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Department of Social Work

MSW Admissions

MSW Admission Information

The following requirements and procedures governing admission to the Graduate Division and the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, are subject to change without prior notice. Prospective students should always consult the most current UH Mānoa Catalog and Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, Department of Social Work Website before applying for admission.

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Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MSW program on a full-time or part-time basis in the Department of Social Work, applicants are required to:

  1. Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or its equivalent from a recognized foreign institution of higher learning. The standards of the foreign degree in question must be equivalent in both the distribution of academic subject matter and in scholarship achievement requirements to those maintained at the University of Hawaiʻi.
  2. Have a scholarship record in undergraduate and post-baccalaureate work, if any, that indicates potential for professional social work graduate study. Grades attained in the last four semesters, the major, and post-baccalaureate work are important considerations. Applicants are required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (or its equivalent) to be eligible for consideration.
  3. Have a background in the liberal arts. Students with an identified deficiency in a liberal arts area are required to make it up in their first semester in the MSW program.
  4. Provide evidence of personal qualifications, social work, and/or related experiences, motivation, and interest that indicate potential for successful graduate social work education and professional practice.

SocialWork CAS

As of Fall 2022, all applications for admissions at the Department of Social Work will be using SocialWorkCAS. 

An application fee of $45 will be charged in addition to application fees charged by the University of Hawaii at Manoa Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions offices.

The SocialWorkCAS application fee will not be charged until you submit your application.  Start your application now and pay when you are ready to apply!

Click on SocialWorkCAS to create your account.

SocialWorkCAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs.

SocialWorkCAS
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MSW Application Process Sessions on Zoom

Learn more about studying social work at the Thompson School by attending one of our upcoming MSW Application Process Sessions on Zoom.

View a copy of the presentation here.

Register

Application Requirements

Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Admission to MSW Program (both campus-based and distance education options): February 1, 2026 | 11:59 PM EST (6:59 PM HST).

To apply

1. Submit an application for admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Graduate Division. See the UHM Graduate Division website for more information and instructions on how to apply.

  • Transcripts (one transcript for each post-secondary institution attended) must be uploaded online through the University of Hawaii at Manoa Graduate Application

2. Complete the SocialWorkCAS application, including:

  • “Personal Information” section
  • Three (3) Reference Requests (letters of recommendation) via “Supporting Information”
  • In “Academic History” section
    • Complete “Colleges Attended”
    • Transcripts are only required on the Graduate Division application, transcripts must be uploaded online through the University of Hawaii at
      Manoa Graduate Application
  • In “Program Materials”

Advanced Standing Admissions and Applications

Eligibility: Must have graduated (or expected to graduate) from a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Advanced Standing Criteria:

  1. The applicant must meet the admissions criteria for the MSW Program.
  2. Receipt of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree has not been more than seven years from the time of admission into the MSW Program.
  3. The applicant must have a cumulative Grade Point Ratio (GPR) of 3.0 or higher (4.0 = A scale) and no grade lower than a B- in any Social Work course.
For more information, please contact the Admissions Office, at (808) 956-7182, or email sswadmit@hawaii.edu.

  1. Submit an application for admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Graduate Division. See the UHM Graduate Division website for more information and instructions on how to apply.
  2. Complete the SocialWorkCAS application, including:
    • “Personal Information” section
    • “Supporting Information” section
      • SocialWorkCAS requires you to enter “References” in order to submit your application. Please use the following email addresses and info to complete your application
      • In “Academic History” section
      • In “Program Materials”
        • Respond to all required questions via the “Questions” tab
        • Submit any required documents via the “Documents” tab

  1. Submit an application for admission to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Graduate Division. See the UHM Graduate Division website for more information and instructions on how to apply.
  2. Complete the SocialWorkCAS application, including:
    • “Personal Information” section
    • Three (3) Reference Requests (letters of recommendation) via “Supporting Information”
      • At least one must be from a teaching or field education faculty or from the BSW program/department chair
    • In “Academic History” section
    • In “Program Materials”
      • Respond to all required questions via the “Questions” tab
      • Submit any required documents via the “Documents” tab
        • Resume
        • Personal Statement
        • Copy of Field Education Evaluations and Learning Contracts
        • Copy of the portion of the university or program catalog that provides information on the applicant’s undergraduate Social Work program degree requirements (not required from UH Mānoa BSW graduates).