MSW Admissions FAQ

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission to the Social Welfare MSW Program.

Applicants considering a Concurrent Degree Program should review admissions eligibility requirements and standards of the respective concurrent degree program, including any examinations (GRE, etc.) that may be required:

• Berkeley Law (JD/MSW)(link is external)
• Goldman School of Public Policy (MSW/MPP)(link is external)
• School of Public Health (MSW/MPH)

For the last three acaedmic years (Fall 2020 - Spring 2023):

• The average number of applicants to the Social Welfare MSW Program is 411.
• The average admit rate is 31%.
• The average incoming MSW student cohort size is approximately 90 students

Berkeley's Social Welfare MSW program prepares students to be able to intervene at multiple levels. This might include providing direct service to individuals through such strategies as psycho-education, clinical case management or mental health interventions. It also includes the ability to intervene at community, organization, or policy levels. 

Our program does not emphasize developing practitioners exclusively focused on the delivery of individual psychotherapy. Prospective students who are exclusively interested in providing individual psychotherapy may find that an MFT program or a program specifically focused on clinical interventions will better meet their needs.

No. All students must complete the two-year, full-time MSW Program to earn the degree.

Students entering the MSW program with considerable coursework background in social work, either from BSW programs or other undergraduate majors, may request exemption from one or more generalist curriculum requirements. Such exemptions require evidence of mastery of essential content in basic social work curriculum areas. Students granted any course exemptions are still required to complete the minimum requirement of 60 units for the MSW degree.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission to the Social Welfare MSW Program.

Applicants considering a Concurrent Degree Program should review admissions eligibility requirements and standards of the respective concurrent degree program, including any examinations (GRE, etc.) that may be required:

• Berkeley Law (JD/MSW)(link is external)
• Goldman School of Public Policy (MSW/MPP)(link is external)
• School of Public Health (MSW/MPH)

We seek students for the Social Welfare MSW program who have acquired a broad education with significant academic preparation in the liberal arts, humanities, and behavioral, social, or natural sciences. There is no minimum preparation requirement in any specific major or area of study (such as number of courses or units).

There is no time limit or expiration window for your undergraduate degree conferral to be considered eligible for admission to graduate study. 

We require that you include all grades for coursework undertaken after the first two years of study (typically the last 60 semester units, or last 90 quarter units), not just grades for subjects taken in the major or grades which seem relevant to your proposed program of graduate study.

If you hold more than one basic degree, calculate the GPA on the most recent degree program.

If your GPA is not on a 4.0 scale there is no need to convert it. Enter it as is, in the appropriate GPA box on your online application.

While post-baccalaureate coursework (including community college and extension programs) may be an indicator of your potential for academic success, it is not included in the advanced GPA calculation for admission eligibility.

You must have completed the introductory course in statistics, or be in the process of completing it (i.e., currently enrolled in one) by the time you submit your application for admission.

The course may be completed at an accredited college or university that results in credit on an official college transcript. Online courses that earn credit on an accredited college or university transcript meet this requirement. Receiving a score of 5 on an AP Statistics exam also satisfies the requirement, as long as it is documented on a transcript submitted with your application.

Applicants to the Social Welfare MSW program must have the equivalent of one full year (2,100 hours) of paid employment or volunteer experience related to social welfare or human services, or in a position requiring skills relevant to work with underserved or marginalized populations.

To satisfy the experience requirement for admission eligibility, all experience hours must be acquired by the application deadline.

To be counted toward satisfying the minimum experience requirement of 2,100 hours, the résumé upoloaded to your online application must include all of the following information: Organization name and location, position title, start date and end date, hours per week worked, and total hours worked to date.

Since successful experience in the human services field provides a good test of commitment and aptitude, we seek to admit students who have begun social work or related careers, and demonstrate both professional promise and leadership potential.

We are looking for experience working directly with and on behalf of people and communities in need, including those experiencing social and emotional distress, vulnerable or marginalized populations, and those who are historically under-served.

For more information on the experience requirement and examples of relevant experience, please see Experience and Résumé Guidelines for MSW Applicants.

In the interest of maintaining an equitable review process amid a very high volume of applicants each year, we are unable to provide subjective feedback to individual applicants regarding the experience requirement.

We recommend all applicants aim to provide as much information about the quality of all the experience included on the résumé submitted with the admission application. Reviewers are particularly interested in experience that includes direct interactions with vulnerable or underserved clients and communities.

Not having the required experience hours will not make you ineligible to apply. However, keep in mind that Berkeley is a highly competitive program, and it is true that the most competitive applicants are typically those who most fully meet all admission eligibility requirements by the time of application to the program.

There are no time limits on attaining the required eperience hours, other than acquiring the 2,100 hours by the time you submit your application. 

It doesn’t matter how recently you have satisfied this requirement; you can include experience completed at any time. 

All applicants to graduate study at Berkeley apply for graduate admission online, through the UC Berkeley Graduate and Professional Application for Admission(link is external). A separate application to the Berkeley Social Welfare is not required. 

The online application becomes available in early September each year, and the application deadline is typically on or around Early December each year (see MSW Admissions for current specific dates).

Berkeley Social Welfare admits for the fall semester only each academic year; we do not offer spring or summer admissions.

We do not conduct rolling admissions. We only begin reviewing applications after the submission deadline. All applications submitted by the deadline are reviewed on the same application process timeline (December through February).

We do strongly recommend starting your application early so you have plenty of time to double-check everything before you click “Submit” and pay the application fee.

No.

Eligible applicants who include a supplemental application for the Child Welfare Scholars (CWS) stipend-based training program in their online admissions application are invited to a panel interview with Berkeley MSW Program faculty and county child welfare agency representatives as part of the selection process for the CWS stipend program, but this is a separate process from admission.

