Eligibility

To be considered for the Advanced Standing program, the following requirements must be met:

• Earned a BSW from an institution accredited by the CSWE within the last five years prior to the start of the term in which you are applying to
• If the BSW has been received from an institution accredited by the CSWE more than five years prior to applying to the advanced program, the applicant must prove an active involvement in practicing the social work profession during the time between graduation and application to the program.  Examples of how to prove this active involvement are certifications of employment and/or volunteer work, and some level of officially recognized licensure in social work.
• The typical student has an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Deadlines

May 1*  is the final deadline for the MSW Advanced Standing program; the program begins in the Fall term.

*March 1 - Advanced standing students interested in specializing in School Social Work to obtain the Professional Educator License must apply to the MSW program by March 1.

Application Requirements

You must submit:

• A Completed Application Form
  You may submit your application form online. Students who have already applied to a graduate or professional program at Loyola University Chicago should fill out the reapplication form.
• Official Transcripts
  To be eligible for admission, your transcript must show you earned a bachelor's degree or a bachelor's degree is in progress. Certified copies of transcripts are acceptable; faxed copies of transcripts are not considered official. Other transcripts may be sent at the applicant's discretion. If you attended Loyola University Chicago previously, you do not need to request these transcripts; we have them on record. Official Electronic Transcripts may be delivered directly to Graduate & Professional Enrollment Management at gradapp@luc.edu.
  *Applicants who completed post-secondary education abroad are required to submit non-U.S. transcripts to Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) for evaluation of credentials. Please see the additional steps here.
• Two Professional References
  The complete contact information of two references is required to apply to the Social Work Master's program. This information can be included in your online application.
  Your references can be academic, professional, or volunteer contacts. If you graduated less than 5 years ago, at least one of the references must be from an academic source.
• A Statement of Purpose
  The personal statement component of your application to the MSW Program at Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work will be used to assess your writing, critical thinking, and capacity for self-awareness in terms of readiness for graduate-level work and supervised practice in the field.
  
  The personal statement must be a comprehensive essay that addresses all the questions posed in the three topics below. You should submit one well-developed 1500-word, double-spaced personal statement.
  
  Topic 1: Describe your understanding of the social work profession. How have you incorporated the values of service and social justice (held by the profession) in your human service experiences and interactions with others?
  
  Topic 2: Discuss your career interests and goals. In what population or area of social work practice are you interested? How will a Social Work education from Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work prepare you for work in your area of interest? What do you hope to accomplish with an MSW?
  
  Topic 3: Discuss your timing to pursue a graduate program now. What personal and/or professional factors have led you to want to pursue an MSW now? How do you intend to complete the program? How do you plan to balance the academic and field responsibilities of the program with outside responsibilities and obligations? How will you finance your studies?
  
  If you are a transfer student currently or previously enrolled in an MSW program elsewhere, in addition to addressing the questions above in your personal statement, please address your interest in transferring to Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work from your current or past institution.
• CV/Resume
• International Students: Additional language requirements may apply. Please see additional details here.