does university of washington require a personal statement

Personal Statement Instructions

Personal Statement (optional but recommended)Instructions:

Please respond to the following. Your statement can be up to 1-page, single spaced, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font. You do not need to answer every question; focus on one or more points that are relevant to your experience.

1. Are there educational, personal, cultural, economic, or social experiences, not described in your Statement of Interest, that have shaped your academic journey? If so, how? Have any of these experiences provided a unique perspective(s) that you would contribute to your program, field or profession? 

2. Describe challenge(s) or barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of higher education. What motivated you to persist, and how did you overcome them? What is the evidence of your persistence, progress or success?                      

3. Have you engaged in scholarly discourse, research, teaching, creative efforts, and/or community engagement that have the potential to advance diversity and equal opportunity in higher education? How would you like to continue or begin to be involved during your graduate program?

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Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences

Personal statement.

All applicants to the UW Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences program need to submit a personal statement, which should address the four topics listed below.

Your ISS personal statement performs a number of important functions. It gives us an opportunity to become acquainted with your goals, influential learning experiences in your life and your reasons for choosing the ISS program. The personal statement also helps us assess your preparation in the social sciences and your readiness for bachelor’s degree completion. 

Your personal statement is a sample of your college-level writing, and we'll assess it on the following criteria:

• Clarity: The essay is clear at the level of the individual sentence or statement so that the reader understands what you are saying
• Depth: The level of development of your ideas and use of concrete details
• Originality: The grounding of your essay in your individual knowledge and experience, rather than reliance on generalizations

Please do not use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT to generate your statement since it invariably produces writing that is notably unoriginal.

If you're admitted to ISS, your personal statement will be the first step on your path to reflective, integrated learning. It will become the first artifact in your e-portfolio. You’ll be asked to return to this statement in your senior capstone course, ISS 401 , to assess your learning and to better understand your development in the program.

Preparing Your Personal Statement

Your statement should address the following topics and questions in an essay of 750 to 1,000 words:

• Write a brief introduction to your individual story.  That is, create a brief sketch or snapshot of who you are and how you came to be. What facts or events do you believe were most formative? What do you consider essential to a good understanding of your identity? What has your life journey looked like, and how did it bring you to this moment of application to ISS?
• What are your expectations of the ISS program?  What has your educational journey looked like? What do you hope to learn? What life goals — intellectual, personal and professional — will this degree help you accomplish?
• Discuss one significant question, issue or problem in human society that you find meaningful or compelling. Think of the types of stories that grab your attention when you follow the news or interact with social media. Why do you think this social phenomenon or problem is important both to you and others? What aspects of it do you find intriguing, promising or alarming? Use concrete detail in your discussion.
• Describe a memorable or impactful learning experience, something that has stayed with you and remained meaningful.  This could be a particular college-level course, assignment or project you completed. However, you may also describe learning that has happened in other contexts, such as work, a volunteer experience, sport or hobby, etc. The point is to describe what you learned and how you learned it. Again, be as concrete and detailed as possible.

Submitting Your Personal Statement

Instructions for submitting your statement vary depending on your applicant type. Please click the relevant link below for additional application instructions, including how to submit your ISS personal statement.

• New Students : Students from UW Evening Degree, UW Bothell and UW Tacoma, along with transfer students from other institutions
• Returning UW Seattle Students : Former UW Seattle students who have not been enrolled for at least two consecutive quarters
• Continuing UW Seattle Students : Currently enrolled UW Seattle students who want to change their major to ISS

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Undergraduate Admissions

Admission requirements & criteria, degrees & major options.

• When & How to Apply

Admission Decisions

Admission into the Math Major is competitive. Completion of minimum requirements described below does not guarantee admission. Each application is evaluated by a subcommittee of the Undergraduate Program Committee.  As a public institution, the UW is dedicated to first-time degree-seeking students. Coupled with high demand for Math degrees among Undergraduates, unfortunately means math degrees are not available for post-baccalaureate students through the UW Seattle.

MATH 124, 125, 126,  and MATH 300  (or MATH 134, 135, 136)   with a minimum numerical grade of 2.0 in each course and an overall 2.50 in all MATH courses.  MATH 126 and 300 (or MATH 136) must be completed at the time of application; cannot be in-progress.

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• P erformance in all mathematics courses as measured by GPA ; typically more recent MATH coursework will be weighted heavier
• Difficulty of math courses completed
• Frequency of incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated courses
• Demonstrated interest in mathematics

Applicants can show demonstrated interest in mathematics by consistently taking math courses; ideally one math course per quarter up until the time of application, including the application quarter.   In addition to the criteria listed above, a personal statement about your interest in mathematics will also help us evaluate your application.  

We offer two types of degrees: a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts, with a total of 4 math options. Applicants will need to indicate which option they would like to be considered for; only one option can be selected per application quarter.

• Philosophy Option
• Teacher Prep Option
• Standard Option 
• Bachelor of Science

Major Option Comparisons*

*Refer to the Requirements & Graduation Planning Sheets for option descriptions, specific course requirements and restrictions.

When & How To Apply

There are two admission pathways for the Math Major: 1) Currently Enrolled UW Students and 2) Entering Transfers.

1. Currently Enrolled & Returning UW Students:   A portion of each year's class is admitted after matriculating to UW Seattle.

Math Major Application for Currently Enrolled UW Students

1. Online form 2. Unofficial UW transcript (PDF attachment)* 3. Personal Statement

* Transfer coursework completed at the time of application must be posted to your unofficial UW transcript with final grades before your application is submitted, in order for it to be reviewed during the application process. We are unable to edit/update applications once they are submitted.

SUBMIT ADMISSIONS APPLICATION HERE (opens on September 1st at 8am pacific time) View this document if you have trouble with the form.

2. Entering Transfers:  If applying to UW for autumn or winter quarter, transfer applicants must submit a separate departmental application for the same quarter. For more information about the University of Washington Transfer Application, visit https://admit.washington.edu/apply/ .

What if I'm not certain if I've completed minimum course requirements, MATH 126 and MATH 300, at the time of application for the math major?   We would encourage you to apply as long as you have completed calculus through multivariable calculus and a mathematical proof course.  The faculty can decide during the admissions review if you're eligible for admission to the Math major.  If admitted to the Math Department and the University of Washington, we would complete a formal transfer course review. If it is decided that coursework is not equivalent to Math 300, you would remain a Math major and take Math 300 in their first quarter at UW.

What if MATH 126, MATH 300 or an equivalent course, needed to apply to the Math Major, is not completed before the Transfer Application deadline, but in-progress or projected for a future quarter?  You can still apply as a Transfer Applicant to the University of Washington for the quarter you would like to begin your enrollment.  If admitted to UW as declared major in another program or as a premajor, plan to take at least one MATH course per quarter at UW and once minimum requirements have been met, apply during the next Math major application cycle. Because MATH is a competitive major, premajor students should be prepared to apply to their backup major.

My institution doesn't offer a mathematical proof writing course.  What should I do?  Math 300 is a foundational course in introductory proof writing that can help students decide if the Math major is a good fit for their academic interests and goals.  The courses required for the Math degree are less computational than calculus and require proof-writing.  If your institution doesn't have a Math 300 equivalent, we would encourage you to take a linear/matrix algebra course that might introduce small proofs (equivalent to UW Math 208).

Math Major Application for Entering Transfers

1. Online form 2. Personal Statement 3. Unofficial transcripts (up to 5 PDFs)

MATH ADMISSIONS APPL. FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS / Closes april 5 AT 5pM (PT)

If admitted to the Math major, current UW and entering transfer students must be enrolled at UW Seattle during the first quarter of enrollment to the major. Students who are not enrolled for the quarter following the application decision will forfeit their admissions offer and will need to reapply in a future application cycle.

