START

Materials for START 2026 will be posted in early April. Please check back here for electronic versions of the mailed items you will receive. 

Yes, START is a program that first-year students are required to attend. At START, first-year students will receive information about attending UW-La Crosse and academic advising to assist students in selecting their first-semester courses. Students will register for their first semester classes during START.

Students who have submitted the $100 enrollment deposit will receive registration information via mail for in early April for 2026 START!

• Admitted first-year students for summer and fall who have submitted the $100 enrollment deposit may sign-up for a START date.
• Students will be able to sign-up for a START date after reading through the mailed START Program.
  • The program will be mailed at the beginning of April. 
• Prepare for signing up for a date by ensuring you have access to your WINGS Student Center.
  • If you have lost your access information to login to WINGS, please reset your password. 
• Date sign-up occurs on a first-come, first-served basis, and dates will close when we reach the maximum number of students we can accommodate.  
• Log on using your username and password using a computer.
• Scroll down to the Admissions Section and click on START Registration.
• Complete the registration form and select a registration date no later than May 31, 2026. If you need to change the date, you may go back to the WINGS Student Center and follow the prompts to make any changes.
  • There is no ‘best’ date. Select a date that works in your schedule and allows you to spend the entire day with us. We have steps in place to open seats in classes throughout the START dates to ensure a wide variety of classes for all students to select - including those attending the final days.

Prepare by...

Submitting $100 enrollment deposit prior to April 1, 2026. Students who have submitted the enrollment deposit will receive instructions on how to register for a START date in early April. If you submit a deposit after April 1, we will mail you information on how to register for START.

There is no ‘best’ date. Select a date that works in your schedule and allows you to spend the entire day with us. We have steps in place to open seats in classes throughout the START dates to ensure a wide variety of classes for all students to select - including those attending the final days. There will be enough classes available to create a beneficial schedule for your first semester no matter which date you attend.

While we welcome family members to this event, only you (the student) are required to attend.

This can be taken care of when you register for your START date. Please log into your WINGS Student Center at https://wings.uwlax.edu and scroll down to the Admissions section. Click on ‘START Registration.’ You will be able to select a new major based on your interests. Click ‘save’ and your major will be updated. Students will only be able to register for the START program if they have submitted their $100 enrollment deposit. 

We understand there may be special circumstances preventing you from attending START. Please contact the Admissions office at 608.785.8939 or admissions@uwlax.edu.

View our campus map here!

GPS Location for the Student Union

521 East Ave. N. La Crosse, WI 54601

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

To request disability accommodations (accessible seating, interpreting, closed captioning, large print materials, FM systems, etc.) contact Sam Pierce at spierce@uwlax.edu or 608.785.8068.

If you are looking for hotel accommodations in the La Crosse area, visit www.explorelacrosse.com