The University of Wisconsin-Madison was founded in 1848 and held its first class in February 1849. It is part of the Universities of Wisconsin, and its main campus of 939 acres is in Madison. It has 14 schools and colleges and reported a budget of $4.95 billion for 2024-25. Eric Wilcots is Interim Chancellor while a search for a permanent chancellor is under way.
Enrolment in fall 2025 was 51,822: 37,198 undergraduates, 10,069 graduate students, 2,560 professional students and 1,995 special students. Faculty and staff numbered 28,017 in fall 2025. In 2024-25 the university awarded 9,180 bachelor’s, 2,954 master’s or specialist and 1,599 doctoral degrees. Applications for the chancellor’s post closed on 10 September 2026, with campus visits by finalists planned for autumn 2026.