Personal Statement

All applicants must include a personal statement with their application.  The personal statement should tell us about your interest in the UW Undergraduate Mathematics Program that will help us evaluate your application and get a deeper picture of you beyond your grades. There is also an optional short paragraph. This paragraph is an opportunity for students to explain any extenuating circumstances or experiences that might misrepresent their potential as a math major.

We would like to know about your educational and/or career goals, and how you expect to further them by studying mathematics.

The Undergraduate Program in Mathematics actively seeks and welcomes students with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. You may describe how your personal history (family, educational, cultural, and economic background) has influenced your intellectual development, interests, career plans, and goals. This can also include  mathematical experiences outside the classroom or memorable classroom experiences at the UW, in a math course or not.  

 You may also use this statement to address elements of your record that might misrepresent your potential as a math major.

• The statement is approximately half a page in length (typed), and no more than 2,000 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

What's the admit rate and GPA of those admitted?

The admit rate for the winter 2024 application cycle was 75% and the MATH GPA (MATH courses only) of those admitted was 3.5. Students with a MATH GPA of 3.2 or higher were typically admitted.

What are my chances of being admitted?

We cannot predict a student's chance of being admitted because there are several factors that affect the admission decision, such as the number of applicants applying and the number of students graduating.

Our advice to students who are applying to a competitive major -- do the best you can, and also apply to your back-up major.  Students will have the opportunity to share any extenuating circumstances that negatively impacted their academic performance in the application.

What does a competitive applicant* look like?

• Demonstrated interest in the major by consistently enrolling in a math course each academic quarter, including the quarter of application.
• Successfully completed math courses beyond first-year calculus and MATH 300; such as 208, 224, and 318.  
• Good academic performance in most recent MATH courses; period of sustained success in math courses.

*The Math Program cannot assure admission to all competitive applicants.

Should I repeat a math course?

We typically advise students not to repeat a math course. Instead, we recommend that students move onto the next advanced-level course and focus on getting a better grade. Only if a student didn’t understand the majority of the course content, should they consider retaking a MATH course, and we strongly advise students to speak with a math advisor first.   Repeating a UW MATH Course

Can students reapply?

Yes.  Before a student reapplies, we suggest they speak with a Math advisor to discuss what they can possibly do to become a more competitive applicant.

ADMISSION DECISIONS FOR WINTER 2023 WERE EMAILED TO UW emails on Wednesday, February 1st, at approximately 11:30.  If you have not received your decision, check your Spam folder. If you still can't find it by Friday, February 3, email [email protected] . Be sure to include your student number.

If admitted, follow the directions in the email. If admitted and you do not accept the offer by the deadline stated in the email, you will not be admitted to the major and will need to reapply.

All applicants have the right to petition and appeal the department’s admission decision.  If you are denied admission to the Math department, there is an appeals procedure if you feel that important facts were overlooked by the committee. Please come to drop-in advising to discuss next steps and receive an appeal form. Only relevant information that was not submitted with your original application will be considered in your case for an appeal.  Appeals are due two weeks after decisions are communicated to students. Students who appeal will be notified one week after the appeal deadline.

The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process contact the department at 206-543-6830 or the Disability Services Office at least ten days in advance at: 206.543.6450/V, 206.543.6452/TTY, 206.685.7264 (FAX), or e-mail at [email protected] .

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The Biophysics Track is no longer accepting new students as of Spring 2024

Admissions to the Physics major is capacity constrained and requires an application. Completion of the application does not guarantee admission. Members of the Undergraduate Admissions Committee review each application holistically and make decisions based on the requirements below. . Standard Admission Requirements – Successful applicants typically have grades ≥ 2.6 in recent physics and math courses as well as a cumulative GPA ≥ 2.6.

• Completion of Phys 121, 122 & 123 (or Phys 141, 142 & 143)
• Completion of Math 124, 125 & 126 (or Math 134, 135 & 136)
• Currently enrolled in physics lecture course higher than 220
• Personal Statement. Describe reasons for choosing major, include strategies for success.
• Graduation Plan (completed in MyPlan, pre-approval by an advisor is recommended).

Early Admissions Requirements – Successful applicants typically have grades ≥ 3.2 in recent physics and math courses as well as a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.2. Appropriate for Transfer Applicants who wish to apply for direct admission to the Physics major while applying to the UW.

• Completion of Phys 121 & 122 (or Phys 141 & 142)
• Completion of Math 124 & 125 (or Math 134 & 135)
• Currently enrolled in Phys 123 (or Phys 143) & Math 126 (or Math 136 or 200-level math)

Admission Cycles (Standard and Early)

Winter quarter admission.

ONLY for recently admitted UW transfer students or current UW students who have completed ≥ 105 credits and ≥ 5 post high-school college quarters. Either Standard or Early Pathway, as appropriate.

PROCEED TO APPLICATION FOR NEXT ADMISSIONS CYCLE

ALL applicants must submit a pdf of academic transcripts and graduation plan. You can activate UW Google here . Contact Physics Student Services if you have difficulty accessing the form.

If admitted to the Physics major, current UW and entering transfer students must register at UW Seattle during the first quarter of admittance to the major. Students not enrolled for the quarter following the application decision will forfeit their admissions offer and will need to reapply for a future application cycle.

Personal Statement

This statement (500 words or less) should discuss reasons for choosing the Physics major and strategies for success, including lessons learned from previous successes / difficulties and plans for accessing support. The statement should also address how the chosen degree option (Applied, Comprehensive, Biophysics, or Teaching) is suited to life and career goals.

Graduation Plan (entered in MyPlan)

Pre-approval of your graduation plan is strongly recommended; admission may be provisional based on completion of a graduation plan approved by Physics Student Services by end of the quarter (new majors who do not have an approved graduation plan on file by the end of the quarter in which they are accepted will have a hold placed on their registration until their graduation plan is approved by Physics Student Services.) Plans can change over time, however applicants should develop a well-considered plan for degree completion. Some entries may be "elective", but all required courses for the selected degree option should be present in an appropriate quarter. A list of physics courses, the quarters in which they are offered, and their prerequisites may be found at the bottom of this page for the upcoming year.  You should assume a similar schedule in future years.

Admission Decisions

Applicants receive admission decisions to their UW email within 2 weeks of the application deadline , in time for registration the following quarter. If admitted, follow the directions in the email acceptance message; if you do not accept the offer by the deadline you will need to reapply.  Transfer applicants will be informed of their status by UW Admissions.

Admitted applicants must register in the academic quarter following the application decision (not including summer quarter); students who do not register will forfeit their admission offer to the major and will need to reapply in a future application cycle.

Applicants receiving a negative admission decision who believe important facts were overlooked by the admissions committee may appeal the decision by submitting a petition for reconsideration to Physics Student Services within two weeks of the notification email date. Submit only pertinent information not included with your original application. Applicants receive appeal decision emails one week after the deadline.

In accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations, the Department of Physics reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals. To request accommodation in the application process, contact the Physics Department at 206-685-1832 or [email protected] , or the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 (206-543-6452 TTY, 206-685-7264 FAX, 253-642-0142 VP) or e-mail to [email protected] , at least ten days in advance of the application deadline

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J.D. Admissions

J.d. admissions first year applicants.

To be considered for admissions, applicants must follow the application instructions, register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and Credential Assembly Service (CAS), take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and demonstrate that they have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. or Canadian university or the foreign equivalent whose program has been deemed comparable to that of a four-year baccalaureate degree, prior to registering for the first academic quarter at UW Law.

