<PAGE>
                       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 Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

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


              ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

Robert E. Switz                         Copy to:  Lee R. Mitau
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer           Dorsey & Whitney
     and Secretary                                220 South Sixth Street
ADC Telecommunications, Inc.                      Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
4900 West 78th Street
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 maximum         Proposed maximum
Title of securities to   Amount to be        offering price per       aggregate offering       Amount of
be registered            registered          share (1)                price (1)                registration fee

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>                 <C>                      <C>                      <C>
Common Stock             2,000,000 shares    $30.50                   $61,000,000.00           $21,045.00
($.20 par value)(2)

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

<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 on the Nasdaq Stock Market National Market on
March 31, 1995.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c), this Registration Statement also covers an
indeterminate amount of interests to be offered and sold pursuant to the
registrant's Retirement Savings Plan.
</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, 1994;

          (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
     quarter ended January 31, 1995; and

          (c)  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 or the ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
Retirement Savings Plan 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 of the Minnesota Statutes requires, among other things,
the indemnification of persons made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding by reason of acts or omissions performed in their official capacity
as an officer, director, employee or agent of the corporation against judgments,
penalties and fines (including attorneys' fees) if such person is not otherwise
indemnified, acted in good faith, received no improper benefit, believed that
such conduct was in the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of
criminal proceedings, had no reason to believe the conduct was unlawful.  In
addition, Section 302A.521, subd. 3, requires payment by the corporation, upon
written request, of reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition 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 or 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.


                                        3

<PAGE>

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

Item 8.  EXHIBITS.

               4-a  Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC
                    Telecommunications, Inc., as amended to date  (Incorporated
                    by reference to Exhibit 4-b to the Company's Registration
                    Statement on Form S-8 filed on March 11, 1994).

               4-b  Composite Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date
                    (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3-b to the Company's
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October
                    31, 1989).

               4-c  Specimen certificate representing the Common Stock of the
                    Company (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-d  Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, amended and restated
                    as of August 16, 1989, between the Company 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 on Form 8-A dated
                    September 23, 1986).

               5    Internal Revenue Service determination letter

               23   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

               24   Power 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
subparagraphs is contained in periodic


                                        4

<PAGE>

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.


                                        5

<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 3rd day of
April, 1995.

                                        ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.



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

     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 3rd day of April, 1995.


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, Chief Financial Officer
- -----------------------------------     and Secretary (principal financial
Robert E. Switz                         officer)

Charles T. Roehrick*                    Vice President and Controller (principal
                                        accounting officer)

James C. Castle, Ph.D.*                 Director

Thomas E. Holloran*                     Director

B. Kristine Johnson*                    Director

Charles W. Oswald*                      Director

Alan E. Ross*                           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: April 3, 1995


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


                                        6

<PAGE>

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Retirement
Savings Plan 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 3rd day of April, 1995.

                                             RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN



                                             By:  /s/ Pamela J. Nichols
                                                  -----------------------------
                                             Pamela J. Nichols
                                             Vice President, Human Resources


                                        7

<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit                                                                     Page
- -------                                                                     ----

5         Internal Revenue Service determination letter

23        Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

24        Power of Attorney
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15547}]
{"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": "033-58407", "film-number": "95526735"}, "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"}}
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 Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

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

              ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

Robert E. Switz                         Copy to:  Lee R. Mitau
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer           Dorsey & Whitney
     and Secretary                                220 South Sixth Street
ADC Telecommunications, Inc.                      Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
4900 West 78th Street
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 maximum         Proposed maximum
Title of securities to   Amount to be        offering price per       aggregate offering       Amount of
be registered            registered          share (1)                price (1)                registration fee

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock             2,000,000 shares    $30.50                   $61,000,000.00           $21,045.00
($.20 par value)(2)

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(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 on the Nasdaq Stock Market National Market on
March 31, 1995.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c), this Registration Statement also covers an
indeterminate amount of interests to be offered and sold pursuant to the
registrant's Retirement Savings Plan.
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, 1994;

          (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
     quarter ended January 31, 1995; and

          (c)  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 or the ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
Retirement Savings Plan 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 of the Minnesota Statutes requires, among other things,
the indemnification of persons made or threatened to be made a party to a
proceeding by reason of acts or omissions performed in their official capacity
as an officer, director, employee or agent of the corporation against judgments,
penalties and fines (including attorneys' fees) if such person is not otherwise
indemnified, acted in good faith, received no improper benefit, believed that
such conduct was in the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of
criminal proceedings, had no reason to believe the conduct was unlawful.  In
addition, Section 302A.521, subd. 3, requires payment by the corporation, upon
written request, of reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition 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 or 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.

                                        3
The Company maintains an insurance policy or policies to assist in funding
indemnification of directors and officer for certain liabilities.

Item 8.  EXHIBITS.

               4-a  Restated Articles of Incorporation of ADC
                    Telecommunications, Inc., as amended to date  (Incorporated
                    by reference to Exhibit 4-b to the Company's Registration
                    Statement on Form S-8 filed on March 11, 1994).

               4-b  Composite Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date
                    (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3-b to the Company's
                    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October
                    31, 1989).

               4-c  Specimen certificate representing the Common Stock of the
                    Company (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-d  Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, amended and restated
                    as of August 16, 1989, between the Company 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 on Form 8-A dated
                    September 23, 1986).

               5    Internal Revenue Service determination letter

               23   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

               24   Power 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
subparagraphs is contained in periodic

                                        4
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.

                                        5
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 3rd day of
April, 1995.

                                        ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.

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

     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 3rd day of April, 1995.

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, Chief Financial Officer
- -----------------------------------     and Secretary (principal financial
Robert E. Switz                         officer)

Charles T. Roehrick*                    Vice President and Controller (principal
                                        accounting officer)

James C. Castle, Ph.D.*                 Director

Thomas E. Holloran*                     Director

B. Kristine Johnson*                    Director

Charles W. Oswald*                      Director

Alan E. Ross*                           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: April 3, 1995

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

                                        6
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Retirement
Savings Plan 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 3rd day of April, 1995.

                                             RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                                             By:  /s/ Pamela J. Nichols
                                                  -----------------------------
                                             Pamela J. Nichols
                                             Vice President, Human Resources

                                        7
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                                                                     Page
- -------                                                                     ----

5         Internal Revenue Service determination letter

23        Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

24        Power of Attorney