Where is WESLI?

Located in the American Midwest and bordered by two of the great lakes, Wisconsin is known as America’s Dairyland, particularly famous for its cheese! Wisconsin is a safe and friendly state, where the people are warm and welcoming, and after a 5-minute chat will consider you a friend. It is the perfect place for international students looking for a true American experience.

FRIENDLY

PROGRESSIVE

FUN

BEAUTIFUL

SAFE

Best for Livability

Madison is a diverse city with a population of 260,000+ and large enough to offer the cultural advantages of a big city. It is also small enough to be safe, friendly, and comfortable.

#1 Top Cities in America

Livability.com,

2021 + 2022

#2 Best Cities for Bikes

peopleforbikes.org,  June 2020

#3 Happiest City in the US

#3 Best Capital City to Live in

WalletHub.com, February 2023

#4 Fittest City in the US

Madison

Named after the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, the Wisconsin state capitol is one of the safest, most progressive cities in the US. Madison has a reputation for being very open-minded.

The metropolitan area population has over 600,000 people. Almost 60% of Madison residents have a university degree. In fact, students and university faculty make up over 30% of Madison’s population. Madison is known for being a popular university city with 6 universities and over 60,000 students. The city is set up to support students in academics and daily life.

The largest university in Madison is the University of Wisconsin - Madison. It has over 40,000 students, is a member of the college athletic conference Big Ten, and is one of the Top 30 Universities in the world. Because of this, Madison is one of the most progressive cities in the US, attracting new talent and ideas from the rest of the nation and the world.

Famed for its diversity, sustainability and quality of life, Madison is the most walkable, best road-biking, most vegetarian-friendly and environmentally friendly city in the US.

Its breathtaking location on the Isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona make it the perfect place to study English in America.

World Events in Madison

CrossFit World Games

The CrossFit World Games have been held in Madison, Wisconsin since 2017.

World Dairy Expo

With over 900 companies from around the world, this is where the global dairy industry gathers every year.

Center for Healthy Minds

The world-renowned laboratory for research on the mind is housed at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Ironman Madison

The Ironman is hosted in select cities across the nation. Madison's annual marathon boasts 140.6 miles of competition.

World Cheese Awards

The best of the best come to Madison from around the world for the official tasting and awards for cheesemaking.

World Crane Foundation

Madison's natural habitats make an ideal location for the World Crane Foundation.

Foodies Love it Here!

Madison has the largest ratio of restaurants to population - meaning you can find food from all over the world and restaurants that have won James Beard Awards.

Best Food Trucks
in America

msn.com, February 2019

#4 Best Beer
Destination

vinepair.com, January 2018

#8 Best Cities for
Beer Drinkers

smartasset.com, December 2020

Fitness and Sports Options All Year Round

Madison is an active city in all 4 seasons. Many locals engage in personal fitness like walking, running or biking around the lake paths. There are many local gyms you can join also across the area - close to home or school - to keep yourself in shape.

Madison boasts a vibrant sports scene with the University of Wisconsin Badger sports: football, basketball, volleyball, and more. The Forward Madison Football Club, the "Flamingos", is the city's FC with a traditional fan section. It is a great experience! There are also local hockey, ultimate frisbee, water skiing, and volleyball teams to watch. In the winter, there are ice boating and ice fishing on the frozen lakes.

#1 Best US College
Football Town

msn.com, February 2019

#4 Sportiest City
in the US

Men's Health, September 2017

#9 Best Cities
for Runners

smartasset.com, August 2020

Imagine living in Madison

The city is consistently ranked as a top safe city, top active city, and top best opportunities city.

Find your community experience in Madison!

Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Wisconsin offers many opportunities and entertainment for residents, businesses, and visitors.

The state of Wisconsin is located in the Midwest and is bordered by two of the Great Lakes (the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world) and the Mississippi River. Wisconsin supplies the nation with dairy products, beer, meat, and paper products, and is known as "America's Dairyland". Wisconsin is known for being a top producer of cranberries, ginseng, and cheese. 

Top brands like Harley Davidson, Epic Health Solutions, and Kimberly-Clark call Wisconsin home for their 10,000+ employees locally. 

Wisconsin offers tourists 16,000 lakes, the second longest Great Lakes shoreline, some of the Midwest's best waterfalls, scenic rivers, breathtaking state and national forests, and endless outdoor recreational activities.

Adventure + Entertainment

Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay are the largest metropolitan areas in Wisconsin. Each provides unique experiences to match your interests. Residents and visitors can participate in nature activities like river rafting, kayaking, hiking, and camping. Those looking for more urban experience can find professional sports, business, and entertainment across the state.

Sports

Wisconsin is home to major sports teams Green Bay Packers (NFL), Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), and Milwaukee Brewers (MLB). The UW-Madison Badger sports are highly ranked in the nation and participate in the Big Ten Conference. All have a faithful fan following - both in and out of the state!