Application Deadlines

• October 1 - Applications open for incoming first-year students
• November 15 - Early Decision Program application deadline
• January 15 — Application deadline for the  Gates Public Service Law Scholarship , which includes both the JD application and the Gates Public Service Law Scholarship application. Please note that you must have an LSAT score on file in order to proceed with the selection process. The last LSAT accepted for consideration is the January 2024 administration.
• March 15 - Priority application deadline for incoming first-year students 

These deadlines are non-negotiable.

Admissions Policy

The law school faculty has adopted the following policy regarding admission to UW Law:

The primary goal of the University of Washington School of Law admissions process is to enroll students who demonstrate outstanding academic and professional promise and whose background and experience will contribute beneficially to the learning environment of the law school. As the state’s public law school, we have a responsibility to educate lawyers who will serve the legal needs of all members of society, through the practice of law, the formulation of public policy and other law-related activities. Our admissions policy is designed to identify individuals who will help fulfill this responsibility.

In measuring academic potential, we evaluate candidates holistically, balancing multiple considerations in selecting a cohort of students for each incoming class. No single factor is dispositive for admission, including GPA and standardized test scores. Factors we consider include but are not limited to: the rigor of the applicant’s undergraduate curriculum; the nature and attainment of an advanced degree; the applicant’s pre- and post-college experience as it relates to the applicant’s academic and professional potential; the quality and strength of recommendations which address the applicant’s academic and professional potential; variations in the level of academic achievement over time; any other indicators that may aid in the determination of academic and professional potential. Additionally, we encourage law students to identify any aspects of their backgrounds that would benefit the diversity of the law school community and the legal field as a whole.

Nondiscrimination Policy

UW Law provides for a selective admission process with the objective of attracting students who demonstrate the strongest prospects for high quality academic work. This selective admission process shall assure that the University's educational opportunities shall be open to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability or veteran status. The process of admission shall be mindful of the need for diversity in the student body and for highly-trained individuals from all segments of the population. For more information, please visit here .

Applicant Responsibility and Accuracy of Information

Applicants are under a continued obligation to notify the law school immediately of any and all circumstances and events that may occur from the date an application is submitted to the first day of enrollment that may change any of the responses to their application. UW Law reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission if the candidate fails to maintain satisfactory scholastic standing for work in progress, if final records fail to show completion of courses and/or degrees required for admission or if the admission decision was based on incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information furnished by the applicant. In addition, the law school may also report its findings to LSAC's Misconduct and Irregularities Committee.

Character and Moral Fitness

Applicants who have been convicted of a felony or other serious crime are eligible for admission into the law school; however, because state bar associations often prohibit persons with criminal records from being admitted to the bar regardless of their degrees or training, it may be impossible for such individuals to practice in some states. In addition to the bar examination, there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners .

Application Instructions

An application is complete and ready for evaluation when the following items are received:

• Application - Applicants may submit the application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) .
• $60 Application Fee - The application fee will be collected through LSAC.
• Personal Statement - The University of Washington School of Law aspires to be the best public law school in the nation and one of the world's most respected centers for interdisciplinary legal studies. Advancing access to justice, facilitating a fair and thriving global marketplace and fostering an environment of inclusivity and equity is integral to who we are. The primary goal of the admissions process is to enroll students who strive to be leaders; demonstrate outstanding academic, professional and leadership promise; are committed to generous public service and ethical advocacy; and who have background and experiences that will enhance the diversity of the student body, thereby enriching the law school educational environment. As such, applicants are invited to write a personal statement that describes their potential contributions to our vibrant community. Please limit your response to 700 words . Applicants may include the following factors in their personal statement or the optional supplemental statement: perseverance against substantial obstacles; social or economic disadvantage; family or personal adversity; social hardships; disability; prejudice or discrimination; leadership potential; studying or living abroad; foreign language skills; special talents; unique life experiences; or geographic diversity.
• (Optional) Supplemental Statement - Applicants may supplement their personal statement by including a response to one (1) of the following optional questions: (a) why are you interested in pursuing a legal education at the University of Washington; (b) what life events or experiences have had the greatest influence in shaping your character and why; or (c) if you were asked to create a non profit organization, what would be the organization, its mission and its purpose? Please limit your response to 500 words .
• Résumé   - Please provide a résumé detailing any significant vocational, non-vocational, extracurricular or community activities, volunteer work, honors, awards, any service in the Armed Forces, job descriptions and major areas of responsibility along with dates of employment (mm/yyyy) and the number of hours per week devoted to such activities, publications or other information that you believe the University of Washington School of Law should consider in evaluating your application. Also please include details as to any foreign language proficiencies you possess, including the level of ability with regard to speaking, comprehension, reading and writing. Your résumé may not exceed three (3) typewritten pages .
• Credential Assembly Service Report - The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report will include: (1) the applicant's transcript(s) from each institution of higher education prior to obtaining your bachelor's degree; (2) Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score(s): and (3) any letter(s) of recommendation. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that LSAC has received all necessary materials to complete the CAS file. You are advised to confirm that your CAS file is complete; LSAC will not send the law school a CAS report until then.
• Letters of Recommendation - Two (2) Letters of Recommendation are required and must be submitted through LSAC's Letter of Recommendation Service. The strongest recommendations are those submitted by a professor who knows an applicant's work well and can give a well-substantiated assessment of their academic potential. For applicants who have been out of school for some time, professional recommendations are appropriate.

Please note : all records become part of the official file. They will not be returned or duplicated.

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Writing a Strong Personal Statement (Fall 2022)

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Writing the Statement of Purpose: General Advice

Excerpts from an article on statement of purpose writing by Dr. Steven Olswang, University of Washington Provost, written for the Fulbright Commission:

Applying to Graduate Schools in the US: The Statement of Purpose

Copyright © The US-UK Fulbright Commission, used by permission of the author:

Steven G Olswang, JD, PhD Vice Provost and Professor, University of Washington; Fulbright Academic Administrative Fellow

"Perhaps the most difficult part of the application process for admission to graduate school...is the composition of a Statement of Purpose. It may be helpful first to understand a little about graduate education...before undertaking to write this Statement.

Graduate Education Overview " ...Faculty at institutions of higher education in the United States take their work with graduate students very seriously. Faculty take strong personal interest in their graduate students (after all, they will work with those students for many years), and expect their students to complete their programs once admitted. Faculty expect their students to go on after graduation to important positions in academia, industry, or government. Therefore, the work of graduate students affects the reputation of the Faculty. As a result, the selection of the right graduate students is very important to both the faculty and the long term reputation of the department and university.

Why the Statement of Purpose? " Faculty want to know as much as they possibly can about all applicants. This is especially true today because most graduate programs have only a limited number of admission slots available. Test scores, grades and degrees, institutions of previous study and personal recommendations are all important indicators of an applicant's future success. However, these data do not reveal much about the individual, his/her motivation, why the applicant is interested in that particular program, or whether the applicant is the kind of student the Faculty want around the department. The Statement of Purpose exists to allow applicants to convey something personal about themselves and to convince the Faculty making the admissions selection that the applicant is an especially attractive candidate.

" The Statement of Purpose should not relate a life story or flatter either the applicant or intended readers. It provides applicants the opportunity to present information that is not conveyed through objective data, in a clear, direct, and concise way, to explain their interests, motivations, goals and special talents. It must be honest.

Writing the Statement of Purpose " So with this broad understanding of the Statement of Purpose and its function, how should it be written? " The first thing to remember is that each application process for each university is different. That means that the questions asked in the application MUST be the questions answered, and answered directly. An effusive, evasive, or non-responsive answer will inevitably result in rejection. Be absolutely clear what the application instructions ask of you and tailor your statement accordingly. That may mean that each application requires that you write a somewhat, if not entirely, different Statement of Purpose, since each Statement must answer a particular question.

