Brown School › Admissions & Aid › Apply to MSW

Apply for the
Master of
Social Work

Take the next step to join
the Brown School community

Student in a classroom.

The Brown School welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds and considers each applicant holistically. Students entering the MSW program must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university. Admissions and scholarship decisions are based primarily on a review of the following:

  • Your commitment to the mission of the Brown School and ability to introspectively articulate your reasons for pursuing a master’s degree in social work.
  • Your undergraduate GPA over the last 60 – 75 semester credit hours on transcripts provided at the time of application. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred. NOTE: If applicable, an optional field in the Academic History section of the application provides the opportunity to describe any significant or extenuating circumstances that you would like to be considered in the review of your academic history.
  • Additional academic work you may have undertaken following completion of an undergraduate degree, if applicable.
  • Specialized training(s) relevant to the degree program you completed.
  • Your human service-related experience (paid, volunteer, research and internship).
  • Your leadership experience and/or potential.
  • Your ability to think critically about issues related to the field of social work.
  • Recommendations received from academic and professional references.
Apply Now

Application Timeline

The Brown School admits one class each year for the fall semester. Applications are accepted on a modified rolling basis; however, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Please see our Admissions Timeline for important dates and deadlines.

  • Early Review Deadline – December 1
  • Priority Review Deadline – March 1

Application Requirements

Please review the following instructions carefully prior to beginning your application. The Brown School promotes a self-managed application process; it is your responsibility to monitor the status of your application and ensure the timely submission of all required materials. Your submitted application will be considered fully complete and placed under review once all MSW application requirements are met.

Transcripts
Personal
Statement
Resume
or CV
Video
Interview
Letters of
Recommendation
$50 Application Fee
Scholarship Form
Standardized
Testing

Applicants are required to demonstrate successful completion of a bachelor’s degree (or degree in-progress*) from a regionally accredited college or university.

Unofficial electronic or scanned student-issued copies of transcripts must be provided with the application. Record your academic institution(s) and upload your unofficial transcript(s) in the Academic History section. You must report all institutions where 6 or more credit hours have been completed towards your primary undergraduate degree.

Unofficial transcripts must provide the institution name, applicant name, dates of attendance, grades received for each course taken in all terms attended, degree information, and transcript key or interpretation guide.

*In-Progress transcripts: If you have not yet completed your bachelor’s degree or equivalent at the time of application, please provide unofficial transcripts showing the work you have completed to date. Any offer of admission is contingent upon the successful completion of your degree.

Admitted students are required to provide a final official transcript from the institution that conferred their undergraduate degree. The Brown School reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission if discrepancies are found between your uploaded unofficial documents and official educational documents.

Foreign Transcripts:  Applicants earning a degree outside of the U.S. or English-speaking Canada must provide a certified foreign credential evaluation. Applicants may provide a credential evaluation report from any NACES member organization. Brown School applicants are eligible to receive a discounted rate and expedited services with our preferred evaluation partner, SpanTran: TEC.

Additional information about the foreign credential evaluation requirement can be found on the International Applicant page.

Provide a personal statement that describes your interest in social work and demonstrates your understanding of social work concepts. Your essay should be two (2) pages single-spaced and should include the following:

  • Significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a Master of Social Work degree.
  • Relevant leadership experiences that will contribute to your overall success as a graduate student and in the social work profession.
  • Career goals and commitment to social change.
  • Specific reasons the Brown School is a good fit for your educational and professional goals.

Upload to the Application Materials section of the application.

Submit a comprehensive resume or curriculum vitae highlighting your experiences, skills, awards, and accomplishments.

Upload to the Application Materials section of the application.

The Brown School requires applicants to complete a brief video interview. You will access the interview through a personalized link to our video interview platform, Kira Talent. The link will be available in your application checklist once you submit your application. Learn more about the interview process here.

Two (2) letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic colleagues are required. You will be asked to provide contact information in the application. Your recommenders will receive an email with instructions for completing the recommendation form and uploading a recommendation letter through our online system. Recommendations must be submitted through our online system. Please monitor the submission of your recommendations to ensure they are received by the stated application deadline.

The $50 non-refundable application fee must be paid by credit or debit card upon submission of the application. All major credit cards are accepted.

The application fee is automatically waived for applicants meeting any of the following criteria, as demonstrated in the application:

  • Current Washington University students
  • Active duty, reservists, or veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Member or alum of a national volunteer service corps organization (AmeriCorps, City Year, Peace Corps, TFA, etc.)
  • Participant in an academic pipeline to post-baccalaureate outreach program or scholars organization (Bonner Foundation, Coro Fellows, Fulbright, Gates Millennium Scholars, McNair Scholars, etc.)

The Brown School will consider MSW application fee waivers for financial hardship or other extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis upon request.

The Brown School offers a range of partial-tuition scholarships to assist students with funding their graduate degree.

Students wishing to be considered for scholarship must complete the Brown School Scholarship Consideration form found in the Application Materials section of the application.

The Brown School does not require a graduate entrance exam, such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), for admission to the MSW program.

International students are required to provide official English language proficiency test scores. Additional information about the language proficiency requirement can be found on the International Applicant page.

