Congratulations on your acceptance to the Brown School at WashU!

Brown School classes are primarily held in person and on campus on the weekdays, Monday – Friday.  Classes are three hours long, typically from 9-12 pm, 1-4 pm, or 5:30-8:30 pm.  A student taking 12 credits would generally be taking four 3-credit hour courses, each of which would meet once per week for three hours at a time (for a total of 12 hours of class per week).  Part-Time MSW students take 6-8 credits per semester in the fall, spring, and summer.  Part-time classes are a combination of in-person and remote courses and are offered on weeknights or weekends.  Students can explore both previous and upcoming courses and course descriptions online on the University Registrar’s website.

At the Brown School, you will join a student-centered community dedicated to supporting your academic and professional development.  Our comprehensive resources – like Career Engagement, Student Affairs, the Stat Lab, Global Programs Office and Writing Center – are designed to support you throughout your tenure at the Brown School – both inside and outside the classroom.

Traditional MSW students have until the end of their first year to change concentrations, Advanced Standing MSW students must make changes before beginning the program, and Part-Time MSW students should work with their advisor on available options.

Yes! We offer several dual degree programs in partnership with other school across WashU and at Eden Seminary.  You can read more about all the available dual degrees online.  Students interested in a dual degree must apply and be accepted into each degree program separately.

Yes. The Brown School allows admitted students to defer their admission for one year. To request a deferral, applicants must submit a deferral request form along with a written explanation detailing their reasoning and plans for the deferral year. Deferrals cannot be extended beyond one year.  Scholarship awards granted by the Brown School will be honored when the deferral is activated for the subsequent academic year.

Course registration for incoming students begins in the late summer.  In order to access registration, you must submit your intent to enroll, pay the $200 deposit and activate your student log in credentials.  Students will be paired with an academic advisor who helps select, review, and approve your chosen courses each semester.  Students can explore both previous and upcoming courses and course descriptions online on the University Registrar’s website.  

Applicants should apply to the program type they wish to attend. Brown School policy states students must maintain their enrollment load (full-time or part-time) throughout the duration of their program. Requests to change enrollment load will only be considered before the start of the first fall semester.

Details regarding institutional funding/Brown School scholarship are provided in your admission decision letter.  Brown School scholarships are one-time, partial tuition awards and are evenly applied across each semester of your program.  All possible scholarship funding is awarded at the time of admission and awards are not adjusted after they are issued.  For additional options and resources to finance your education, visit our website.

Most students rely on a variety of sources, including Brown School scholarships, external scholarships and grants, part-time employment, and federal student aid, if they are eligible, to fund their degree.  We have compiled additional funding resources and helpful links online as you begin this financial planning process.

The majority of Brown School students work part-time while completing their graduate studies.  Students have access to a variety of campus-based employment opportunities including part-time jobs, fellowships, and research assistantships via Handshake once they receive their student log in credentials.  The Center for Career Engagement supports students with employment resources and job postings.

Eligible students wishing to be considered for Federal Student Aid (student loans and work-study) should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate academic year.  Students will need their most recent tax return, Federal Student Aid ID, and WashU’s school code of 002520.  No parent application will be needed.  Beginning in the spring, students who have completed the FAFSA, indicated their intent to enroll, and attended the required meeting with a financial aid representative will receive their loan package via email.  You can read more about federal student aid online.

As the Brown School houses exclusively graduate programs, we do not offer opportunities for graduate or teaching assistantships for master’s-level students.  However, many research centers are housed in the Brown School and choose to hire students as part-time employees. These positions do not offer tuition remission but are paid hourly, with students typically working up to 20 hours per week.

Yes!  Our office offers guided tours led by student ambassadors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the academic year – schedule your tour now.  If possible, we encourage admitted students to attend Admitted Students Weekend on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 for an in-depth opportunity to meet your cohort, dialogue with faculty, and experience our community in person.

Graduate housing is not provided, and students live off-campus in privately-owned or University-owned properties in a variety of neighborhoods around campus, each with its own unique distinguishing characteristics. The Graduate Center at WashU has compiled some helpful resources online as you make your housing plans.  You can also read more about living in St. Louis on WashU’s website. Our team, including staff and student ambassadors, is always happy to help provide neighborhood information and recommendations — please reach out to us for help!

Parking passes are available through the WashU Parking & Transportation office and typically go on sale later in the summer.  All full-time WashU students receive a Metro Link pass, which includes access to the region’s light rail and bus systems. The University also operates a campus shuttle system that services surrounding neighborhoods.  For bikers, the Office of Sustainability provides several free resources, including free bike tune-up events, self-tune-up stations, and bike rentals.