"As a general rule, the two generic questions that need answering, at least inferentially, in most Statements of Purpose are: "Why are you interested in this program?", and "What makes you special?". This allows applicants the opportunity to provide Faculty substantive information about themselves. This is where applicants can demonstrate that they did their homework about the program and that they thought seriously about the strengths and weaknesses they bring to graduate study.

Answer the Question! " The following are some questions that Faculty ask themselves when they read a Statement of Purpose:

Why are you interested in graduate study? " There is some personal reason that made you decide to continue your education beyond the bachelor's degree. Tell them directly why. This may be something that you have always wanted to do, or for which your parents or others were role models, or perhaps you have recently been excited by new possibilities of learning. All the Faculty had their own reasons for going on to get their graduate degrees and they will want to know that you are truly interested for a legitimate reason. Do not try to write what you think Faculty want to hear ("to advance the field"); they have heard it all already.

Why are you applying to this particular graduate program? " Is the program noted for a particular emphasis, speciality, or orientation? Is it in the same city where your sister lives, and you could get free housing that would allow you to go to graduate school? Are there particular professors with whom you want to study because of their area of expertise? Whatever the reason, explain it. This is where the Faculty evaluating your application will be able to tell if you have thought seriously about their particular program. It will indicate your interest in them and show that you did your homework, a good early sign of a serious student.

What is it about you that is special? " It is important that you explain your motivations and your goals This is what will distinguish you from all other applicants and make you memorable to the Faculty...Explain your academic background and your performance in the bachelor's degree program. If you wrote a bachelor's thesis, briefly explain its importance and what you learned from writing it. Be sure to mention any prizes you may have won. If you worked while in school, tell why, especially if it was for a Faculty member. If you had any special experiences outside the formal learning environment that directly relate to the field of study you are interested in pursuing (e.g. travel or study abroad; employment in the field) tell about those. Describe any experience that demonstrates your creativity, dependability, and independence - these are important personal characteristics that Faculty desire in their students.

Are there items that need special explanation? " Faculty will first look at the empirical data in your application: your grades, transcripts, test scores, even the recommendations, before reading the Statement of Purpose. They will spot peculiarities they want explained. Is there a gap in your years of study; did it take you more than the traditional time to finish your degree; did you leave to work to support your family, or to care for an ill family member; did you change fields; do you have related work experience? All these are questions that need to be answered. Unexplained voids in your record make you a less attractive candidate. On the other hand, honest explanations make you human and the kind of person with whom others will want to work.

Do you add diversity to the program? " American institutions of higher education are very interested in diversifying their student body, particularly at the graduate level. If you are a woman, a member of a minority group, disabled, or have another distinguishing characteristic that may be relevant, let the Faculty know in your Statement in an appropriate way. It may relate to your motivation to pursue a graduate degree. Understand that under American law, Faculty cannot ask questions about many personal topics. Since it is unlikely that many international students will interview in person at all the graduate schools where they submit applications, the Faculty will know you only by what you write in your Statement.

What to Avoid " While there are some things that a Statement of Purpose must address, there are some matters that generally also should be avoided.

Do not be overly informal. " The written Statement of Purpose for many applicants is the way they first introduce themselves to their prospective professors. The Statement should be formal, direct, and appropriately respectful in tone. Undue informality or attempts at irrelevant humour should be avoided.

Do not include irrelevant information. " Try to keep to the topics that directly relate to your qualifications and desire for admission to the graduate program. Information about hobbies, outside interests, academic pursuits that do not have any real connection to your credentials for success in your chosen field only take up valuable space and divert the Faculty's attention from what is really important in your Statement.

Do not write your life story. " If the application instructions give a specific -or maximum - length for the Statement of Purpose, do not exceed it. If there is no stated length, remember that Faculty on admissions committees may be reading hundreds of such Statements. Be brief, yet complete. Do not talk about anything in your life before you began your baccalaureate program, unless it's absolutely relevant. A suggested maximum length is four pages, three is even better.

Style & Presentation " A guide of this kind would be incomplete if it did not mention something about the presentation of the Statement. We live in an era of word processors and personal computers. Unless the directions specifically require that the Statement of Purpose be hand-written - and I doubt that any still say that - it should be typed or printed, double spaced, with absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors. It does not matter if you are applying for a graduate program in English Literature or Physics, Art or Physical Education, you are expected to be literate and to be able to communicate well. A spelling error on your application will make the Faculty evaluating your application view you as careless and not really interested enough in their program to consider you further. Many will stop reading the Statement at that point, regardless of how good your other records are. They will react similarly to errors of grammar, pronoun errors, using plural verbs with singular subjects, and the like. Proof-read your statement many times. Have someone else read your Statement critically. Run it through 'spellcheck' and 'grammarcheck' on your computer. " ...In sum, the Statement of Purpose is your way to introduce yourself personally to a group of intelligent people . In this document you are asking strangers to allow you to enter their working homes for an extended length of time to learn from them. This presents them with a major decision. In this statement you must present yourself in a favourable light, show who you are, express your interest in them and the subject they teach and tell them why you are special enough to be admitted. It must be honest in conception, accurate in detail, and direct in address. And it must look good and be error-free.

"If you are satisfied that you have given a fair and accurate picture of yourself, as seen in your best light, Faculty will be equally pleased."

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Application Help and FAQs

Technical help, where in the application can i find the department requirements.

• Log into your application.
• Under “Action” click “edit.”
• On the left hand side of the page select “Review Requirements and Deadlines.”
• The programs contact information will appear here.
• It is usually best to e-mail the department. Please allow 2 business days for a response.

[expand title=”How do I contact my department/program after I have submitted my application?”]

• Under “Action,” click “status.”
• The programs email address is listed here under “Materials Required To Be Sent To Graduate Program.”

The deadline for my application is December 1 st .  Should the application be completed before 11:59 p.m. on November 30 or 11:59 p.m. on December 1?

If a department has a hard deadline, the application closes at 11:59 p.m. on the day of the deadline, in this example: you have until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1 to submit your application.

I forgot to add a prior school on my application and I have already submitted it. Now I can’t go back in and add the school. What do I do?

• Log in to your online application .
• Select “Create a new application”
• After entering this information, you will be prompted to “Review Requirements and Deadlines” before seeing all of the steps along the left-side of the screen
• Open and complete the step: Report Prior Schools
• Open and complete the step: Submit Unofficial Transcripts
• STOP – Do not continue filling out the application and definitely do not pay the application fee again.
• Confirm you see the school with the unofficial transcript
• Delete the newly created application from the Home page in the online application[/expand]

I am unable to upload a file into my application, what can I do?

Here are some suggestions:

• If the file is smaller than 1mb, try using a different browser. (This often resolves the issue)
• Try setting the scanner to scan as a document and not an image.
• Try scanning in black and white.
• Try having the scanner save the file as a PDF.
• Scan each transcript as a separate file.

If these do not work, please contact your department to determine how to send the files separately, if necessary. Contact information for the department/program can be found by:

• Logging into your application.

General Questions

Accreditation, how do i know if my school is accredited, u.s. schools.

If you have been awarded a degree from a college or university, your school must be academically accredited for your degree to be recognized as sufficient for graduate admission. U.S. regional academic accrediting authorities are the following: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Western Association of Schools and Colleges. If you are not sure of your school’s academic accreditation, refer to AACRAO for further information.

Schools Outside of the U.S.

Completion and award of an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized academic standing. The World Higher Education Database is a search engine that provides information about higher education systems worldwide, including degrees offered, school contact information, affiliations, and accreditation. The database is maintained by the International Association of Universities. International schools must hold academic accreditation through the appropriate educational authority in the country, such as, the Ministries of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC) , International Association of Universities (IAU) , Association of Indian Universities (AIU) , and other educational government authorities.

After You Have Submitted Your Application

How do i check the status of my application.

Once you have submitted your application, you can check the status of your application by logging in to your application .

