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The $50 online application fee may be paid by using a MasterCard or Visa card (both credit and debit cards are accepted), or electronic personal check (for those with U.S. bank accounts). The application fee cannot be waived or postponed.
You are an international applicant if you are NOT U.S. citizen, immigrant or green card holder. International students must have a visa status that allows academic study at the University of Washington. International applicants include students who hold U.S. visas, such as F-1, J-1 Exchange Visitors, H1-B, dependent visas or any other non-immigrant classifications.
(Note: Please read departmental instructions carefully to determine department application deadlines. The department may have a later application deadline.)
Most graduate programs begin Autumn Quarter.
You send your application materials to both the Office of Graduate Admissions and the graduate program you are applying to. Due to the time required for processing international applications, applicants applying for Summer or Autumn Quarters are strongly encouraged to submit the application requirements to the Office of Graduate Admissions by November 1. Applications received after this date will be processed as soon as possible but significant delays may result in evaluation of your application materials.You must complete and pay the $50 on-line application for each graduate program you wish to be considered for. You state on the second application that you have already applied to one graduate program.
You send one complete application packet to the Office of Graduate Admissions and a complete admission packet to each additional graduate program you apply to. (No need to send a second admission packet to the Office of Graduate Admissions.)
You send your application materials to two offices. Office of Graduate Admissions and the graduate program you are applying to.
Mailing addresses: Office of Graduate Admissions University of Washington PO Box 84808 Seattle, WA USA 98124-6108Graduate Program: Follow department mailing instructions on the on-line department checklist.
Courier Services do not mail to PO Box addresses. Use the following mailing address:
University of Washington Office of Graduate Admissions Room #301 Loew Hall Campus Box 352191 Seattle WA USA 98195-2191International applicants are required to provide additional application materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions when applying to the University of Washington Graduate School. Graduate Admissions check list.
When you have completed the on-line application and paid the application fee, you will see a detailed department checklist.
The official assessment and academic preparation of international students must be done by the Office of Graduate Admissions. The evaluation of an overseas degree is based on the following:
The characteristics of a national system of education in the home country
The type of institution attended
The field of study and level of studies completed
Official accreditation/recognition status of school
Since there are no U.S. federal guidelines on admission, each institution determines its own policy on prior degrees.
At the University of Washington, you must have at least a baccalaureate degree equivalent to a regionally accredited U.S. institution to apply for admission to this graduate school.
The official assessment must be done by Graduate Admissions. Begin the Preliminary Evaluation ProcessGraduate Admissions will keep your file for one academic year only. If you would like your admission file retained for another year, please contact the international evaluator in Graduate Admissions immediately.
You are allowed to defer you application only once during the academic year without having to pay the application fee again. Contact your graduate program directly and have them send a petition via our admissions system to the Office of Graduate Admission requesting the deferral.
Send international transcripts with degree statement, including date of graduation and title of academic degree awarded. All coursework with grades issued for each year completed must be submitted for proper evaluation. All international records are considered official if they have been certified or attested and must be submitted in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Translations must be literal, complete versions of original records, and the documents must be translated by a university, a government official, or an official translation service. You cannot do your own translation.
Office of Graduate Admissions accepts the following documentation of international credentials and degree certificates:
Original academic credentials issued by the registrar of the institution attended, bearing the original raised or colored seal of the institution and the signature of your institution's registrar or academic official.
Photocopies of international academic credentials that have been attested or verified as true copies of the original by a responsible official of the institution attended or by an educational representative of the country's government or embassy. Academic credentials must bear the verifying official's signature and stamp.
Photocopies of academic credentials that have been certified by a recognized international education organization—such as the U.S. Educational Foundation, AMIDEAST, LASPAU, the Institute for International Education-(IIE), Education USA or American Translators Association located in the U.S. (Note: Faxed or photocopies certified by a U.S. notary public are not official.)
In some circumstances, we will accept exact copies duly certified as such by the Registrar of an accredited institution in the United States previously attended by the applicant. Such copies must be sent directly from the U.S. institution in a sealed envelope.
Ask the Registrar to mail official transcripts in a sealed envelope to this office.
A satisfactory command of the English language is required for admission to the University of Washington Graduate School. Applicants, including international applicants, permanent residents, immigrants and transfer students, who are not citizens of the United States on the date of admission, and whose native language is other than English, must meet this requirement. No waivers of this English proficiency requirement may be given. See Graduate School Memo #8 and English proficiency tests comparison tables for the University's policy.
