<PAGE>

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 1994
                                                 Registration No. 33-

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                              -------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        Under The Securities Act of 1933

                              -------------------

                          ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Minnesota                                      41--0743912
  (State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)


                              4900 West 78th Street
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)



         ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. 1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)


     Kathie J. Mikucki                  Copy to:  Lee R. Mitau
     Secretary and General Counsel                Dorsey & Whitney
     ADC Telecommunications, Inc.                 220 South Sixth Street
     4900 West 78th Street                        Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
     Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (612) 938-8080
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   Proposed       Proposed
  Title of                         maximum        maximum
securities           Amount to     offering       aggregate       Amount of
  to be                  be        price per      offering       registration
registered          Registered     share(1)       price(1)            fee

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                 <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
Common Stock ($.20
par value)          500,000 shares $37.50         $18,750,000    $6,465.00

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
(1)       Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
          in accordance with Rule 457(h), based upon the average of the high and
          low prices of the Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ National Market
          System on March 7, 1994.
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                    PART II.
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The following documents, which have been filed by ADC
Telecommunications, Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, as of
their respective dates:

          (a)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
     ended October 31, 1993; and

          (b)  The description of the Company's capital stock contained in any
     registration statement or report filed by the Company under the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934, including any amendment or report filed for the
     purpose of updating such description.

          All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subsequent to
the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters
all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such
documents.

Item 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

          Section 302A.521, subd. 2, of the Minnesota Statutes requires the
Company to indemnify a person made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding by reason of the former or present official capacity of the person
with respect to the Company, against judgments, penalties, fines, including,
without limitation, excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an
employee benefit plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys' fees and disbursements, incurred by the person in connection with the
proceeding with respect to the same acts or omissions if such person (1) has not
been indemnified by another organization or employee benefit plan for the same
judgments, penalties or fines; (2) acted in good faith; (3) received no improper
personal benefit, and statutory procedure has been followed in the case of any
conflict of interest by a director; (4) in the case of a criminal proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct  was unlawful; and (5) in the
case of acts or omissions occurring in the person's performance in the official
capacity of director or, for a person not a director, in the official capacity
of officer, board committee member or employee, reasonably believed that the
conduct was in the best interests of the Company, or, in the case of
performance by a director, officer or employee of the Company involving service
as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another
organization or

                                      II-1

<PAGE>

employee benefit plan, reasonably believed that the conduct was not opposed to
the best interests of the Company.  In addition, Section 302A.521, subd. 3,
requires payment by the Company, upon written request, of reasonable expenses in
advance of final disposition of the proceeding in certain instances.  A decision
as to required indemnification is made by a disinterested majority of the Board
of Directors present at a meeting at which a disinterested quorum is present, or
by a designated committee of the Board, by special legal counsel, by the
shareholders, or by a court.

          Article 7 of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation, as
amended, provides that a director of the Company shall not be personally liable
to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's
duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders; (ii) for acts or omissions
not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation
of law; (iii) for authorizing a dividend, stock repurchase or redemption or
other distribution in violation of Minnesota law or for violation of certain
provisions of Minnesota securities laws; (iv) for any transaction from which the
director derived an improper personal benefit; or (v) for any act of omission
occurring prior to the date when Article 7 became effective.

          The Bylaws of the Company provide that the Company shall indemnify
such persons, for such liabilities, in such manner, under such circumstances and
to such extent as permitted by Section 302A.521, as now enacted or hereafter
amended.

          The Company maintains an insurance policy or policies to assist in
funding indemnification of directors and officers for certain liabilities.

Item 8.  EXHIBITS.

          4(a)   Specimen certificate for shares of Common Stock of ADC
                 Telecommunications, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 4-a to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
                 quarter ended July 31, 1989)

          4(b)   Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC Telecommunications,
                 Inc., as amended to date

          4(c)   Composite Restated Bylaws of ADC Telecommunications, Inc., as
                 amended to date (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3-b to

                                      II-2

<PAGE>

                 the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                 ended October 31, 1989)

          4(d)   Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, amended and restated as
                 of August 16, 1989, between ADC Telecommunications, Inc. and
                 Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent (Incorporated by
                 reference to Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 on Form 8 dated
                 August 16, 1989, to the Company's Registration Statement on
                 Form 8-A dated September 23, 1986)

