Admissions

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I apply to your Graduate School?

All graduate applications should now be submitted on-line. Apply on-line.

Q: What is your application fee and how do I pay?

The $65.00 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.

Q: Am I an international applicant?

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, H-1, dependent visas or any other non-immigrant classifications.

Q: What graduate programs and degrees are offered at UW?

Programs and degrees offered

Q: What are your application deadlines?

(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 (September).

You send your application materials to both the Office of Graduate Admissions and the graduate program you are applying to. After you submit the on-line application and pay the application fee, view the Graduate Admissions and the graduate department checklists. Some graduate programs require you submit all departmental requirements on-line.

The office of Graduate Admissions of the Graduate School supports each graduate department admissions committee in evaluating your credentials. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to submit the required application materials by November 1^st.

However, if you are an applicant living outside the U.S., you should complete application requirements at least thirty days before the graduate program deadline to ensure sufficient time for graduate admission review.

Q: What if I want to apply to more than one degree program?

You must complete and pay the $65.00 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.)

Q: Where do I send my application materials?

You send your application materials to two offices - the Office of Graduate Admissions and the graduate program you are applying to.

Graduate Program mailing address: Follow department mailing instructions on the on-line department checklist.

Graduate Admissions mailing address: see next question below.

Q: What mailing address do I use for the Office of Graduate Admissions?

Use one of the following mailing addresses:

Standard Postal Service

University of Washington
Office of Graduate Admissions
P.O. Box 84808
Seattle, WA USA 98124-6108

Express or courier service only
(do not mail to PO Box addresses)

University of Washington
Office of Graduate Admissions
Retail Lock Box Inc.
221 Minor Avenue North
Seattle, WA USA 98109

Q: What are the graduate admission requirements?

International 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.

Q: What are the department requirements?

When you have completed the on-line application and paid the application fee, you will see a detailed department checklist.

Q: Does my foreign degree qualify me to apply to your Graduate School?

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.

Q. How long will Graduate Admissions keep my admission file?

Graduate 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.

Q.; What should I do if I need to defer my application for one year?

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.

International Academic Credentials (Transcripts)

Q: What is required when sending my international credentials?

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, U.S. Educational Foundation in India (USEFI), Fulbright agency 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 a regionally 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.

Q: What if I attended a school in the U.S. or Canada?

Ask the Registrar to mail official transcripts in a sealed envelope to this office.

Required Tests

Q. Do you require TOEFL or any other English examination?

Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. 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.

Conditions of appointment for TA's who are not U.S. citizens

Applicants who intend to apply for a teaching assistantship or an appointment that does not specify whether duties are for teaching or research is required to meet three conditions of the TA appointment who are not native speakers of English.

Meet English language proficiency requirements or complete English language courses
Meet spoken English proficiency requirements
Participate in the Teaching Assistant Program at the Center for Instructional Development and Research (CIDR)

See Graduate School Memo #15 for the University's policy.

Q: Do you have concordance tables that I can view?

English proficiency Score Comparison Tables for TOEFL, TSE and IELTS tests.

Q: Do you require GRE test?

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.

Financial Ability Requirement

Q. Where can I get information about tuition and living costs to come to your school?

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 if there is departmental funding information related to the degree program.

Q. Where can I find the Graduate Admissions UW-Statement of Financial Ability Form?

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 and send to the office of Graduate Admissions.

Q. What kind of financial documentation can I send with the UW-Statement of Financial Ability Form?

Options to show your financial ability showing liquid or readily available funds sufficient to cover the first year's educational expenses include:

Applicant’s personal funds, family or other sponsors must submit original bank statements on bank letterhead; include the name of the account holder and specific amount of funding in U.S. funds. Any sponsor or family member must also sign the UW Statement of Financial Ability Form.
Government or scholarship funding: Must be on official letterhead of the organization or department. Letter of support must specify the amount, terms and duration of the funding, including specific beginning and ending dates of financial support.

Your financial resource must be readily accessible funds. Faxes, internet or photo copies are not accepted. However, a bank statement printed from an on-line account must be stamped by the bank in order to be accepted as proof of funding. Stocks, bonds, income tax statements or proof of property ownership are not acceptable financial resources.

**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.

Q. What if I'm not ready to complete the UW Statement of Financial Ability form right now? Can I send this requirement late?

You can complete the UW Statement of Financial Ability form and send with original financial documentation later. However, this could result in the delay of a formal offer of admission. It is highly recommended you complete the financial ability requirements as soon as possible.

Admission

Q. How am I notified of a decision on my application?

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 completed, 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.

Q. What happens after I've received the formal letter of admission?

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.

Graduate Admissions Visa Process

Q: How do I receive an F-1/J-1 visa?

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.

Q. Who sends me my graduate admission visa materials?

The Office of Graduate Admissions sends your visa materials.

Q. What if I have been accepted by several U.S. schools?

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.

Q. How do I transfer to the University of Washington Graduate School from another U.S. school?

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.

Q. What if I decide to attend a summer program at University of Washington-Educational Outreach (UWEO), BEFORE starting my graduate program in the fall term at the University of Washington?

If you decide to attend summer program at UWEO, contact the International Student Advisor at UWEO to receive the initial I-20 to enter the U.S. When you have completed summer program, the International Student Advisor at UWEO will help you with the transfer visa process (refer to the question above).

Q. I have received my visa materials but I have a question. Whom can I contact?

If you have a question when you receive your visa documents from the Office of Graduate Admissions, please send your question to: gradvisa@u.washington.edu. (Include your name and UW Student number.)

Admissions

Quick Links:

Support:

Frequently Asked Questions

International Students

International Academic Credentials/transcripts

Required Tests

Financial Ability Requirements

Admission

Graduate Admissions Visa Process

International Academic Credentials (Transcripts)

Required Tests

Financial Ability Requirement

Admission

Graduate Admissions Visa Process