Bucks (NBA)

The Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals. They have been located in Milwaukee since 1968.

Brewers (MLB)

The Milwaukee Brewers are Wisconsin's professional baseball team since 1970. 

Packers (NFL)

The Green Bay Packers are the only NFL franchise publicly owned. Every game has been sold out since 1960.

wesli-testimonial-draft1

Katsuhiko Shigemori

Japan | 23 years old

"I really like Madison - it's a mid size city and I can concentrate on my studies and also have American culture activities and lots of nature. I love this city and the people!"

Traveling to and from Madison

The state of Wisconsin is located in the Midwest. The location is close to everything for your long weekends and vacation breaks. Road trips across the Midwest are very common for students to do, including day trips to Chicago. Madison's airport (MSN) has many direct connecting flights to major US cities. Visit anywhere quickly!

Located in the southern part of Wisconsin state, Madison is near other major cities:

  • 123 km, 1 hour by car to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • 228 km, 2.5 hours by car to Chicago, Illinois
  • 411 km, 4 hours by car to Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • 2 hours by plane to New York City
  • 3 hours by plane to Miami, Florida
  • 4.5 hours by plane to Los Angeles, California
US Map - Travel to Madison

How to travel to Madison

There are many options to travel to Madison, Wisconsin. Please choose which airport and bus you prefer to use. Contact WESLI if you want to request for an arranged transfer pickup.

You can get to Madison by several airports:

  • Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
  • Madison Truax (MSN)
  • Milwaukee International (MKE)

You can easily take a bus from these airports to the City of Madison:

  • Chicago - Van Galder
  • Madison - Metro Bus
  • Milwaukee - Badger Bus

You can request transfer assistance in advance:

  • We can arrange the bus ticket from ORD or MKE and set up a pickup from the Bus stop in Madison that will take you to your homestay or residence.
  • We can arrange a pickup from MSN that will take you to your homestay or residence.
  • Groups must request special transfers. Contact us at study@wesli.com.

Taking the Bus from Chicago O'Hare airport to Madison (WESLI)

If you are arriving in Chicago on an international flight, you will arrive at Terminal 5 to go through immigration. (If you arrive in another US city first and then transfer to Chicago, please contact us for different instructions.)

  1. Go through immigration. Allow at least one hour to pass through immigration.
  2. Get your passport stamped. Then collect your luggage from the baggage carousel. There are free luggage carts if you need one.
  3. Take your luggage to the exit where you must pass a customs agent who will ask you if you have anything in your luggage to declare. You will give the agent your customs form.
  4. Exit through the immigration area doors.
  1. Look for McDonalds to your right after Immigration. Use the Arrivals 5E Exit near McDonalds to exit the Building.
  2. Cross the first lane in the street (for taxis only) and look for the bus stop to your right. The "Coach USA" bus will arrive here. In the front window is a sign for "Madison." You may also see "Milwaukee" buses, so be sure to take the Madison bus. The bus drivers are very helpful so you can ask them for help if you are not sure.
  3. The driver will ask Where are you going? Tell him Madison. He will ask which stop in Madison: Dutch Mill Park and Ride or the Memorial Union at the University of Wisconsin (also called Langdon Street). Tell him Downtown Madison/Langdon Street and he will place your luggage under the bus in the appropriate place.
  4. The bus driver will check for your bus ticket before boarding (download what WESLI sent or purchase your own). He can collect cash for the ticket on the bus OR you can use a credit card here if you didn't buy a ticket beforehand.
  5. You can get on the bus now and sit anywhere you like.
  1. First, the bus will stop 5 minutes later at the Bus/Shuttle Center at Door 4 near Terminal 2. Other passengers will board here.
  2. It is a 3-hour trip from Chicago's airport to downtown Madison.
  3. The bus has a toilet and it is OK to bring food or drink on the bus. There is usually WiFi but it may not be very strong.
  4. There are two bus stops between Chicago and Madison (at the cities of South Beloit and Janesville), but you need to stay on the bus until the very last stop. (Special note: Sometimes the bus driver might ask passengers for Madison to switch buses for a special reason, but the bus driver will make this clear. It is not common. Be sure to get your luggage if you have to switch buses.)
  5. The first stop in Madison is Dutch Mill Park and Ride. Do not exit the bus here. The final stop is at Lake Street in Downtown Madison at University of Wisconsin (UW-Madison).
  6. With prior arrangement, WESLI can schedule a pickup from this bus stop to your homestay or residence. Communicate with your WESLI contact while on the bus.
  1. If you miss a bus, wait for the next bus, but alert WESLI if you will miss your scheduled pickup. If you miss the bus or if your flight is delayed, you should contact your homestay family or the contact person whose name and number you received from Student Services.
  2. **For emergency situations only, please call WESLI at 608-257-4300 and leave a voice mail message after normal business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to contact a WESLI staff member. **

Keep exploring

Pre-Arrival Guide

Housing
Options

Life at
WESLI

Community Connections

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