<PAGE>
                                       
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 1997
                                                          Registration No. 333-
===============================================================================

                      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             (I.R.S. Employer
   of incorporation or organization)         Identification No.)

         12501 Whitewater Drive
         Minnetonka, Minnesota                      55343
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)          (Zip Code)
                                       
                         ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                           1991 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)
                                       
                                  Copies to:
         David F. Fisher, Esq.            Robert A. Rosenbaum, Esq.
        Vice President, General              Dorsey & Whitney LLP
    Counsel and Corporate Secretary         Pillsbury Center South
      ADC Telecommunications, Inc.          220 South Sixth Street
         12501 Whitewater Drive         Minneapolis, Minnesota  55402
      Minnetonka, Minnesota  55343              (612) 340-5681
             (612) 938-8080
     (Name, address, and telephone
      number of agent for service)

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                                       
===============================================================================
                                    Proposed        Proposed          Amount
      Title of                      maximum         maximum             of
     securities     Amount to    offering price aggregate offering registration
 to be registered be registered  per share (1)      price (1)           fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Common Stock    5,987,300         $24         $143,695,200        $43,544
  ($.20 par value)
===============================================================================

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee,
     pursuant to Rule 457(h), based upon the average of the high and low prices
     of the Common Stock on April 18, 1997, as reported on the Nasdaq National
     Market.

  Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
relates to the registration of additional shares of Common Stock, $.20 par
value ("Common Stock"), of the Registrant under the Registrant's 1991 Stock
Incentive Plan, a stock-based employee benefit plan for which the Registrant
registered 698,298 shares, 1,345,204 shares and 2,729,734 shares, respectively,
of Common Stock under Registration Statements filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 3, 1991 (File No. 33-40356), March 11, 1994 (File
No. 33-52635) and April 4, 1995 (File No. 33-58409), respectively, the contents
of each of which (including any post-effective amendments thereto) are hereby
incorporated by reference herein.

===============================================================================

<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 year ended
     October 31, 1996.

          (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
     since October 31, 1996.

          (c)  The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in any
     Registration Statement filed under the Exchange Act, including any
     amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All other reports and any definitive proxy or information statements
subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
all securities then 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 8.   EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number    Description
------    -----------

  4.1     Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
          to date (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the
          Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, dated April 15,
          1997).

  4.2     Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date (incorporated
          by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Registration
          Statement on Form S-3, dated April 15, 1997).

  5.1     Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP regarding legality.

  23.1    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

  23.2    Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 to this
          Registration Statement).

  24.1    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:

                                     II-1

<PAGE>

               (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 to such information in
          the registration statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
          increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
          dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
          registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the
          estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
          prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
          the Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
          price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate
          offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee"
          table in the effective registration statement; and

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

     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
     if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs 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 the 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 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to 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 liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or 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-2

<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 Minnetonka, State of Minnesota, on April 21, 1997.

                              ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.


                              By   /s/  William J. Cadogan
                                 -----------------------------------
                                 William J. Cadogan
                                 Chairman of the Board, President,
                                 Chief Executive Officer and
                                 Chief Operating Officer

      Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

By   /s/  William J. Cadogan                      Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   William J. Cadogan
   Chairman of the Board, President,
   Chief Executive Officer and
   Chief Operating Officer
   (principal executive officer)


By   /s/  Robert E. Switz                         Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
   (principal financial officer)


By   /s/  Charles T. Roehrick                     Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Charles T. Roehrick
   Vice President and Controller
   (principal accounting officer)


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   James C. Castle, Ph.D.
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Thomas E. Holloran
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   B. Kristine Johnson
   Director


                                     II-3

<PAGE>

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Charles W. Oswald
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Irene M. Qualters
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Alan E. Ross
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Jean-Pierre Rosso
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Donald M. Sullivan
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Warde F. Wheaton
   Director


By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   John D. Wunsch
   Director


*By    /s/ Robert E. Switz
   -------------------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   As Attorney-In-Fact

                                     II-4

<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number Description                                             Page
-------------- -----------                                             ----

   4.1         Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company,
               as amended to date (incorporated by reference to
               Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement
               on Form S-3, dated April 15, 1997)

   4.2         Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, dated
               April 15, 1997).

   5.1         Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP ........................

   23.1        Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP .........................

   23.2        Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1        Power of Attorney ......................................
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15076}]
{"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": "333-25569", "film-number": "97584598"}, "business-address": {"street1": "12501 WHITEWATER DR", "city": "MINNETONKA", "state": "MN", "zip": "55343", "phone": "6129388080"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "4900 W 78TH ST", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55435"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "MAGNETIC CONTROLS CO", "date-changed": "19850605"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 1997
                                                          Registration No. 333-
===============================================================================

                      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             (I.R.S. Employer
   of incorporation or organization)         Identification No.)