In addition to the requirements listed above, please refer to additional application instructions for the following specific groups:

Advanced-Standing MSW Applicants

Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) within the last six years are eligible to enter the Brown School with Advanced Standing Status.

Applicants with advanced standing may receive up to 19 credit hours and can complete the MSW program on an accelerated timeline. Students receiving all 19 credit hours enroll in 39 credit hours at the Brown School.

Click here for detailed information on the Advanced Standing MSW program, including eligibility requirements, curriculum, and program timelines.

Part-Time MSW Applicants

The Part-Time MSW program is intended for students who need the flexibility to take courses at times that do not interfere with work and other commitments. Students must be available to attend classes in person on campus, either once a week in the evening or over multiple weekend sessions, depending on the semester.

The part-time program can be completed in three to three and a half years. Students enrolled in the program must be prepared to take at least two classes a semester in addition to completing practicum hours at their chosen field site starting in year two. A full schematic of the curriculum schedule can be found here.

Students in the part-time program may select from the following concentrations:

Students can also choose to use their elective credit hours to earn an optional specialization if the required courses are offered at times that work well for them.

International students studying in the U.S. on a non-immigrant student visa are not eligible for the Part-Time MSW program.

Dual-Degree MSW Applicants

Working in partnership with other schools and programs at Washington University in St. Louis, the Brown School offers structured dual degree programs that allow you to earn a Master of Social Work degree in combination with another graduate degree in a variety of disciplines, including public health, business administration, education, law, architecture, and urban design. In partnership with Eden Theological Seminary, students may pursue a dual degree in professional studies or divinity.

Separate applications are required for each program and are reviewed independently according to each program’s unique admissions criteria.  Applicants must complete the MSW application and apply separately to the other program through the appropriate Washington University School:

Applicants for dual degrees in partnership with Eden Seminary must apply through Eden to their program of interest:

MSW Graduate Credit Transfer Applicants

The Brown School welcomes applications from students wishing to transfer from another graduate institution, subject to our policies for credit earned prior to enrollment.

Eligibility Requirements:

Master of Social Work program applicants who have completed graduate-level coursework may request to have previous coursework evaluated for transfer credit towards MSW program requirements. Applicants who have completed coursework in an MSW program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) may be eligible to transfer up to 19 credit hours. Applicants who have completed graduate coursework in a related discipline may be eligible to transfer up to 9 credit hours.

Courses completed in a CSWE-accredited MSW program may be considered for credit toward foundation-level coursework, concentration-level coursework, or elective requirements. Courses completed in a related discipline will be considered for credit toward elective requirements only.

Courses are evaluated independently and must meet the following criteria to be considered for transfer credit:

  • Course must have been taken at the graduate level in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university; courses taken at an international institution are not eligible for transfer credit.
  • Course must have been campus-based; online courses will not be considered.
  • Course must have been taken within six years prior to matriculation at the Brown School.
  • Course must not have been used towards the completion of another graduate degree.
  • Student must have received a minimum course grade of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale; official transcript required).
  • Student must be able to provide a copy of the course description and syllabus.
  • Academic credit will not be offered for life or work experiences.

Meeting eligibility requirements does not guarantee transfer credit will be granted.

Transfer of Credits:

Applicants interested in receiving graduate transfer credit must contact our office once their application is submitted to initiate the transfer credit evaluation process. Instructions for completing the MSW Transfer Credit Request form will be provided.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to request transfer credit evaluation by submitting the MSW Transfer Credit Request form and all supporting documents as early as possible in their admissions process. Requests for credit evaluation will not be accepted after September 1 of the first term in which a student matriculates. Incomplete submissions will not be evaluated.

Courses are evaluated in conjunction with the MSW Program Office. Applicants will be notified of evaluation results via email from the Brown School Registrar within two to three weeks of submission.

3-2 MSW Program Applicants

The 3-2 MSW program application is available exclusively to current Washington University undergraduate students in their junior year of study in the College of Arts & Sciences. The program allows students to earn their bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree in social work in five years.

Applicants must be on track to complete all their undergraduate distribution and major requirements by the end of their junior year, with elective credits available to be applied toward MSW course credit during their senior year (first year of the MSW program).

Additional information about the 3-2 MSW program and eligibility requirements can be found here.

Special Instructions for 3-2 MSW Applicants

In addition to carefully reviewing the MSW application requirements, 3-2 MSW applicants must take note of the following instructions:

  • 3-2 applicants should apply early in the spring of their junior year so that fall coursework can be considered; the application should be submitted by March 1 of junior year.
  • Washington University undergraduate students must apply to the MSW program through the Washington University Graduate Admissions portal.
  • Select Current WashU undergraduate student for Washington University Affiliation in the Additional Applicant Information section of the application.
  • Select Bachelor’s/Master’s Program for Intended Level of Study in the Program Information section of the application.
  • A link to initiate the Brown School 3-2 Program Eligibility Form through DocuSign will be available in the Program Information section of the application.
  • 3-2 applicants are responsible for initiating the DocuSign eligibility form during the application process; the form must be completed and signed electronically by your undergraduate advisor(s) and Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences to confirm your eligibility for the 3-2 program and complete your application.