Congratulations on your admission offer to the School of Social Work at the University of Washington!
Education that embraces diversity, teaching recognized for excellence, and research that sparks real change: these are the hallmarks of our School and the mainstays of a social work practice that is critical to solving the pressing social issues of our day.
We are thrilled to offer you admission to our MSW program and we believe in your passions and desire to contribute to the ever-changing field of social work.
Deciding on a graduate program is a big decision, and our admissions team is here to help! Below you will find resources and important information to help guide you through this process. We hope you will join our incredible community and take the next step in your career with an MSW degree.
Save the Date: Admitted Student Preview Days March 27 – April 2, 2024
All admitted MSW students are invited to participate in Admitted Student Days from March 27th to April 2nd! Join us for both in-person and virtual opportunities to learn more about the School of Social Work’s MSW Program and engage with the School community. Admitted Student Days give you the opportunity to hear from faculty, meet our students, connect with your future peers, and ask any questions about the MSW program, student experience, and academic experience. Click here to view the agenda and registration link!
Advanced Standing Timeline:
Check the Next Steps Checklist for action items!
Day Timeline:
Check the Next Steps Checklist for action items!
EDP Timeline:
Check the Next Steps Checklist for action items!
Notifications regarding financial aid will be emailed to you directly from the UW Office of Student Financial Aid. Information regarding aid offers can be found here. Due to a new FAFSA process, it is possible you may not receive a financial aid package before April 15th.
Note that the main source of financial aid for graduate students is usually in the form of loans. Non-residents and part-time students will only receive loans and possibly work-study. Residents in a full-time program, depending on their SAI, may be eligible for some grants, as well as loans. Questions about financial aid (including questions about revising your financial need figure) should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Yes, School of Social Work Student Services staff will serve as preliminary academic advisors for all incoming MSW students who have paid the Enrollment Confirmation Deposit. For academic advising questions, feel free to reach out to mswadvising@uw.edu.
For financial aid questions, contact Student Financial Aid, and for general MSW Program questions, or questions regarding accepting your offer, contact the Admissions Office at uwsocialwork@uw.edu.
Typically, Orientation occurs over two sessions (one remote and one full day in-person session) and takes place in mid-July (for Advanced Standing) and mid-September (for Day and EDP) prior to the start of classes. Advanced Standing students should plan to be in Seattle by July 15th. DAY and EDP Fall admits should plan to be in Seattle by Sept 15th.
There is no need to worry about getting into the classes you need, since these classes are reserved for you. The Office of Student Services will send information about registering for classes in May (Advanced Standing students) and July (Day & EDP students).
Field education (practicum) is a supervised and supportive learning opportunity for students where they can synthesize social work knowledge, values and skills. We work closely with organizations to ensure that real-world experience complements classroom theory and research. Students are assigned Field Faculty who are specialists in field education. They provide guidance, advising and facilitation of the practicum education component.
Day and EDP students work with Field Faculty to identify both their generalist (first) placement as well as the specialized (second) placement. Generalist placements require students to participate in a practicum focused on breadth of knowledge and skill at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice. In the specialized placement, choices are guided by the student’s chosen specialization, their career interests and availability of sites/instructors.
EDP students will begin the practicum placement process in Winter Quarter of their first year.
Day students will begin the practicum placement process in early summer.
Advanced Standing Students Only: Visit our practicum page for instructions on how to get started selecting your practicum.
Below are a few samples of scheduling.
Extended Degree Program:
Day Program:
Advanced Standing Program:
For ADVANCED STANDING, you are admitted into a specific specialization.
For DAY students, you will select your advanced specialization at the beginning of winter quarter of your first year. The specializations are Administration and Policy Practice, Community-Centered Integrative Practice, and Clinical Social Work.
For EDP students, there is only one specialization choice: Clinical.
For more information on specializations, please visit the following program pages:
There are many factors to consider when looking into housing in Seattle including cost, neighborhood, on-campus or off-campus housing, commute options, and more.
Created by MSW students, the Housing in Seattle guide walks you through typical housing considerations and provides you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Included in the guide are additional housing resources and links. Here is another resource from UW Housing and Food Services: UW Graduate Housing
By accepting enrollment into the UW School of Social Work, students agree to meet immunization requirements in accordance with CDC guidelines for healthcare personnel and as outlined by the Health Sciences Immunization Program. Exemptions are granted rarely and only in alignment with CDC recommendations.
Religious exemption requests may affect the range of sites a student may be eligible to be placed, so students should only submit a request if they have a sincerely held religious belief that specifically relates to vaccination. No philosophical exemptions are possible. All students, regardless of approved exemption, will still need to create a CastleBranch account and complete other screening requirements.
It is a program requirement that all admitted Social Work students be in compliance with current CDC recommended screenings and immunizations in order to be placed in practicum (including the Covid-19 vaccines and boosters).
Information about setting up an account and requesting an exemption will be sent out in April.
There are several certificates that current students can pursue concurrently with the program. Please note that a certificate may postpone your graduation quarter and is typically completed in the last year of your MSW program.
The first step toward a license is to earn an MSW. Social work licenses, such as the LICSW license, are earned after graduating with an MSW rather than while you’re studying in the program.
Our MSW programs meet the CSWE requirements as well as requirements for the Washington State social work licensure. While in the program, the school holds regular licensure workshops to support students who are interested in obtaining their social work license. For students planning to get their license out of Washington state, please make sure to check with your state for specific requirements.
The University of Washington strives to make it possible to build a concurrent degree program that fits your professional goals. The most common concurrent degrees that align with social work are in public health and public policy. You can view this page on our MSW website for more information.
If you are anticipating a legal name change, we recommend students begin the UW Registrar’s legal name change process early. More information on legal name policy through the Registrar’s office.
The UW allows students to identify the name they would like to be called in classroom settings and when interacting with University personnel. This preferred name is used in a variety of applications.
For more information on how to change your preferred name, please visit the Registrar’s website.
*You might not be able to make changes to your preferred name until you submit your deposit/create your UW NetID.
Whether you change your legal or preferred name, once it is reflected in UW databases, you will want to get it changed in School of Social Work system(s). We will provide additional information on this step in future communication.
(she/her/hers)
Education: BA in Psychology ‘16, MSW ’21 (Day)
MSW Specialization: Administration and Policy Practice
Identities: First-gen, BIPOC, mixed-race, out-of-state student
Current Job: Equity & Inclusion Program Manager
(she/her/hers)
Education: BS Psychology ’94, MSW ’96 (Day)
MSW Specialization: Clinical Social Work
Identities: First generation student
Current Job: School social worker and private practice therapist
(he/him/his)
Education: Associate of Arts and Science ‘15, BA in Criminal Justice ’17, MSW ’20 (Day)
Identities: First-gen college student, veteran, BIPOC, non-traditional student, parent, bilingual (English, Spanish)
Current Job: Medical social worker in an inpatient/critical care unit, and emergency department
(she/her/hers)
Education: BS in Secondary Education ’07, MSW ’19 (Day)
MSW Specialization: Mental Health
Identities: Non-traditional student, queer, BIPOC, Navy veteran, and career changer.
Current Job: Equity & Advocacy Director at Council for the Homeless.
(she/they)
(she/her)
(she/her)
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For questions about academic services, please email mswadvising@uw.edu.
For general admissions inquiries, please email uwsocialwork@uw.edu.
If you would like to speak with The Office of Admissions or meet with a current MSW student, please book an appointment below.
