BASW Application

Application is now open for autumn 2025.

2025 Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW) Application

The BASW major offers an annual autumn start. 

BASW Admission Requirements

BASW admission requirements should be reviewed at www.tacoma.uw.edu/swcj/basw-admissions prior to submitting this application. To be considered for the BASW program admission, applicants must be admitted to UW Tacoma. Applicants with in-progress prerequisites can be considered for BASW admission and are encouraged to apply.

Admissions Review Timeline

The annual priority application deadline is March 15. Applications submitted after the priority deadline are reviewed on a space-available basis until the program is full, at which time the application will close.

BASW applications completed by the March 15 priority deadline are assured a review; applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. Admission decisions for the priority applicant pool will be made in late spring quarter.

Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by email.

Applicants who are not offered admission for the current program start must reapply. All materials submitted for admission consideration become property of the UW Tacoma School of Social Work and Criminal Justice and will be retained per the University of Washington’s records retention policy schedule.  Materials submitted cannot be reused for future application.

Application Instructions

If you are not a current UW Tacoma student, you must first apply and be admitted to the university. See the UW Tacoma Admissions page for information on the university application process and deadlines. 

The following documents are required to complete the BASW application. You are not able to save an in-progress application; applicants are encouraged to prepare and save these materials as PDF documents prior to starting this webform application. Applicants should carefully follow the instructions provided and be as thorough as possible within the set guidelines.

1. ESSAY The admissions essay is a critical element in the review of each applicant's qualifications. The essay should be typed, double-spaced with a font size of 11 or 12 and must be submitted in a single PDF document (no more than 2 pages). The UW Tacoma School of Social Work and Criminal Justice seeks to promote social and economic justice in underrepresented and underserved communities. Write a statement discussing how your personal, academic, volunteer and/or work experiences have led you to the Social Welfare major. How do your experiences and goals fit with our mission, inspire you to serve others, and inform your career aspirations?
2. RESUME Provide a resume of experiences that relate to social services (one page maximum) and that include the following:
   > Special awards, achievements, and/or honors that you have earned.
   > Special skills (e.g. bilingual skills, artistic talent, research skills, etc.).
   > Any social service experiences, either paid or unpaid. Include dates and total hours of involvement per experience.
3. UW HSIP Acknowledgement Form  Fill out and sign; upload at the bottom of the application.