         12501 Whitewater Drive
         Minnetonka, Minnesota                      55343
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)          (Zip Code)
                                       
                         ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                           1991 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (Full title of the plan)
                                       
                                  Copies to:
         David F. Fisher, Esq.            Robert A. Rosenbaum, Esq.
        Vice President, General              Dorsey & Whitney LLP
    Counsel and Corporate Secretary         Pillsbury Center South
      ADC Telecommunications, Inc.          220 South Sixth Street
         12501 Whitewater Drive         Minneapolis, Minnesota  55402
      Minnetonka, Minnesota  55343              (612) 340-5681
             (612) 938-8080
     (Name, address, and telephone
      number of agent for service)

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                                       
===============================================================================
                                    Proposed        Proposed          Amount
      Title of                      maximum         maximum             of
     securities     Amount to    offering price aggregate offering registration
 to be registered be registered  per share (1)      price (1)           fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Common Stock    5,987,300         $24         $143,695,200        $43,544
  ($.20 par value)
===============================================================================

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee,
     pursuant to Rule 457(h), based upon the average of the high and low prices
     of the Common Stock on April 18, 1997, as reported on the Nasdaq National
     Market.

  Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
relates to the registration of additional shares of Common Stock, $.20 par
value ("Common Stock"), of the Registrant under the Registrant's 1991 Stock
Incentive Plan, a stock-based employee benefit plan for which the Registrant
registered 698,298 shares, 1,345,204 shares and 2,729,734 shares, respectively,
of Common Stock under Registration Statements filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 3, 1991 (File No. 33-40356), March 11, 1994 (File
No. 33-52635) and April 4, 1995 (File No. 33-58409), respectively, the contents
of each of which (including any post-effective amendments thereto) are hereby
incorporated by reference herein.

===============================================================================
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 year ended
     October 31, 1996.

          (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
     since October 31, 1996.

          (c)  The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in any
     Registration Statement filed under the Exchange Act, including any
     amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

          All other reports and any definitive proxy or information statements
subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters
all securities then 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 8.   EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number    Description
------    -----------

  4.1     Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
          to date (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the
          Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, dated April 15,
          1997).

  4.2     Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date (incorporated
          by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company's Registration
          Statement on Form S-3, dated April 15, 1997).

  5.1     Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP regarding legality.

  23.1    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

  23.2    Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 to this
          Registration Statement).

  24.1    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:

                                     II-1
(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 to such information in
          the registration statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
          increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
          dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
          registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the
          estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of
          prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
          the Securities Act if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
          price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate
          offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee"
          table in the effective registration statement; and

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

     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
     if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs 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 the 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 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to 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 liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or 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-2
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 Minnetonka, State of Minnesota, on April 21, 1997.

                              ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                              By   /s/  William J. Cadogan
                                 -----------------------------------
                                 William J. Cadogan
                                 Chairman of the Board, President,
                                 Chief Executive Officer and
                                 Chief Operating Officer

      Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

By   /s/  William J. Cadogan                      Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   William J. Cadogan
   Chairman of the Board, President,
   Chief Executive Officer and
   Chief Operating Officer
   (principal executive officer)

By   /s/  Robert E. Switz                         Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
   (principal financial officer)

By   /s/  Charles T. Roehrick                     Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Charles T. Roehrick
   Vice President and Controller
   (principal accounting officer)

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   James C. Castle, Ph.D.
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Thomas E. Holloran
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   B. Kristine Johnson
   Director

                                     II-3
By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Charles W. Oswald
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Irene M. Qualters
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Alan E. Ross
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Jean-Pierre Rosso
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Donald M. Sullivan
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   Warde F. Wheaton
   Director

By             *                                  Dated:  April 21, 1997
   -------------------------------------
   John D. Wunsch
   Director

*By    /s/ Robert E. Switz
   -------------------------------------
   Robert E. Switz
   As Attorney-In-Fact

                                     II-4
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number Description                                             Page
-------------- -----------                                             ----

   4.1         Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company,
               as amended to date (incorporated by reference to
               Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement
               on Form S-3, dated April 15, 1997)

   4.2         Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended to date
               (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the
               Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, dated
               April 15, 1997).

   5.1         Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP ........................

   23.1        Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP .........................

   23.2        Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

   24.1        Power of Attorney ......................................