After submitting my application, I realized a different program would be a better fit for me. Can I change the program I applied to?

Unfortunately, the only option at this point is to create a new application . You will see this option in your profile underneath your current application. Some of your profile items will automatically transfer from your current application, while some items will need to be re-entered. After you start your new application, please withdraw your incorrect one in order to avoid any confusion.

What if I submitted an incorrect Statement of Purpose, or I would like to update my Statement of Purpose file?

Contact the graduate program you are applying for further assistance.

I have already submitted my graduate application, but would like to provide an updated resume & statement of purpose: how can I edit the files I previously submitted?

If your application has been submitted, any files that are not part of your Applicant Profile cannot be updated (resume, statement of purpose, supplemental documents). If you have revised versions of these, we recommend contacting the program directly to see if they can be replaced.

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

If you are offered admission, you may be eligible to request that your application be deferred once. If your graduate program approves your request, they will submit a petition on your behalf to the Graduate School. If the Graduate School approves the petition, your application will be moved to the appropriate year and quarter. You will receive a new offer of admission from your graduate program.

How may I obtain a receipt of my graduate application?

When you submit your application, please print the confirmation page as this will serve as a receipt. Otherwise, you may send a request via email and include your application ID number. Send your request to GEMS at [email protected] requesting a receipt for your application fee.

Can my GNM application be deferred to another quarter and year?

Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) applications are not eligible to be moved to a different quarter.

How long will the Graduate Enrollment Management Services (GEMS) keep my application file?

If you are accepted but do not enroll or you are denied admission, your application will be kept for one year. If you are accepted and enroll as a student, your application will be kept for six years after your last quarter of enrollment. In accordance with UW Records Management Policy , as per Washington state and federal laws. [expand title=”As an enrolled student, how can I request my public record?”] Email, write or fax asking for the records you would like to receive. All requests must be in writing.

GPA Calculating Assistance

How do i calculate my gpa.

We ask that you report the GPA for your last 2 years (aka 60 semester or 90 quarter credits). It is best that you convert your scores to the US GPA system, the help files in the application will link you to some tools to do this. In the individual school section students report using their schools scoring system or the US GPA system, you may choose. To calculate the Grade Point Average (GPA) for the last 90 quarter or 60 semester graded credits:

• Working from the most recent quarter/semester add the graded course credits (excluding thesis or dissertation courses) until you reach 90 quarter or 60 semester credits. Use these 90 quarter or 60 semester credits to calculate your GPA.
• To calculate your GPA, multiply each course grade by the credits to achieve grade points. Add all grade points and divide by the total number of credits.
• How do I convert between quarter and semester systems on a 0.0-4.0 scale?

Colleges and universities that operate on a semester system award semester credit. The UW awards quarter credit.  If the last 90 quarter or 60 semester credits span two or more institutions on different academic calendars use the following formulas to convert grades to a single system. Multiply by 1.5 when converting from semesters to quarters and divide by 1.5 when doing the reverse. For example a 4-credit class under a semester system is equivalent to a 6-credit class under a quarter system (4 x 1.5 = 6) and vice versa (6 ÷ 1.5 = 4). A student who earns 30 credits in an institution on a semester calendar would have earned 45 quarter credits at the UW.

How do I convert an International Grading system?

• You can convert your grading scale by looking up the country and the grading scale used.
• The GPA Calculator may also be used.
• Additional information on additional grade conversion scales .

Letters of Recommendation

Where do i send letters of recommendation.

Check your program’s recommendation requirements before applying. Go to our graduate program locator and select your program to view the requirements.

While you complete your online UW Graduate School Application, you will be able to designate who your recommenders will be.

Do not designate a recommendation until you are ready to have the recommender contacted. You can designate recommendations before and after you have submitted your online application up until the program deadline.

Your recommenders will receive an email stating that they have agreed to provide a reference for you. When you designate a recommendation, the person you have designated is immediately sent an email to submit a recommendation on your behalf.

If, after designating a recommendation, you learn that the recommender will not submit a recommendation, you may withdraw the recommendation. (You cannot withdraw a recommendation once the recommender has submitted it.)

How do I know my recommenders have submitted their letters of recommendation?

Once you have submitted your application, you can check the status of your recommendation letters by logging in to your application status page .

Is the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) required?

The Graduate School does not require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Graduate programs determine whether or not to require the GRE for the admissions review process. Contact the graduate program to learn if GRE scores are required. Our institution code is: 4854. Department code: 5199 (any department).

Do I have to submit an official English proficiency test?

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 requirement may be given. See Graduate School Policy 3.2 .

Will you accept my TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test?

Yes, we accept the official TOEFL test. Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to order your official TOEFL score report. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Our institution code is: 4854. Department code: 99 (any department).

Students must be proficient in English: Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. The ways in which proficiency can be demonstrated are outlined in Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements .

Will you accept my IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test?

The University of Washington only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS testing center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. All IELTS test centers can report scores electronically. You must request from the center where you took the test that your scores be sent electronically using the IELTS system (E-TRF) to the following address: University of Washington All Campuses, Organisation ID 365, Undergrad & Graduate Admis, Box 355850, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States of America. If you have already taken the IELTS, you can go to the IELTS test center location for the email address of the IELTS Administrator to make your request. Allow a minimum of 13 working days for reporting test results to our school. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.

I am planning to apply for a teaching assistantship. Is there a test required for speaking ability?

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

• Meet Academic English Language proficiency requirement or UW AEP courses .
• Meet spoken English proficiency requirement.
• Participate in the Teaching Assistant Program at the Center for Teaching and Learning
• See Graduate School Policy 5.2 for the University’s policy.

My official GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores aren’t showing on my application and I already had them sent. Why?

Please allow 14 business days from the date you requested Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send your official test scores to the University of Washington (Institution Code: 4854).

From the time you submit your online application, it takes 1-2 business days for your official scores to match your online application. If these times have elapsed, confirm with ETS that your official scores were sent to the University of Washington. If yes, scan and email your score report to [email protected] so we may determine why the scores have not matched to your application.

For the IELTS test, please allow 13 business days from the date you requested your IELTS centre to electronically send the scores to the University of Washington. If the scores are still not showing, please scan and e-mail your score report to [email protected] so we can determine why the scores have not matched to your application.

How can I confirm receipt of my official GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores?

You can confirm transmission of electronic test scores by logging into your application , and checking your Application Status Page > Tests section (successfully sent scores will show a date under “Date Received” column).

What if my name is different from the name I’m using on my application, will my official scored be matched to my application?

If your name is misspelled or listed differently on your application and score report, they will not match up in the system. Please notify us if that is the case as we will need to manually search for your scores.

I applied for admission last year and was denied. Do I need to send my GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores again or are they still on file?

If you previously sent your test scores to the University of Washington, you will not need to re-send them. These scores are retained on file and can be used for a future application, assuming they are still valid.

If I am applying to two graduate programs, do I also need to send my GRE/TOEFL scores twice? What if I already sent them once, but specified the Biology department code, when I am also applying to the Chemistry department?

If you are applying to multiple graduate programs, you only need to request your official test scores once. As long as you have correctly indicated the University of Washington, institution Code 4854, they will match up with any graduate applications you submit, regardless of the department code.

I submitted my GRE/TOEFL scores to the University of Washington (4854), however, I’m not sure I selected the correct department code. Should I resubmit the scores?

o, as long as you indicated the Univ of Washington- 4854- as the institution code, your scores will match to any applications on file regardless of the department code you specified. This is not a field we use with our student database.

I will receive a degree from the US, can I be waived from the TOEFL requirement?

