Master’s International Applicants

Applicants who have completed or are in the process of completing their prerequisite degree outside of the U.S. or English-speaking Canada must submit their academic records to a U.S.-based evaluation service for a course-by-course U.S. equivalency report. A certified foreign credential evaluation is required to compare the foreign academic or professional coursework to U.S. standards. Applicants to our master’s degree programs must have a degree that is determined equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

The Brown School accepts foreign credential evaluation reports from any evaluation service that is an active member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES); however, applicants are eligible to receive a discounted rate and expedited services with our preferred evaluation partner, TEC: The Evaluation Company (formerly SpanTran).

Applicants to our public health programs may prefer to submit a World Education Services (WES) evaluation directly through the SOPHAS application. Additional information about documenting foreign coursework and requesting the WES evaluation through SOPHAS can be found here.

Please note that foreign transcript evaluation services typically take two to six weeks. Applicants should request a foreign credential evaluation report as early as possible in advance of application deadlines to allow for processing time.

International applicants whose native language is not English must provide official English Language Proficiency test scores that are less than two years old. Washington University accepts the following tests:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Minimum TOEFL iBT composite score of 100

• MSW and MSP applicants must request official scores be released to Washington University in St. Louis school code 6929
• MPH applicants must request official scores be released to SOPHAS code 5688. Additional SOPHAS instructions can be found here

International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS): Minimum IELTS overall band score of 7.0

• MSW and MSP applicants must request official scores be released to Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Programs
• MPH applicants must request official scores be released to SOPHAS CAS. Additional SOPHAS instructions can be found here

GATEWAY English Test: Minimum GATEWAY overall score of 500

• Applicants must request official scores be released to Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Programs

EXEMPTIONS – International students meeting any of the following criteria are exempt from the English proficiency requirement:

• Applicant is a citizen of Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
• Applicant has completed two or more years of consecutive full-time study within the last five years in the United States or an accredited English-medium institution in one of the above-listed countries
• Applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree or equivalent within the last five years from an accredited English-medium institution in a country where English is the official language based on the CIA World Factbook (cia.gov/the-world-factbook)
• Applicant has two or more years of continuous full-time work experience within the last four years in the United States, per resume or CV and a certified employment letter on company letterhead verifying dates of employment

International applicants not meeting any of the above criteria for exemption must provide test scores.

U.S. immigration regulations require that international students lawfully document their ability to meet educational and living expenses while studying in the U.S. before the University can issue visa documents.  If admitted to a Brown School master’s program, international students must be prepared to submit a copy of their passport along with the completed WashU Affidavit of Financial Support and sufficient financial documentation to the Brown School admissions office as soon as possible, but no later than May 15, to initiate visa processes.  The required financial documentation must demonstrate adequate financial resources to meet all educational and living expenses for your first year of study at an estimated amount set annually by the University.  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 $4,300 for each dependent. 

Anticipated Financial Support Requirement for the 2025-26 Academic Year (non-negotiable and updated annually)

• MSW or MSP Applicants – $78,000
• MPH Applicants – $73,000

Please Note: 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.  Acceptable forms of financial documentation are listed on the OISS website.

Once you have secured your funding, submitted your paperwork, and received your I-20 from the University you must secure a visa appointment at your US consulate with a date no later than August 1 to ensure enough time for you to arrive for the start of the semester. WashU’s Office for International Students & Scholars oversees this visa process, and more information is available on their website.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in social work from an international institution may be eligible for Advanced Standing status in the MSW program through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Service (ISWDRES).

ISWDRES recognizes academic credentials in social work that are comparable to CSWE-accredited social work degrees in the United States. ISWDRES application instructions and additional details can be found on the CSWE website.

The ISWDRES process can take several months to complete. Eligible applicants are encouraged to start this process as soon as possible and must notify the Brown School Office of Admissions & Recruitment of their ISWDRES application status. If the degree is recognized, an official copy of the ISWDRES determination letter must be provided to the Brown School prior to enrollment in the MSW program.

Questions related to the ISWDRES application process and fees should be directed to CSWE via email: iswdres@cswe.org