          5      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney re: legality

          23(a)  Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co., independent public
                 accountants

          23(b)  Consent of Dorsey & Whitney (included in Exhibit 5 above)

          24     Powers of Attorney

Item 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

A.  POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENTS.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
          post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

          (i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
                 Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii)   To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
                 the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
                 recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
                 or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                 information set forth in the registration statement;

          (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan
                 of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
                 statement or any material change to such information in the
                 registration statement;

provided, however, that subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above will not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those

                                      II-3

<PAGE>

subparagraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

B.  SUBSEQUENT DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C.  CLAIMS FOR INDEMNIFICATION.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or other
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-4

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Minneapolis, State of Minnesota on the 11th day of
March, 1994.

                                   ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.



                                   By:    /s/Robert E. Switz
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Robert E. Switz
                                        Vice President, Chief Financial Officer


          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 11th day of March, 1994.


William J. Cadogan*                     Chairman of the Board, President,
                                          Chief Executive Officer, Chief
                                          Operating Officer and Director
                                          (principal executive officer)

/s/Robert E. Switz                      Vice President and
- -------------------------------           Chief Financial Officer
Robert E. Switz                           (principal financial officer)

Joan K. Berg*                           Vice President and Controller
                                          (principal accounting officer)

Thomas E. Holloran*                     Director

B. Kristine Johnson*                    Director

Charles W. Oswald*                      Director

Jean-Pierre Rosso*                      Director

Donald M. Sullivan*                     Director

Warde F. Wheaton                        Director

John D. Wunsch*                         Director


By:/s/Robert E. Switz
   ----------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   Attorney-in-Fact*

Dated:  March 11, 1994


*By Power of Attorney set forth in Exhibit 24 to this registration statement.

<PAGE>
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT                                                                    PAGE

4(b)      Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC Telecommunications,
          Inc., as amended to date....................................

5         Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney re: legality ...................

23(a)     Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co., independent public
          accountants ................................................

24        Powers of Attorney .........................................

                                      II-7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15766}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0000061478", "assigned-sic": "3661", "irs-number": "410743912", "state-of-incorporation": "MN", "fiscal-year-end": "1031"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "033-52637", "film-number": "94515641"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4900 WEST 78TH ST.", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55435", "phone": "6129388080"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "MAGNETIC CONTROLS CO", "date-changed": "19850605"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 1994
                                                 Registration No. 33-

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                              -------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        Under The Securities Act of 1933

                              -------------------

                          ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Minnesota                                      41--0743912
  (State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)

                              4900 West 78th Street
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

         ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. 1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

     Kathie J. Mikucki                  Copy to:  Lee R. Mitau
     Secretary and General Counsel                Dorsey & Whitney
     ADC Telecommunications, Inc.                 220 South Sixth Street
     4900 West 78th Street                        Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
     Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (612) 938-8080
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed       Proposed
  Title of                         maximum        maximum
securities           Amount to     offering       aggregate       Amount of
  to be                  be        price per      offering       registration
registered          Registered     share(1)       price(1)            fee

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock ($.20
par value)          500,000 shares $37.50         $18,750,000    $6,465.00

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)       Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
          in accordance with Rule 457(h), based upon the average of the high and
          low prices of the Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ National Market
          System on March 7, 1994.
PART II.
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The following documents, which have been filed by ADC
Telecommunications, Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, as of
their respective dates:

          (a)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
     ended October 31, 1993; and

          (b)  The description of the Company's capital stock contained in any
     registration statement or report filed by the Company under the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934, including any amendment or report filed for the
     purpose of updating such description.

          All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subsequent to
the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters
all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such
documents.

