Leaving Madison
International Programs sincerely hopes you had a rewarding stay at the University of Wisconsin-Madison! Before you depart, please read the information below.
Visa Issues -- VERY IMPORTANT!
This information is provided by International Student Services. It is essential that you understand these issues so you do not violate the terms of your student visa.
1. Grace Period
Exchange students have a grace period following the completion of their program. The grace period is meant as a time for students to make final arrangements for returning home, to say good-bye to friends and colleagues, and to travel within the US. The grace period ends when a student leaves the US; students cannot depart and re-enter the US on the J-1 visa once the exchange program has ended.
Students holding a J-1 visa may remain in the US for up to 30 days following the end of their program; the end date of the program is listed in box 3 of the DS-2019.
2. Work
Exchange students who hold an on-campus job must cease working by the completion of their studies at UW-Madison; completion of studies is defined as the date of the last exam, due date of last paper, or commencement. Students may not work on campus during the grace period.
3. Additional Questions
Students who are considering extending their exchange program or options to work off-campus following completion of studies must consult with both their exchange coordinator and ISS staff regarding eligibility. Extensions and off-campus work permission must be applied for prior to the end of the exchange program (as defined above).
Students who have questions regarding their student visa status may seek assistance from ISS located in room 217 of the Red Gym. Office hours are 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday.
Grades and Transcripts
After the semester ends, professors will report the grades to the Registrar's office, which will post them to your transcript. You may check your grades by logging onto MyUW.
International Programs will mail one copy of your official transcript to your home university in late January (fall participants) or mid June (spring participants). Due to the large number of exchange students, International Programs cannot mail transcripts to individual students. If you wish additional transcripts there is a fee and they can be ordered at ordertranscript.wisc.edu .
Unwanted items
As you are packing up to go home, you may find that you do not wish to take some things home with you.
Please donate unwanted items, including non-perishable food items (unopened canned or boxed foods) as well as used clothing and household items. We do not collect open food containers or perishable food items. We will distribute these items to Madison food banks and Goodwill centers.
Drop off your donations to the School of Business International Programs office, 2266 Grainger Hall (975 University Avenue).
Stay in Touch
Stay in touch with the School of Business by reading the online Update Magazine for alumni and friends of the School of Business.
Best wishes!