Those who intend to apply for teaching assistantships must also take the TSE. Registration forms or previous score reports less than two years old from the test date may be requested from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541; telephone (609) 771-7100 or email at toefl@ets.org See Graduate School Memo #15 for the University's policy.
The TOEFL-iBT can be taken if the TSE is not available in your home country.
English proficiency Score Comparison Tables for TOEFL, TSE and IELTS tests.
Most but not all graduate programs require a submission of the general GRE scores. Please check departmental requirements carefully to determine what, if any, test scores are required. If you have earned a doctoral level degree from an accredited institution in the United States, you may be exempt from the GRE requirement.
The GRE is now offered only in a computerized format in the U.S. Registration forms or previous score reports may be requested from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, telephone 1-800-537-3160 or by email at gre-info@ets.org. When scheduling the test, refer to departmental application deadlines to allow adequate time for scores to arrive.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), mandate all schools, including the University of Washington verify certification of adequate financial support from each international applicant without resorting to unauthorized employment.
Graduate appointments awarded by degree programs are considered authorized employment. Some graduate programs offer financial support in the form of a research or teaching appointment. These appointments may not satisfy the entire financial responsibility requirement and you may need to seek supplemental funding. Supplemental funds may come from any dependable source, including scholarships, sponsoring agencies, personal or family funds. You contact your graduate program to determine of there is any departmental funding information related to the degree program.
You must first apply on-line and pay the application fee. Using your password and email address you will have access to this form. You will see a link to this form on your list of task items to complete.
Options to show your financial ability showing liquid or readily available funds sufficient to cover the first year's educational expenses include:
A Bank Statement on original bank letterhead stationary stating you have sufficient funds in your own account.
A Statement of Support and Bank Statement on original bank letterhead stationary stating funds made available to you such as a family member, friend, company or government agency.
**For identity theft protection and security purposes, please DO NOT include social security numbers or financial account numbers, (example; bank or investment) on ANY financial verification that is submitted to this office.
After you have sent your admission requirements to both the office of Graduate Admissions and the graduate program you have applied to, all applicants will be notified either by postal mail or email of the admission decision. Graduate departments have varied timelines when a decision will be made. Contact your graduate program directly for further information.
If your graduate committee has recommended admission, they will relay their decision on to the Office of Graduate Admissions. If all admission requirements have been met, a formal letter of admission with the Dean of the Graduate School's signature is sent in the postal mail.
If you have been recommended for admission by your graduate program and are missing admission requirements, the office of Graduate Admissions will send you a formal email notifying you of missing requirements.
In order to confirm your intension to register and obtain visa materials, you must mail a $100.00 (U.S.) enrollment deposit to our UW-Registration Office. This request will be mailed to you in a separate mailing. Follow their payment instructions.
Office of Graduate Admissions receives a daily report from the Registration Office for payment confirmation. The Office of Graduate Admissions sends your visa materials in 2-3 weeks after payment has been received.
Any inquires to the status of your student visa process should be sent to: gradvisa@u.washington.edu. Include your name and UW Student number in your e-message.
Students living outside of the U.S. must obtain a passport from their home government and take student visa documents and supporting documentation to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for F-1/J-1 student visa status.
The Office of Graduate Admissions sends your visa materials.
If you have been accepted by several U.S. schools, DO NOT apply for your F-1 student visa until you decide which school you want to attend. Please only use the University of Washington Graduate School "I-20 Certificate of Eligibility Form" to apply for a visa and enter the U.S. if you are planning to attend our university.
If you decide to attend the University of Washington from another school in the U.S., you need to complete the "UW-Office of Graduate Admissions Transfer SEVIS Release Form". Send email request to: gradvisa@u.washington.edu. (Include your UW-student number in the email message.)
This form will be completed by you and the International Student Advisor at the U.S. school you are currently attending with your intention to transfer to UW. Your adviser will update your SEVIS record, "releasing" you to study at the UW. Only your current school has access to your SEVIS record, therefore, the UW cannot issue your UW I-20 until after the "release date" has been entered into SEVIS by your current advisor. In most cases, the release date will be the last day of your term at your current school.
If you have a question when you receive your visa documents from the Office of Graduate Admissions, please send your question to: gradvisa@u.washinton.edu. (Include your name and UW Student number.)