Item 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

          Section 302A.521, subd. 2, of the Minnesota Statutes requires the
Company to indemnify a person made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding by reason of the former or present official capacity of the person
with respect to the Company, against judgments, penalties, fines, including,
without limitation, excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an
employee benefit plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys' fees and disbursements, incurred by the person in connection with the
proceeding with respect to the same acts or omissions if such person (1) has not
been indemnified by another organization or employee benefit plan for the same
judgments, penalties or fines; (2) acted in good faith; (3) received no improper
personal benefit, and statutory procedure has been followed in the case of any
conflict of interest by a director; (4) in the case of a criminal proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct  was unlawful; and (5) in the
case of acts or omissions occurring in the person's performance in the official
capacity of director or, for a person not a director, in the official capacity
of officer, board committee member or employee, reasonably believed that the
conduct was in the best interests of the Company, or, in the case of
performance by a director, officer or employee of the Company involving service
as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another
organization or

                                      II-1
employee benefit plan, reasonably believed that the conduct was not opposed to
the best interests of the Company.  In addition, Section 302A.521, subd. 3,
requires payment by the Company, upon written request, of reasonable expenses in
advance of final disposition of the proceeding in certain instances.  A decision
as to required indemnification is made by a disinterested majority of the Board
of Directors present at a meeting at which a disinterested quorum is present, or
by a designated committee of the Board, by special legal counsel, by the
shareholders, or by a court.

          Article 7 of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation, as
amended, provides that a director of the Company shall not be personally liable
to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's
duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders; (ii) for acts or omissions
not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation
of law; (iii) for authorizing a dividend, stock repurchase or redemption or
other distribution in violation of Minnesota law or for violation of certain
provisions of Minnesota securities laws; (iv) for any transaction from which the
director derived an improper personal benefit; or (v) for any act of omission
occurring prior to the date when Article 7 became effective.

          The Bylaws of the Company provide that the Company shall indemnify
such persons, for such liabilities, in such manner, under such circumstances and
to such extent as permitted by Section 302A.521, as now enacted or hereafter
amended.

          The Company maintains an insurance policy or policies to assist in
funding indemnification of directors and officers for certain liabilities.

Item 8.  EXHIBITS.

          4(a)   Specimen certificate for shares of Common Stock of ADC
                 Telecommunications, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                 4-a to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
                 quarter ended July 31, 1989)

          4(b)   Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC Telecommunications,
                 Inc., as amended to date

          4(c)   Composite Restated Bylaws of ADC Telecommunications, Inc., as
                 amended to date (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3-b to

                                      II-2
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                 ended October 31, 1989)

          4(d)   Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, amended and restated as
                 of August 16, 1989, between ADC Telecommunications, Inc. and
                 Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights Agent (Incorporated by
                 reference to Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 on Form 8 dated
                 August 16, 1989, to the Company's Registration Statement on
                 Form 8-A dated September 23, 1986)

          5      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney re: legality

          23(a)  Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co., independent public
                 accountants

          23(b)  Consent of Dorsey & Whitney (included in Exhibit 5 above)

          24     Powers of Attorney

Item 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

A.  POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENTS.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
          post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

          (i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
                 Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii)   To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
                 the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
                 recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
                 or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                 information set forth in the registration statement;

          (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan
                 of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
                 statement or any material change to such information in the
                 registration statement;

provided, however, that subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above will not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those

                                      II-3
subparagraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

     (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

B.  SUBSEQUENT DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C.  CLAIMS FOR INDEMNIFICATION.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or other
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-4
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Minneapolis, State of Minnesota on the 11th day of
March, 1994.

                                   ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                                   By:    /s/Robert E. Switz
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Robert E. Switz
                                        Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 11th day of March, 1994.

William J. Cadogan*                     Chairman of the Board, President,
                                          Chief Executive Officer, Chief
                                          Operating Officer and Director
                                          (principal executive officer)

/s/Robert E. Switz                      Vice President and
- -------------------------------           Chief Financial Officer
Robert E. Switz                           (principal financial officer)

Joan K. Berg*                           Vice President and Controller
                                          (principal accounting officer)

Thomas E. Holloran*                     Director

B. Kristine Johnson*                    Director

Charles W. Oswald*                      Director

Jean-Pierre Rosso*                      Director

Donald M. Sullivan*                     Director

Warde F. Wheaton                        Director

John D. Wunsch*                         Director

By:/s/Robert E. Switz
   ----------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   Attorney-in-Fact*

Dated:  March 11, 1994

*By Power of Attorney set forth in Exhibit 24 to this registration statement.
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT                                                                    PAGE

4(b)      Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC Telecommunications,
          Inc., as amended to date....................................

5         Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney re: legality ...................

23(a)     Consent of Arthur Andersen & Co., independent public
          accountants ................................................

24        Powers of Attorney .........................................

                                      II-7