Technical issues with the online application should be addressed to the UC Berkeley Graduate Division Admissions Office at gradadm@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)

You must submit an application fee when you apply. The application fee is not re­fundable. If you are a U.S. citizen or current permanent resident, the application fee is $135; for all others, the fee is $155. 

Payment must be submitted online with a major credit card at the time you submit your completed application.

United States citizens or current permanent residents may request an application fee waiver under certain eligibility criteria. International applicants must pay the application fee; they cannot be granted a fee waiver.

Application fee waivers are administered directly by the Berkeley Graduate Division. To learn more about eligibility criteria or to request a fee waiver, please visit Requesting an Application Fee Waiver.

Yes. After you submit your online application, you will still be able to log in and check the status of your recommendation letters.

We require three letters of recommendation, requesting that two be professional and one be academic. However, we will accept up to five letters, provided that they all are unique and different perspectives on your fit for our program. Our letter of recommendation deadline is strict; all letters must be received by the admissions application deadline. You may decide to request an extra letter from a fourth and fifth recommender in order to ensure that at least three are received by the deadline.

The most important thing regarding recommenders is that you choose those who can speak to your promise as a professional social worker, and attest to your potential to succeed in a rigorous graduate professional degree program.

We ask for two professional references, and one academic reference. However, not having this specific mix will not make you ineligible to apply. If you don’t have an academic reference, then additional professional references are absolutely acceptable.

We recommend reaching out to past professors even if you have not been in touch with them since graduation. If you are not able to get a hold of any past professors, there are two paths that are commonly acceptable. Applicants may request a third professional letter of recommendation from someone with an MSW or related degree who could speak to your academic merits and ability to handle graduate level coursework.

All copies of transcripts must be uploaded as PDF files into the Academic History section of the online graduate application.

For your application to graduate study, transcripts do not have to be official copies and do not need to be sent to the School of Social Welfare. Transcripts DO need to be legible, and MUST show degrees conferred (if any), the institution’s name, and your full name.

If you are offered and accept admission, official transcripts will be required by the Graduate Division and they will provide you with instructions for submitting official copies to them directly.

Yes, you could apply to the Concurrent MSW/MPH Degree Program or the Concurrent MSW/MPP Degree Program in your first fall semester of graduate study.

Although you can only apply to one single degree program option at a time, there is a question on the Program Page of the online application that will allow you to indicate if you wish to be considered for EITHER the MSW or the other degree (e.g., MPH or MPP) if you are not offered admission to the Concurrent Degree Program.

No. Offers of admission are valid only for the year they are made. Successful applicants who accept an offer of admission and then must later decline or withdraw must reapply in a future admissions cycle.

Applicants who have already begun a graduate-level program and are wanting to apply to the MSW program would still need to complete all 60-units required in the MSW degree. Coursework taken in a previous graduate program is unable to be applied to any MSW degree requirements.

Applicants to the MSW program can expect to be notified of their admission status by March 15.

Berkeley MSW students are typically in class three days a week, and field placement two days a week, in the first year. In the second year, students are usually in field placement three days a week, and in classes two days a week. Full-time students are expected to be available for both class and field placement Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can see sample plans of study on the specialization and program pages of our Master’s Degrees and Certificates website, and get a feel for the class schedule by visiting the Berkeley Academic Guide(link is external) (select “Class Schedule” in the green menu bar).

It is possible to take elective courses outside the School of Social Welfare; however, students must still satisfy the elective requirements for the MSW degree. Some departments may also have enrollment restrictions that could affect course availability for students from other departments.

Social work licensure and certification standards are set and administered by the Board of Behavioral Sciences,(link is external)a state agency of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. All students who complete an MSW degree at UC Berkeley's fully accredited program are eligible, upon graduation, to register with the BBS to begin the process of pursuing licensure.

NOTICE TO STUDENTS re: PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION

University of California programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of California has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a University of California program, they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).

First-year field placements are chosen through a collaborative and individualized process between entering students and their field consultants. After completing an extensive survey about previous experiences and future plans, new students meet on-on-one with their field consultant before being sent to an assigned interview at an appropriate field placement.

Second-year students select field placements more independently, yet still under the guidance of their field consultants. Students have access to a large database of possible placement sites that hold relationships with UC Berkeley, eventually selecting several at which to interview. To learn more please visit Field Education.

Students are permitted to be placed in an agency where they are or have been employed under certain circumstances usually related to the agency being able to provide substantial new learning related to identified competencies. For more information please see Guide to Field Education for MSW Students > Field Placement in an Employing Agency

Most field placements are unpaid internships, although some agencies may offer a small stipend, or participate in the federal Work-Study Program(link is external)

25-minute admission appointments can be scheduled here(link is external), and prospective applicants can meet with one of our Admissions team members.

Educational financing needs are diverse and will vary according to individual circumstance. In addition to a personal contribution to pay for graduate school, most graduate students receive some form of financial assistance through a combination of resources listed on our Fees and Financial Aid departmental website. At Berkeley, 90% of all graduate students receive some form of financial support (including loans).

All applicants to graduate study at Berkeley Social Welfare are automatically considered for all available awards during the admissions review process. To ensure consideration for all possible awards, all applicants to graduate study should complete the "Economic Background" section of the online Graduate and Professional Application for Admission(link is external).

To be considered for the Child Welfare Scholars Program, applicants should submit required supplemental materials to their online admissions applications per the MSW Admissions Application Instructions.

To apply for need-based fellowships and federal student aid, complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA(link is external)) by the priority deadline.

For complete information about what is required to establish California residency, please visit the Registrar’s Residency for Tuition Purposes(link is external) website.