Application Process for Graduate Students

Advance in your field, prepare for a career change, or simply invest in your future through one of WWU’s 30+ graduate degree and certificate programs. We’ll help you navigate the application process, admission requirements, and deadlines so you can take one step closer to earning a degree at the #1 public master’s granting university in the Pacific Northwest.

4 Steps to Prepare for Application

  1. Check your eligibility and program requirements first.
  2. Assess your professional and scholarly experience relevant to the program you'd like to apply to. 
  3. Prepare required materials such as unofficial transcripts, your statement of purpose, and writing samples in advance to expedite your process.
  4. Review additional resources for more questions on:

Graduate School Eligibility

Bachelor's Degree

To apply, you must have already completed a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US college or university, or an equivalent degree from a foreign university, before the term in which you intend to begin their WWU graduate program.

Your degree should be relevant to your intended graduate program. Read more about eligibility for international students

English Language Proficiency: 86 TOEFL/7.0 IELTS

Exceptions:

  • English is your native language, or
  • You have earned, or are in the process of earning, a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US institution, or from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand or English-speaking provinces of Canada.

Your official TOEFL or IELTS scores must be on file in the Graduate School office when we receive your application. Test scores must be no older than one year at the time of application.

Grade Point Average: 3.0 minimum GPA

In order to be eligible for full admission to Graduate School at WWU, you must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA (on 4.0 scale) calculated over all post-secondary coursework.

If you apply with an advanced degree from an accredited institution, you have met the GPA requirements.

Program-Specific Requirements & Deadlines

Your graduate program will have specific application requirements, prerequisites, and deadlines. Please review what graduate programs are available and their various requirements, prerequisites, and deadlines on the programs page

Some programs—Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, History, and Experimental Psychology—also ask you to identify a potential thesis advisor. Before you apply for one of these programs, you should explore the department faculty's research interests and get in touch with potential advisors. 

 

Application Materials & Fees

When you submit your application, be sure to include all required relevant materials, including unofficial transcripts, your statement of purpose, and writing samples (if applicable).

Please note: All documents submitted in support of your application will become property of the University and will not be returned, copied for you or a third party, or forwarded (except to the department for admissions and Graduate Assistantship selection purposes).

Transcripts

Submit unofficial transcripts from every higher education institution you have attended for academic credit, including transfer credits or study abroad credits but not including any higher education coursework you completed while still attending high school. We will ask for an official transcript when you accept your offer of admission. 

How can I access my unofficial WWU transcript as a current or former student?

Log into your student Web4U account and select Student, then Student Records, then Unofficial Transcript (Academic History).

Need login help? Contact the ATUS Help Desk at (360) 650-3333 for assistance.

Students who started attending WWU in Fall 1984 or after can access their unofficial transcripts through Web4U. If you attended WWU before Fall 1984 and require an unofficial transcript, please contact RORecords@wwu.edu.

For security reasons, the Registrar's Office and the Graduate School do not email unofficial transcripts. 

How do I get a PDF of my unofficial transcript in Web4U?

Though there isn’t a download button/link on the unofficial transcript page in Web4U, most internet browsers will allow you to save any webpage as a PDF.

  • Chrome or Microsoft Edge: Go to Print, then change the printer destination to "Save as PDF".
  • Other browsers on PC: Go to Print, then change the printer destination to "Microsoft Print to PDF".
  • Safari on Mac: Go to File, then "Export as PDF".

Standardized Test Scores

Most WWU graduate programs don't require test scores. If the program you're applying for does ask for admissions test scores, the requirement may be waived if you hold an advanced degree such as MEd, MA, MS, PhD, or JD. Check your program's page for specific testing details.

WWU's ETS institution code is 4947.

Reference Letters

The application includes a built-in reference letter request system that automatically sends emails to the recommenders you specify as part of our grad school requirements. They will receive a form for making their recommendations. 

Application Fees

When you send in your application, you'll include a $100 application fee. You'll also pay a $100 confirmation fee if you are admitted, which goes toward funding orientation activities, graduate student community development projects, and travel for graduate students (including you!) to present at conferences. These fees are non-refundable. 

How to Apply to Graduate School

New Applicants

Create an applicant profile. This will be used for each program you apply for, but you can only have one application in progress at a time. Once you finish and submit your first application, contact the Graduate School to ask for a fee waiver for the next application. 

Create Profile

Returning Applicants

If you already have a profile, use your account to:

  • Update your applicant profile
  • Create a new application once you've completed your previous applicationyou cannot have two applications in progress at the same time.
  • Edit or submit a(n) existing application(s)

Sign in

When Your Application Is Complete

Once you've submitted your Western Washington University Graduate School application and all required materials, your program department will review your application. 

Different departments take different approaches; some review all applications simultaneously, meaning they evaluate applications after the deadline has passed, and all on-time applications will be given full consideration. Most programsthe ones that admit during all termswill review your application as soon as it arrives, as admission decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Confirming Admission

Decisions are made on a rolling basis If you are offered admission, you will receive an email that your Decision Letter is available to be viewed on your Application Activity page. Then comes the final step in your graduate school application process: accept or decline the offer by filling out the "Complete Your Decision Form."

Start Your Application to Graduate Programs at Western Washington University

Western's top-ranked Graduate School equips you to research, network, and launch a meaningful career. Our team is dedicated to helping you navigate the Graduate School's application process. Contact us at  gradschool@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3170. 

 

Test Scores

Most graduate programs have gotten rid of the GRE and other admissions test requirements. But check the requirements for your program, and see our Graduate Admissions Testing page for complete information.

Transcripts

The admissions application requires you to upload unofficial transcripts for each institution you have attended. See details and instructions at Uploading Unofficial Transcripts to the Graduate School.

Mailing Address

WWU Graduate School

516 High Street

OM 530, MS 9037

Bellingham, WA 98225-9037

Graduate School Office Hours (Pacific Time):

Monday - Friday

9 a.m. to noon

1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Western Washington University (WWU), in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Inquiries may be directed to the


Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity & Employment Diversity, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance
Western Washington University
Old Main 345, MS 9021
516 High Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay)
crtc@wwu.edu.

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request an accommodation, please contact the Disability Access Center, Wilson Library 170, 360.650.3083 (voice) or 360.650.7175 (VP), drs@wwu.edu. One week advance notice appreciated. To request this document in an alternate format, please contact the Disability Access Center, Wilson Library 170, 360.650.3083 (voice) or 360.650.7175 (VP), drs@wwu.edu.

Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

As part of Western's commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe living, learning, and working environment, we want to make you aware of our Annual Security & Fire Safety Report. This report is developed in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and provides reported crime statistics for the previous three calendar years. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The security and fire safety report is available for download.

To request a paper copy of this report:

Please contact the Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Office.

Phone: (360) 650-3839

Email: vpsa.office@wwu.edu.