Social Work (Master of Social Work (MSW))

Frequently asked questions

• How much does Social Work (Master of Social Work (MSW)) cost?

  CAD 41,277 / year.

• What English score does it need?

  IELTS 7.0 overall is the score listed for this programme.

• How long is it?

  1-Year Advanced Standing: 3 terms; 2-Year Foundat…, as listed by the university.

• What are the entry requirements?

  Programme admission requirements as published by Western: 1-Year Advanced Standing (3 terms): • Completion of an accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree. • Completion of a course in Research Methods at the university level, including instruction in both qualitative and quantitative methods. There is no specific minimum grade requirement. • Minimum “B” standing (70% average) or equivalent in the final two years of study. • Verification of completion of academic requirements must be available by August 31. • Minimum of one year or equivalent (1,000 hours) paid and/or volunteer experience in the social services (Please see 1-Year MSW Admissions Guide on the School of Social Work’s website for further details: Master of Social Work - King's University College) . • Completed online situational test known as the Casper Test. 2-Year Foundational (6 terms): • Completion of a 4-year degree (20 full courses or equivalent) from a recognized university or college. • Completion of a course in Research Methods at the university level, including instruction in both qualitative and quantitative methods. There is no specific minimum grade requirement. • Minimum “B” standing (70% average) or equivalent in the final two years of study. • Verification of completion of academic requirements must be available by August 31. • Minimum of one year or equivalent (1,000 hours) paid and/or volunteer experience in the helping professions (Please see 2-Year MSW Admissions Guide on the School of Social Work’s website for further details: Master of Social Work - King's University College ). • Completed Casper Test. || Additional requirements: • International students and applicants who obtained the Bachelor of Social Work degree from a country other than Canada must provide confirmation from the Canadian Association of Social Work that their degree has been assessed as equivalent. • Recommended that international students and applicants who obtained a Bachelor degree from a country other than Canada have their degree assessed for equivalency to a 4-year degree in Canada. || SGPS university-wide minimum - Master's: 'Applicants must possess a four-year degree from a university, college or institute. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average across courses taken in the last two full-time years of the undergraduate degree. Equivalent qualifications may be considered based on the standards of the discipline or profession.' Doctoral: 'Applicants must possess a Master's degree or equivalent from a university, college or institute, and provide evidence of research potential. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average in the Master's degree, as determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.' Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html || English language proficiency: Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language: • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum acceptable score is 250 for the standard electronic version and a minimum score of 5/6 on the Test of Written English, 600 for the paper and pencil version and a minimum score of 5/6 on the Test of Written English, or 100 for the internet version with no score less than 23 on each of the 4 skill categories. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984 ]. • The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic). Minimum acceptable score is 7 out of 9 overall and on each subcomponent. • The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). Minimum acceptable score is 60. • The Duolingo English Test . Minimum overall score of 115. · English: IELTS 7.0 (no band below 7.0); Duolingo English Test 115 · English test waiver: Western does not publish a blanket country or medium-of-instruction waiver for graduate admission. SGPS states the requirement applies to 'Applicants whose first language is not English', and under 'Exemptions': 'Applicants may request an exemption by contacting their graduate program(s) of interest. For the French and Hispanic Studies programs only, evidence of proficiency in English is a degree requirement but not a requirement for admission.' Western also offers a conditional route instead of a test: the Western English Language Centre 'allows academically eligible students interested in pursuing a graduate degree at Western the opportunity to receive a conditional offer of admission to graduate studies without successful completion of an English language proficiency test', on condition the student completes the Centre's programme. Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/apply.html and https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html · Application fee: CAD 185.00 - 2026-2027 Application Fees Table 3, Graduate Programs: 'All other graduate programs 185'. Source: 2026-2027 Application Fees (Table 3), https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Application-Fees.pdf · Deposit: CAD 2,000.00 non-refundable - 2026-2027 Program-Related Tuition Fees (Table 2), General section, line 226 'Tuition Deposit, Full-time International Masters, non-refundable, 2,000'. Source: https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Program-Related-Fees2.pdf

• Is there a scholarship?

  Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), Graduate Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Fellowships and Graduate Student Assistantships are administered by the graduate programme; SGPS states 'Decisions regarding the structure, sources and annual amount of your graduate funding over the course of your program are made primarily at the Faculty and/or graduate program.' Doctoral funding guarantee, open to international students: 'For domestic and international doctoral students who start their program in September 2026 (September 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027), Western guarantees a minimum annual funding support package of $17,000, plus $6,487 for tuition, for a total of $23,487.' Average funding received from all sources: Doctoral CAD 35,476 (2025), Master's CAD 26,277 (2025). International students are eligible for Western's Graduate Bursary and for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). Western lists formalised international sponsorship partnerships with: CGS-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements, China Scholarship Council, Libya North-American Scholarship Program, Egypt Cultural and Educational Bureau, Mitacs Globalink Research Awards, Organization of American States Program, Rhodes Scholarships, Russia Global Education Program, Saudi Arabia King Abdullah Scholarship Program and the Vietnam International Education Development Program. Source View scholarship page

• Is it accredited?

  Social worker: Canadian Association for Social Work Education / Association canadienne pour la formation en travail social (CASWE-ACFTS), through its Commission on Accreditation (COA). CASWE-ACFTS accredits Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degree programmes and states plainly that it does NOT accredit individual practitioners. Accreditation cycles are usually 8 years and run against the Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Where a programme does not meet all…