Many students move to St. Louis over the summer to have time to settle in and get their bearings before starting classes. Domestic students may arrive in St. Louis at any time and must plan to attend New Student Orientation in person during the weeks leading up to the start of classes.  International students can arrive in the U.S. as early as 30 days before the program start date and should refer to the date listed on their visa documents for specific details.  Advanced Standing MSW students must arrive in time to attend their in-person Bridge to Brown course in early August.

Brown School New Student Orientation is typically held the week prior to the start of fall classes.  Students will be sent information about this required event via email and can check back here for additional information as it is available.

We value diversity of backgrounds and experiences and work to recruit and build a student body that reflects these values.  While many of our students come to the Brown School straight from their undergraduate program, we also have a number of students with work experience in the social work field looking to advance their career and students who are choosing to re-career later in life.  Students join us from all over the United States, as well as from countries around the world.  Click here to read more about our current student body and meet some of our current students in the section above.

As a part of the wider WashU community, Brown School graduate students can access numerous resources and connections across the University.  The Graduate Center serves as a central hub for resources and a place for graduate and professional students to develop, gather, and connect.  Students can also access job search and career readiness resources through the Center for Career Engagement as well as health and wellness services – including counseling and physician visits – through the WashU Student Health Center.  Numerous campus-wide graduate student groups also offer social opportunities for students to make connections across campus.

At the Brown School, our faculty members serve as more than just classroom instructors and field-leading researchers.  Their role in mentoring and serving the next generation of social workers and policy professionals is an integral part of their day-to-day work.  Faculty members are available to dialogue with prospective students seeking to discover their path of impact in the field of social work.  Additionally, faculty involve current students as essential contributors to their own research through assistantships and paid part-time positions, allowing students the chance to learn alongside these notable scholars of the field.

The Brown School is proud to house over 18 research centers and community research initiatives working on the front lines of social work and social policy innovation.  Students have numerous opportunities to get involved in research, whether through practicum, independent study, a research assistantship, or volunteering.  To learn more about these opportunities, please explore our research centers’ websites.  Feel free to reach out directly to one(s) that interests you!

No matter your program or pathway, you will move through your Brown School degree alongside the same group of passionate and purposeful student scholars, beginning your program at the same time and learning together in many core classes.  This unified learning community fosters opportunities for collaboration, camaraderie, and networking.  As you move through coursework at the same pace, your cohort will build relationships and shared experiences that create connection during your study and also cultivate a rich peer network following graduation.  We believe that this place-based cohort community model offers an invaluable training ground for students as they develop the skills needed for impact in their areas of interest.

International students must complete several time-sensitive steps to complete their enrollment and begin the visa process.  We encourage you to begin these steps as soon as possible after you are admitted to allow enough time to complete the visa process before the start of the fall semester.  The visa process is overseen by the WashU Office of International Students and Scholars.  Incoming students are strongly encouraged to read about the required steps in the visa process on the OISS website and reach out to their office with specific questions.

1. Review the Financial Support Requirements 
2. Secure your Proof of Funding and Required Documents
3. Confirm your intent to enroll, pay the $200 enrollment deposit, and monitor your personal email for information about creating your WashU key and log in.  Follow the provided instructions to activate your credentials.
4. Access  MyOISS (using your new WashU email) to upload required documents and apply for an I-20

Admitted will receive an email with more specific information and should read more about the complete visa process and specific recommendations on the OISS website.

U.S. immigration regulations require that international students lawfully document their ability to meet all educational and living expenses for their first year of study in the U.S. before the University can issue an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.  The non-negotiable total amount students are required to document for the 2026-2027 academic year includes tuition and fees, student health insurance, and estimated living expenses:

• MSW or MSP Students: $78,857

Admitted students may deduct two semesters of any Brown School scholarship from the total amount they are required to demonstrate. Students bringing dependents should add $4,500 for each dependent. Read more about the approved funding documents and all required steps in the visa process on the OISS website.

The Brown School does not provide full funding support such as assistantships, stipends, or tuition waivers for its master’s programs. International students must be prepared to meet the financial support requirement with external funding sources, such as personal funds, sponsor support, employer or government support, private loans, external grants or scholarships, etc.

The Brown School has an Office of Global Programs and full-time staff dedicated to supporting international students, from the time they apply until after they graduate.  International students also receive support from the Office for International Students and Scholars, which supports international students across the University.

Students must arrive in the U.S. no later than Saturday, August 15, 2026, but can arrive in the U.S. as early as 30 days prior to this date.  Late arrivals will not be accepted, and we recommend that you arrive as early as possible within the specified time frame.  We strongly suggest international students secure visa appointment no later than August 1, 2026 to ensure enough time to arrive for the start of the semester.