This school does not grant waivers of the English proficiency requirement. However, this requirement can be met in a number of ways, as specified in Graduate School Policy 3.2 . If your U.S. degree will be conferred by the start of the program you are applying to, the conferral of your U.S. degree will complete the Graduate School’s English proficiency requirement. If admitted, the Graduate School will ask for an official transcript with degree posted before your first quarter of enrollment, to complete the English proficiency requirement.

The on-line application is asking for me to provide an English proficiency test. I will be receiving as U.S. degree. How do I complete the test section of the application?

You may leave this section blank on your application, as you will be receiving a U.S. degree. You will be able to submit your application and pay the fee.

Transcripts

Do you require official transcripts.

The Graduate School does not require you to send official transcripts during the application process. Review the application materials required of the graduate program you are applying to, to confirm if you need to send an official transcript directly to the graduate department.

When do I send my U.S. degree transcript to the Graduate School?

If you are offered admission and confirm your intention to enroll, you will be prompted in your application ‘s pre-registration page, specifying the degree transcripts needed for degree verification upon enrollment. Contact the registrar to mail your official transcript with degree posted, directly to the Graduate School. Your pre-registration page will provide the mailing address of the Graduate School.

What is required when sending my international transcripts?

If you are offered admission and confirm your intention to enroll, you will be prompted within the application ‘s pre-registration page, specifying the degree transcripts needed for degree verification upon enrollment. Please review Prepare & Mail Final Degree Transcript for further information.

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Personal Statement

Main content.

Every law school application requires a personal statement and it is an important part of the application. Since the majority of law schools don’t have interviews, committees rely on this statement as an interview-in-an-essay. It is also a sample of your writing ability. With many applicants with similar qualifications (high GPA and LSAT scores, strong professional or extracurricular experiences, etc), the personal statement is the chance for you to help the admissions committee distinguish you from all the rest. Your personal statement can be what tips you from the waitlist or decline list to the admit list, so make sure to take it seriously!

Steps to Writing a Strong Personal Statement:

• Brainstorm:  The goal of this stage is to find a core idea or theme around which your statement will center. Most schools are interested in learning what unique qualities and experiences you will contribute to their incoming class. Take time to brainstorm about what experiences have shaped you, what skills or traits are unique to you, or what personal accomplishments set you apart. 
• Free Write: Pick three of the topics, themes, or ideas from  your brainstorming session.  This is the stage where you sit down and just start to write. If you have several different themes or topics in mind, start one draft for each. Spend 10-15 minutes on each free writing draft. Don’t edit yourself, try to stay within a word limit, or attempt to edit while you write. The goal is to get as much down on paper as  you can.
• Review: Review your “free write” drafts. Does one stand out or particularly resonate with you? If none of the topics feel right, go back, pick three more ideas from your brainstorming session, and repeat the free write exercise until you find something that you want to move to the next stage with;
• Draft:  Start drafting your personal statement. Some people find drafting an outline first assists them in thinking through the structure and flow of the statement, while other prefer to just start writing and organize as they go.
• Edit:  Have at least one objective person, ideally someone familiar with the law school application process, review your personal statement. Be prepared for feedback. A good reviewer will send your personal statement back to you with comments and suggestions. If you get your statement back with a simple “looks great!”, find a new reviewer! Remember that many law school applicants go through several rounds of revision before submitting their application! Legal Pathways offers personal statement review, but please make sure to allow enough time to go through the editing process -- if you email asking for feedback by the next day, we won’t be able to help! 
• Finalize: Once you are done making any substantive edits, proofread carefully. Additionally, make sure you have followed the directions provided (which may vary from school to school) about word count or page limit and any formatting requirements. Ensure you have used the right law school name for each statement.  

Personal Statement Tips:

• “Show, Don’t Tell” :  Show, don’t tell: conclusions should be self-evident. Well written statements use stories that illustrate your good qualities. You should not have to explicitly state them.
• Be the Main Character and Grow :  Tell a story where you are the main character and you changed, grew, or shifted your perspective.
• Write a concise narrative with one or two points . Personal statements are relatively short and you can’t fit it all in -- tell one story very well not ten stories poorly!  over quantity.
• Keep the focus on yourself , not your family members, friends, or other people in your life (even if they are very interesting or important to you!)
• Be authentic and honest . This is your chance for the law school admissions committee to get to know you. Use it! 

Avoid Common Pitfalls:

• Don’t rush the process . Many students need to write 3-6 drafts to craft a strong, concise and memorable personal statement.
• Don’t skip the review process . Have at least one person familiar with the law school application process review your personal statement and provide feedback. At the University of Washington Tacoma, both the Writing Center and Legal Pathways provide this service! 
• Don’t use your personal statement to repeat what is already in your resume . You only get to submit a handful of things in your law school application, so make each one count and don’t duplicate information! If they will read about it somewhere else, don’t repeat it.
• Don’t try to write like a legal scholar or explain the law . No Latin phrases. No teaching. This is an essay about you (and don’t worry, you will have lots of opportunities to use that Latin once you are in law school!)
• Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts
• Writing Personal Statements for Law School
• Personal Statement Packet (Pre-Law Guru)
• Sample Personal Statements (The University of Chicago Law School)
• Personal Statement Brainstorming Exercises (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Nine Important Personal Statement Tips for Law School Applicants (New England Law)
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Admissions Process FAQ

The uw history department encourages applicants to the graduate program in history to apply also for foreign language and area studies (flas) fellowships, if they are eligible. the flas is a competitive fellowship intended to support foreign language training and is a means to fund new and continuing uw graduate students. flas fellowships are offered in several modern languages; flas recipients receive tuition and a stipend. for information about the flas fellowships, including eligibility requirements, deadlines, and application procedures, go to:  http://www.jsis.washington.edu/advise/flas/, the flas application process is administered by the uw's jackson school of international studies and is entirely separate from history’s graduate admissions process.  receipt of a flas fellowship does not guarantee an applicant admission to the history graduate program., frequently asked questions.

Below is a list of some of the more common questions regarding the application process. Please feel free to contact the History Graduate Office with additional inquiries.

• When are applications due?
• What should I do if one of my letters of recommendation is not submitted in time to arrive by the deadline?
• What are my chances of admission?
• Do you always admit the same number of students in a particular field (US, Asia, Europe, etc.)?
• How important is undergraduate training in history?
• Do you require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?
• What kind of GPA or GRE scores do I need to be competitive?
• Does this mean I should not apply if my scores are lower?
• What do you look for in the writing sample?

How important is the statement of purpose?

• How important is language training?
• How many offers of admission include offers of funding?

When are applications due? All applications are due by the deadline posted on Graduate Admissions section of the History Department's website. This application deadline is firm (no exceptions). Our online application system is closed to applicants after this date.

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What should I do if one of my letters of recommendation is not submitted by the deadline? The online system for submitting letters of recommendation (only) remains open beyond the application deadline and we accept letters from recommenders for a short period after the application deadline (all of the other components of the graduate application must be submitted by the Department's graduate admissions  deadline).  File review begins almost immediately after the deadline, so it is important that you request your letters early and follow up with your recommenders as needed. If necessary, we can evaluate your application with two letters, but, obviously that is not necessarily to your benefit. 

What are my chances of admission? In recent years we have received, on average, between 75 and 100 applications (both M.A. and Ph.D.) to our graduate program. We generally admit about 6 new graduate students.

Do you always admit the same number of students in a particular field (US, Asia, Europe, etc.)? No. We tend to select the strongest applicants regardless of field. In a given year, the applicant pool may be particularly strong in a given field. Competition for admission will be keener in that field, but the number of offers of admission in that field will likely be higher as well.

How important is undergraduate training in history? Very. The admission committee looks for evidence that an incoming graduate student will adjust rapidly to the demands of graduate study in history. An undergraduate degree in history is a good predictor. Short of that, the committee will look for a degree in an allied field as well as evidence, as revealed by transcripts and the writing sample, of a strong historical component in the curriculum.

