“[K]knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” –Ordinance of 1787
History
![](https://www.studywisconsin.org/files/2017/07/MadisonCLP-A0069r-27twegc-300x184.jpg)
University of Wisconsin, 1858 (digital image created and owned byUWDCC— UW.CLP-A0069.bib)
Nearly 50 years before Wisconsin was a U.S. territory and over 60 years before Wisconsin became a state, the founding fathers recognized the importance of education. In the more than 150 years since Wiscons in became a state, higher education has flourished.
Prestige
Lawrence University, 1905 ( digital image courtesy of Lawrence University Archives)
Wisconsin universities and colleges are known world-wide for their academic excellence and educational innovation. Wisconsin universities and colleges have earned distinctions for quality and value from such esteemed publications as U. S. News & World Report, USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Princeton Review and The New York Times.
Choice
University of Wisconsin-Stout, 1954 (digital image courtesy of UW-Stout Archives)
There is a school in Wisconsin to meet the higher education needs of everyone. Are you seeking an academic degree program, a specialized certificate program, or an English language training program? Choose from Wisconsin’s
13 Comprehensive Universities
13 Freshman-Sophomore Colleges
20 Private and Independent Schools and Universities
52 Technical Colleges