear your bank earlier than expected.
• No second-party checks (checks payable to anyone other than University Housing) will be accepted.
• A $20.00 fee is assessed to residents (as mandated by the State Treasurer’s Office) for any check returned to University Housing unpaid by the bank. In addition, a resident’s check-writing privileges will be temporarily suspended and a hold will be placed on their academic records.

Paying with Financial Aid

• Financial aid money is not forwarded directly to University Housing and it is the responsibility of students to ensure that payment is made.

Holds on Student Accounts

• A hold will be placed on the academic records of residents who are delinquent in their housing payments.
• A hold prevents residents from registering for the next academic session or receiving a transcript of their academic records.
• To secure release of a hold, a resident must pay the entire past-due balance. The form of payment will impact how quickly the hold is released.
  • For payments made with a cashier’s check or a money order, the hold will be released the day the payment is received.
  • For other payments made, the timeline for releasing the hold on an account is as follows:
    • Credit card: one business day after payment is received
  • • Electronic check: three business days after payment is received
    • Personal check: two weeks after payment is received

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Students are responsible for damages they cause, whether or not their behavior was intentional. If a student’s negligence results in damage to the property of others or to UW-Madison, they may be held liable for all resulting damages. UW-Madison and its insurer will pursue recovery against students and/or their insurer to the full extent of the damages.

Damage charges are billed to students’ Housing account. An invoice, along with supporting documentation, will be sent to students’ @wisc.edu email address or to their mailing address if they are no longer a student at UW-Madison. If you have questions about the validity of a damage charge, you should contact the appeal person noted on the bill.

University Housing reserves the right to assess common area damage among residents of houses.

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