What kind of GPA do I need to be competitive? The median GPA in an incoming class is typically around 3.8. It's important to note that not only is a strong GPA important, but also that the student has done particularly well in history courses and other courses related to their proposed area of graduate study (such as foreign language coursework).

Does this mean I should not apply if my gpa is lower? Not at all. The median is the middle, meaning that half of the gpas of admittees were above and half below. Applicants with lower gpas can be competitive, especially if the statement of purpose, writing sample, and letters of recommendation make a compelling case for admission.  The Graduate School requires at least a 3.0 gpa (based on the the most recent 60 semester or 90 quarter credits) for applicants for graduate study at the University of Washington.  

What do you look for in the writing sample? We look for evidence of the following: good writing style, an ability to pose interesting historical questions, a sense of how to construct an argument, an understanding of the importance of sources and the ability to use them imaginatively, and a command of the "scholarly apparatus," including notes.

Very. As in the case of the writing sample, we look for style and imagination, but we also look for "closeness of fit." A persuasive statement of purpose leaves the reader with a sense not only for who you are and what you want to do as a historian, but also why it makes sense to pursue your graduate studies at the University of Washington.

How important is language training? The specific language(s) required for a field is determined by the faculty member who supervises graduate study in that field. An applicant who proposes to work for a degree in Ancient, African, European, Russian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, or Asian history is expected to have already begun to acquire a working knowledge of the foreign language(s) essential to research in that field.

How many offers of admission include offers of funding? All offers of admissions include offers of multi-year funding.

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Students admitted to the UW now have until June 1 to commit, a result of FAFSA delays. We anticipate that financial aid offers will be sent in late April or early May.

Transfer students are an important part of the UW community.

We look forward to learning what you will bring to our campus.

How to apply

Good preparation for your intended major is the best way to prepare for admission at the UW, but it’s only part of what we’ll be looking at. Learn more about how to apply

What you need to know:

Key dates & deadlines.

*Winter quarter is open to U.S. transfer applicants only. International student applications not accepted.

**Spring quarter is not open for general admission. Spring quarter is open only to applicants to specific departments in engineering and computer science.

***Most degree-seeking students apply for autumn quarter. If you wish to apply for summer quarter as a degree-seeking student please consult an admissions counselor . To apply for summer quarter as a non-degree student, contact  Summer Quarter .

Transfer information sessions

Hear directly from an admissions counselor about the transfer process. Virtual or in person, check the calendar for dates, times and location.

Holistic review

Holistic review is a comprehensive assessment of your academic performance, personal qualities, and achievements.

Transfers by the numbers

At the UW, you are more than test scores and a GPA, but we know you’re curious about the numbers anyway.

College Academic Distribution Requirements

Admission to the UW requires completion of coursework in the subjects listed below — whether in high school, college or a combination of the two — unless you have earned 40 transferrable college quarter credits or more at the time of application.

Learn more about CADRs .

English proficiency (international students only)

International students are required to submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score that meets the UW’s minimum English proficiency requirement .

Transfer GPA

The Office of Admissions calculates a GPA that is considered in the assessment of your application. Learn more about what is and is not included in that calculation .

Exams for credit

Did you participate in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or A Level & AS Level exams? The UW encourages and applauds participation in any of these programs. They are challenging and demanding, and we believe they provide excellent preparation for university study. Find details and useful links below.

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• A Level & AS Level exams

Transfer credit policies

Wondering what credits will transfer to the UW? Learn more about our transfer credit policies .

Admission to majors

Your admission to a major at the UW depends on the major you are interested in and your application type. Learn more about admission to majors .

Transfer planning resources

These online transfer planning resources will help you make a more efficient transfer to the UW.

Homeschool policies

We welcome applications from homeschool students. Please review our transfer homeschool  guidelines so you’re ready to go.

I applied. Now what?

We appreciate the time and effort that you put into your application to the UW. We want to make sure what comes next is as clear and efficient as possible. 

Check out other transfer resources on the UW’s transfer student portal website .

• University Writing Center
• The Writing Mine

The time has come to write a personal statement, but you do not know where to begin. No worries, writing about yourself is no easy task. After all, there’s only so much you can fit when writing a personal statement.

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a required essay done by a prospective candidate in an educational setting whether they are applying for a scholarship, graduate school admission, studying abroad, fellowship program, etc. However, it should not be confused with being the same as a statement of purpose. A statement of purpose strictly focuses on how your achievements, such as professional or academic, can benefit the program you are applying to . In contrast, a personal statement allows more creativity and freedom to develop within the applicant. Occasionally, personal statements may come with specific questions about what to write about.

Why Should They Choose You?

Although it is important to emphasize your achievements, whether it be academic or professional, the person reading your statement wants to get to know you better through your background information and what inspired you to pursue your goals. Overall, it’s important to ask yourself these questions when considering writing a personal statement:

●  What exact moment led you to be where you are today?

●  What separates you from the rest of the candidates?

●  What personal traits or qualities do you have that will help you succeed?

●  What do your story, goals, or skills obtained bring to the table?

Are You the Right Fit?

Although the focus of a personal statement is yourself, you must consider that you’re applying to a specific institution or program that offers specific opportunities. Not everyone will be the right fit and that’s okay, there are many opportunities for you to join. However, if you truly want to get in and be accepted, you must try to make a connection with your audience. Mention how the school or program will help you succeed and accomplish your goals. This goes back to what you bring to the table.

The unique trait about personal statements is that no two are alike. Everybody’s story is different. The requirements for each application vary in length, format, and topics. Nevertheless, having a concrete idea of how to organize your thoughts and ideas before you submit your final draft saves a lot of stress and time when the deadline comes. If you need an idea of where to start, brainstorm, or organize your thoughts, below is an example of a structure for your layout that may help you in getting out of that writing block:

Introduction:

-   Introduce a memory that leads back to where your interest or passion started or motivated you be where you are today

-   Give a sneak peek to your reader in a quick summary as to what you’re going to be talking about in your body paragraph (background information, accomplishments, & future aspirations from being admitted into the school or program)

*Note: Introductions should be a brief paragraph of everything you’re going to be writing about, leave the details for your body paragraphs.

A) 1 st Paragraph (Background Information)

What’s your undergraduate major/degree or other educational history?

What part of your demographic information is relevant? (hometown, heritage, family

history, etc.)

What’s an obstacle or challenge that changed the way you viewed your life?

Make sure be able make one connection to all three, it’ll make it easier for your

reader to follow through with your story and understand your goals

If deciding to write about an obstacle or challenge, remember to not solely focus on

the negative experience of it. Instead, try thinking about what you were able to take

from the experience and how did it change you as a person.

B) 2nd Paragraph (Academic and Professional Achievements)

Any organizations you’ve joined or rewards you’ve obtained? (The more you have

done, the better)

What skills have you’ve obtained through participating in any organizations, events,

jobs, etc.? C) 3 rd Paragraph (Future Goals and Accomplishments)

What is the next step after being admitted?

What do you hope to learn or take from being part of the program?

How will you apply it to your desired goal?

Conclusion:

Restate your goals in one or two sentences

Talk about what you envision for your future, what do you hope to gain from all of this?

What will you benefit from being on the program?

What do you contribute to the program?

How will you apply everything you learned?

*Note: Your concluding/closing paragraphs are usually short with a maximum of three or four sentences, leave out any details.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, there are several things to remind yourself of when writing a personal statement: focus on answering the main questions, tell your story, and use examples of any challenge or obstacle that you faced throughout your life. If you decide to focus on a challenge or obstacle, think about the tone you will use. Writing about this challenge or obstacle focuses on the learning experience or the opportunity rather than solely on the negative parts. Remember, you’ve worked hard enough to get where you are today. Hopefully, you can get started on that personal statement you’ve been procrastinating on, and good luck on whatever path you decide to pursue.

Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso University Writing Center Library 227 500 W University El Paso, Texas 79902

E: [email protected] P: (915) 747-5112

Reading Endorsement

What you can earn, credits earned, time commitment.

The Reading Endorsement can help you advance your knowledge of literacy, provide you with specialized knowledge and skills to teach readers across a range of grade levels, and make you more marketable, among other benefits.

In 2023-2024 this endorsement is offered to current UW students and UW graduates only. MIT Candidates pursuing this endorsement will remain matriculated as UW graduate students. In-service teachers will register as NM (non-matriculated students).

What you'll learn

The Reading Endorsement in Washington is addressed through competencies focusing on: 

• core knowledge about reading, writing, and students; 
• instructional strategies; 
• assessment and evaluation; 
• professional leadership;

You will acquire this knowledge and skills through coursework and participation in a field experience. The competencies are met through coursework and the completion of supervised fieldwork. 

After graduation

Upon completion of this endorsement, you will have the tools to address students’ specific reading needs in diverse classrooms. Supported by evidence-based literacy instruction and data-driven interventions, you will be better equipped to become a reading professional, specialist or coach in K-12 classroom settings.    

Let's connect

Connect with an advisor 

For any questions about the program, contact Patricia Ferreyra, Endorsement Coordinator, at  [email protected] .

For any questions about endorsement and certification requirements, contact Michael Nielsen, Certification Officer, at  [email protected] . 

The Reading Endorsement extends over multiple quarters, including the summer. 

In addition to coursework taken during the academic year, Reading Endorsement Candidates are required to complete an 11-credit, 3-week summer experience that includes coursework and on-site supervised practicum experience. Course activities during the summer may be held with students at a school site or other on- or off-campus organizations.  

• EDC&I 517: Early Literacy Development and Instruction - Year 1 (3 credits)
• EDC&I 534: Reading Comprehension Instruction K-12 - Year 1 (4 credits)
• EDC&I 530: Approaches to Literacy Instruction - Year 2 (4 credits)

In the summer*, these courses must be taken together:

• EDC&I 561: Methods of Reading Instruction (7 credits)
• EDC&I 601: Seminar: Secondary Reading Supervised Practicum (4 credits)

In addition to the courses above, students must choose one of the following elective courses:

• EDC&I 507: Teaching and Learning Toward Intersectional Justice (3 credits)
• EDC&I 528: Foundations of Language, Literacy & Culture (4 credits)
• EDC&I 568: Youth Multiliteracies: Multimodality, Culture, and Identity (4 credits)
• EDSPE 514: Fundamentals of Reading and Writing for Students with Disabilities (4 credits)
• EDTEP 544: Differentiated Instruction (ELTEP and STR students) (3 credits)
• EDC&I 548: ELL/ML Methods (4 credits)
• EDC&I 545: Multilingual Socialization and Development (3 credits)
• EDC&I 537: Classroom Discourse (3 credits)

SPED-TEP students follow their own course sequence.

*MIT students may join the program in the summer upon completion of their literacy course sequence in lieu of EDC&I 517, 534 and 530. 

UW MIT graduates may join the program in the summer and take one elective course only if none of the elective courses were offered through your MIT program.

There is a required practicum seminar where teachers continue to develop their practice teaching readers through peer support and reflection. The practicum experience is concurrent with coursework. 

Upon completion of coursework and fieldwork, you must take the NES Test to meet all the endorsement requirements. You can register for the exam online at  http://www.west.nesinc.com/

Admission requirements and process

Before beginning the application process, we recommend reaching out or attending an information session. This will help us get to know you and make sure you have all the information and materials you need to get started on your application!

Here is the link to the Summer 2024  intake form . 

Application processing (NA)

Your application materials will be manually assessed and checked into the application database. The Endorsement Coordinator will notify applicants about final status by early March.

There are three steps to the process:

Step 1: Register for NM status

(...or GNM with the College of Education  only if you want to do a UW Graduate Program in the future and count your endorsement credits toward that degree. Note that the College of Education has its own process, which is not the same as for other UW graduate programs)

Registering for NM Status

WA State Employees who intend to apply as a first time or returning non-matriculated (not seeking a degree) students under the tuition exemption program must complete the online  Non-Matriculated Application for tuition exemption. There is a $55 non-refundable registration fee.

*Contact Patricia Ferreyra ( [email protected] ) or Michel Nielsen ( [email protected] ) if you want to use endorsement credits toward a graduate degree at UW in the future. In that case, you will have to register for GNM status.

Step 2: Complete Tuition Exemption Forms 

The  second step is to submit the correct Tuition Exemption Request form.

WA State Employees: Complete and submit  Washington State Tuition Exemption Request Form [UoW 1250]

Instructions

Quarterly registration: Students must complete and submit their respective Tuition Exemption Request Form every quarter they intend to register for courses.

Employee and supervisor signatures are required in order to process the tuition exemption request.

Graduate, post bac, and NM students must complete the bottom portion of the form. (Please review  job related taxes FAQ .)

Application Deadline: Completed forms must be submitted no later than two (2) weeks or ten (10) business days before the first day of the quarter. In Summer 2024, the first day of the quarter is June 17. The first day of classes for the Reading Endorsement is July 8.

Late Applications: Forms submitted after the deadline date are considered late. Students may have  one late submission only ; after which tuition exemption forms cannot be accepted.

Step 3: Register for Classes

The  third step , once an employee has obtained student status and submitted a tuition exemption form, is to log into  MyUW and register for courses on the appropriate eligibility date.

* WA public employees who are tuition exempt students do not register using the Non-Matriculated (NM) paper registration approval or registration forms, and do not require instructor signatures to register. Review the  registration resources for additional information.

Registration Eligibility Dates

All non-UW Washington state employees register on the 4th day of the quarter.  WA state employees doing tuition exemption can begin registering on April 8th for Summer Quarter:  https://registrar.washington.edu/academic-calendar/priority-registration-dates-summer-2024/

Course enrollment is not permitted prior to the appropriate registration eligibility date for all courses when using a tuition exemption. This includes any additional courses even if they are not taken as tuition exempt. 

Students registering before the assigned tuition exemption registration eligibility date will not be permitted to convert to the tuition exemption program, and will be required to pay regular tuition for all registered credits.  Course Adds are not accepted after the third week of the quarter.

Costs and funding

If you are a current UW student, the required courses needed for this endorsement will be charged at the standard UW rate as part of your current tuition. There is no application fee or additional cost to complete the endorsement.

The anticipated cost of completing the spring or summer coursework for current graduate students is $6,528 for a resident* plus any registration and technology fees. Non-matriculated summer fees are approximately $7,062 (see the  Graduate and Professional Tuition Dashboard ).

The following information is for  WA state K-12 teachers who want to complete the UW Reading Endorsement, and for those who are also applying for a tuition waiver as WA state employees .

You will most likely register as a “Non-matriculated student” (NM) for the reading endorsement. Please notice that the university registration process is  not very intuitively designed for NM students, and that some sources may give conflicting information. Start by accessing these two resources:

• The College of Education guide on registering as an NM student:  https://education.uw.edu/admissions/non-matriculated-and-graduate-non-matriculated-students
• The University Registrar’s guide on how to apply for a tuition waiver as a WA state employee:  https://registrar.washington.edu/registration/tuition-exemption/

In-service educators may also wish to explore the Washington Student Achievement Council’s Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarships. For more information, please visit:  https://wsac.wa.gov/teachers

Please start with the emails or phone numbers shown below for clarifying questions. 

For general questions about the logistics and contents of the Reading Endorsement, reach out to Patricia Ferreyra at  [email protected] .