UNIVERSITY of WISCONSIN-MADISON

Close Menu

Badger Precollege Classes

Think like a Badger. Badger Precollege offers in-person and online programs in humanities, music, business, psychology, government, STEM, college prep and more — all designed to help students in grades 2–12 find their passion, meet new friends and explore their future.

Use the search filters to find the class, program or workshop that matches your interests.

If you are looking for information about sports camps, field trips and other youth programs offered by our UW–Madison partners — including Badger Sports Camps, Wisconsin 4-H, the Language Institute and others — view campus programs.

Search Filters

Search Results:

Classes (75)

[FULL] Engineering Fundamentals and Design

Upcoming Dates

June 29, 2025–July 18, 2025

In-person

Tuition rates:
Residential: $4,500
Commuter: $2,750
International: $4,950 Application fee: $100

Engineering is a problem-solving profession that is both academically rigorous and creatively demanding. This course will introduce you to a broad spectrum of engineering fields and provide a strong foundation for understanding its key tools and concepts.

[CLOSED] Organic Chemistry Applications in Food Science and Nutrition

Upcoming Dates

June 29, 2025–July 18, 2025

In-person

Tuition rates:
Residential: $4,500
Commuter: $2,750
International: $4,950 Application fee: $100

This course will investigate the impact that chemical products have on consumers' daily lives. Major topics may include food additives, prescription and non-prescription drugs, fuels, pesticides, detergents, synthetic fibers and plastics.

[CLOSED] Civil Engineering the Art and Science of Structures

Upcoming Dates

June 29, 2025–July 18, 2025

In-person

Tuition rates:
Residential: $4,500
Commuter: $2,750
International: $4,950 Application fee: $100

Explore the concepts behind the things you see in everyday life such as buildings, roads, and waterways, and how they come to be. Through real-world, global, and local examples, you will study the basics of structural and civil engineering as well as hear from campus experts in the field.

Wisconsin International Precollege Academy Online

Upcoming Dates

July 7, 2025–Aug. 6, 2025

Tuition: $490

July 29, 2025–Aug. 28, 2025

Tuition: $490

Students will prepare themselves to be college-ready through a variety of interactive online workshops and in-person experiential learning. They will better understand the holistic approach to university admissions in the U.S. and the jargon that accompanies the admissions and educational process. They will identify their weaknesses in study and time management skills essential for college success and develop a plan to improve these habits.

The Graphic Novel (Grades 7-8)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Mix a little bit of reading and whole lot of creativity to dive into the key elements of graphic novels, from character development and plot structure to page layout and illustration techniques. Discover how to blend words and images to craft compelling narratives with a final project.

A Class of Characters (Grades 5-8)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

July 14–18, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

In this course, we'll explore the process of how an actor can effectively portray a character. Through scene work exercises we'll dive into the motivation of a character and consider the best tactics an actor can use to communicate that to an audience. We'll unleash your creativity through improv exercises as you set your character loose, creating a story on the fly!

[Week 1 FULL] Introduction to Computer Science (Grades 5-8)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

July 14–18, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

July 21–25, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Learn about object-oriented programming, and how to write and execute code using the Java programming language, via the Greenfoot programming environment. Students will learn programming fundamentals while participating in authentic coding activities that place an emphasis on problem-solving and creativity. Explore coding by examining a set of interesting scenarios, solving coding problems and competing in a fun coding challenge. Then begin to design your own game or simulation!

[FULL] UW Art: Behind the Curtain (Grade 5 8)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

July 14–18, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Spend each day discovering one of the many art areas on the UW–Madison campus, like theatre, visual art, dance, music or creative writing. Part of our day will be spent delving into the creation of pieces, and the other part of the day will include visits to campus arts hubs.

[FULL] Classical Mythology (Grade 5 6)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Join us for a week of adventure through the tales of Ancient Greece and Rome! In this introductory course you will learn about key figures and features in Classical mythology and analyze its widespread influence on the modern art, literature, and culture. If you're a fan of the Percy Jackson series, or fantasy stories in general, this course is for you! 

[FULL] Biotechnology (Grades 7 8)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

In this laboratory-intensive course, you will learn how DNA and proteins are analyzed to improve food products, diagnose a disease or identify a suspect. Gain valuable laboratory skills such as micropipetting, gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, DNA extraction and protein analysis.

[FULL] A Touch of Business (Grades 5 6)

Upcoming Dates

July 7–11, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Calling all Entrepreneurs! Or, those who just want to learn about the world of business. This class will give you an introduction to some key concepts of business – product/service creation, marketing, digital creation and finance. We will touch on all sorts of business topics and have plenty of fun doing so. If you are a fan of the show Shark Tank this could be your dream class. 

Summer Arts Clinic

Upcoming Dates

July 13–19, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $850
Application fee: $75

Summer Arts Clinic offers you the opportunity to: Learn from experienced educators and arts professionals from UW–Madison and around the country. Develop new artistic skills and explore existing ones. Meet and collaborate with a community of peers with multiple and diverse artistic voices and interests. Explore education and career opportunities in the arts. Develop and express your unique, creative style. Learn to tell your story in a variety of ways through the arts.

Themes in Literature: Bravery (Grades 5-6)

Upcoming Dates

July 14–18, 2025

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Explore written works centered on the theme of bravery. Expect a mix of essays, short stories, speeches, and stories to be discussed. Master literary analysis techniques to help reflect on and confidently articulate ideas on what it means to have courage and "be brave."

The Plant Kingdom (Grades 5-6)

Upcoming Dates

July 14–18, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Explore plant anatomy, ecology, and their vital roles in the environment. Plan to explore campus gardens and consider the role of agriculture, landscape architecture and other ways human and plant life interact. Gain skills to observe and understand the natural world.

[FULL] World Mythology (Grades 7 8)

Upcoming Dates

July 14–18, 2025

In-person

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Mythology means more than just Mount Olympus. In this course, you'll expand your horizons beyond Greece to explore the mythology of cultures from around the world. Join us as we travel from continent to continent to compare different types of mythologies and their influence on history, society and culture. Part literature and part geography, you'll be sure to enjoy this literary tour of the world!

[FULL] Finance Fundamentals (Grades 7 8)

Upcoming Dates

July 14–18, 2025

Tuition: $600
Application fee: $50

Learn the lingo and acronyms of the financial world, the basics of economic forces and how a wide variety of factors from weather to wars influence money. Analyze market movements over time and participate in a market simulation activity.

Think STEM!

Upcoming Dates

July 20, 2025–Aug. 1, 2025

In-person

Tuition: 
Residential: $4,250
Commuter: $2,500
International: $4,600

Application fee: $100

High school students will be taken on a journey of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) as they chart their own educational and career pathways to become the STEM superstars of the future. Students will investigate their own interests, values and skills, as well as explore the dynamic world of STEM careers and trends.

More Than Just a Game the Business of Sports

Upcoming Dates

July 20, 2025–Aug. 1, 2025

In-person

Tuition: 
Residential: $4,250
Commuter: $2,500
International: $4,600

Application fee: $100

Delve into the relationships that sports media and business have in our society. Learn how sports impact community pride, express fashion trends through uniform designs, dovetail with entertainment and pop culture, and gender equity and social change.