UW
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | University of Washington |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Education & Academia, Business & Finance |
UW has three meanings. The most common are University of Washington (university) and University of Wisconsin–Madison (university); it can also stand for Underwriting.
Meanings of UW at a glance
| # | UW stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington | Education & Academia › University |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Education & Academia › University |
| 3 | Underwriting | Business & Finance › Insurance |
1. University of Washington
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington's flagship university is among the largest recipients of federal research funding in the country. Its Huskies moved from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten Conference in 2024.
Example: She got her nursing degree from UW and works at Harborview Medical Center.
The university calls itself "UW" in Washington, while Wisconsin's flagship uses the same initials in the Midwest; context and region usually make the meaning clear. Washington's medical school and health sciences are especially highly ranked. Locals often say "U-Dub".
2. University of Wisconsin–Madison
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Flagship of the Universities of Wisconsin, founded in 1848 in Madison on an isthmus between two lakes. Its Badgers compete in the Big Ten, and its "Wisconsin Idea" holds that university research should benefit every citizen of the state.
Example: After a semester at UW, she was used to watching sunsets from the Memorial Union Terrace on Lake Mendota.
The university commonly writes "UW–Madison" to distinguish itself from other Wisconsin campuses and from the University of Washington. Its scientists first isolated human embryonic stem cells in 1998. Jump Around during football games is a famous tradition.
3. Underwriting
Business & Finance · Insurance Abbreviations
Process of evaluating and pricing risk to decide whether to offer insurance or a loan and on what terms, and by extension the underwriter or underwriting department doing it.
Example: The file is with UW, and they want two more years of loss runs.
In mortgages, UW reviews income, assets, credit and the appraisal before approval. Insurance underwriting profit is measured by the combined ratio; a ratio below 100% means premiums exceeded losses and expenses.
Related abbreviations
More university abbreviations
- UTEP – University of Texas at El Paso
- UTSA – University of Texas at San Antonio
- UVA – University of Virginia
- UVM – University of Vermont
- VCU – Virginia Commonwealth University
- VT – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- W&M – College of William & Mary
- WashU – Washington University in St. Louis
See all 135 university abbreviations →