GSS Master of Social Work Application Process

We cannot review your application until we have received all required materials.

• Application Form. You must select a plan of study and a campus.
• Personal Statement. The personal statement page includes a number of prompts that all must be answered. Your personal statement should be formatted using APA style. More details can be found within the application.
• Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts. Official transcripts are required for all institutions where 6 or more credits were earned. Please refer to the application to learn the specifics regarding transcript requirements.
  
• One (1) Letter of Recommendation. Approved recommenders are past and present employers, professors, and approved volunteer coordinators.  Recommendation letters must be on letterhead and sent from a recommender's professional or academic email.
• Complete Resume.
• Application fee. $60, payable on the online application page after you submit your application. 

For any questions, please email gssadmission@fordham.edu.

Advanced Standing Applicants (B.S.W. graduates) only:

If you have completed or are still in the process of completing a B.S.W. degree, your faculty adviser or B.S.W. program chair must provide us with your Final or Mid-Year Field Evaluation. If they are unable to provide us with one, they may complete our alternative field evaluation form. This must be emailed to gssadmission@fordham.edu by your faculty advisor or program chair.

Advanced standing is awarded only to graduates holding degrees from baccalaureate social work programs accredited by CSWE, those recognized through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services, or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors.

Specialist Year Transfer Student Application Only:

If you have completed your generalist year, including all coursework and the first-year field assignment in another M.S.W. program, your faculty adviser or M.S.W. program chair must provide us with your Foundation Year Field Evaluation by emailing it to gssadmission@fordham.edu. If they are unable to provide us with one, they may complete our alternative field evaluation form.

Transfer Credits:

If you have not completed the generalist year and are looking to transfer credits, please email us to discuss your plan of study. Up to 6 credits (2 courses) can be transferred. 

It is required that applicants personally hand-deliver or mail all offline supplemental materials, via UPS, FedEx, or USPS with return receipt requested, to:

Whenever possible, please submit documents electronically to gssadmission@fordham.edu.

Fordham University

Graduate School of Social Service
Office of Admission
113 West 60th Street, Suite 608
New York, NY 10023

Offline refers to any hard copy documents that are not being submitted through your application portal and can include:

• Transcripts in their original signed and sealed envelope.
• Letters of recommendation in their original sealed envelope with the recommender's signature along with the seal or marked with other official insignia.
• Advanced Standing Fieldwork Evaluation (if applicable).
• Transfer Student Fieldwork Evaluation (if applicable).

Additional Requirements for International Students

International students are welcome to apply to the accredited master’s programs at the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service (GSS). Our Office for International Services offers assistance to meet these students’ specific needs, including financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

Transcript Evaluation

All students with credentials from universities outside the United States and Canada must have their transcripts evaluated. Credential evaluations will be accepted from any organization that is a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

English Language Proficiency Testing

All students applying for admission from a country where English is not the official language are required to take a standardized examination testing their ability to use English. Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service accepts two providers of proficiency testing:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The minimum required IELTS test score for admittance to the MSW program is a 7.
• Educational Testing Services, Testing of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): The minimum, required TOEFL test score for admittance to the MSW program is 100 for the Internet-based (IBT) test. Fordham University's Institutional Code for the TOEFL is 4894.

Financial Aid for International Students

Scholarship funding is very limited. If we are able to offer a scholarship, it typically does not cover more than 10% of the total tuition cost. We do not offer fully funded scholarships or graduate assistantships therefore students must have the financial ability to cover the cost of tuition, fees and living expense.  

All international students must fill out an Affidavit of Support form. We also encourage you to check the Office for International Services website for information on other types of assistance you could use.

Important Reminders

• International applicants are only eligible to apply for the on campus program offered at our Manhattan and Westchester campus locations.
• International applicants are only eligible to apply for a Fall term start and must be enrolled in our 2 Year Full Time Plan of Study.
• Required transcript evaluations and test scores are required to be submitted directly from the third party services listed above before an application can be reviewed.
• Students on an F1 visa are not eligible to work due to the fieldwork requirements of the program.
• Scholarship funding is very limited and not based on need. If we are able to offer a scholarship, it typically does not cover more than 10% of the total tuition cost. We do not offer fully funded scholarships or graduate assistantships therefore students must have the financial ability to cover the cost of tuition, fees and living expense.