Application Material Guidelines

Uploading Unofficial Transcripts

• Transcripts must be uploaded as a PDF file to the applicant's application portal. PDF screenshots from computers, phones, and/or photos of transcripts will not be accepted for review.
• Unofficial transcripts should be requested from the applicant's college/university registrar’s office or academic student portal and then uploaded to the applicant’s application portal or mailed to the School of Social Welfare.
• DegreeWorks/advising worksheets are not acceptable transcripts for application review.
• All unofficial transcripts must display the applicant's full name and the name of the attended college/university.
• Official transcripts are only required upon acceptance of an offer of admission.
• Applicants who have already received their associate's, bachelor’s, and/or master’s degree must submit their unofficial transcripts showing their degree awarded/conferred for application review, along with unofficial transcripts from any other previously attended colleges/universities.
  • Upon acceptance of an offer of admission, all official transcripts will be required showing your degree awarded/conferred and any other previously attended college/university transcripts. 
• Applicants who are currently completing their undergraduate credits/Associate's or Bachelor’s Degree must submit their most recent unofficial transcript that shows courses in progress and/or courses registered for in the upcoming semester for application review, along with unofficial transcripts from any other previously attended colleges/universities. 
  • Upon acceptance of an offer of admission, all official transcripts will be required showing your degree awarded/conferred and any other previously attended college/university transcripts. 
• Current Stony Brook University students or graduates must upload their unofficial SBU transcript, along with unofficial transcripts from any other previously attended colleges/universities. 
  • The School of Social Welfare will not upload unofficial transcripts from SBU or previously attended colleges/universities to applicants' applications.

Applicants who choose to send unofficial transcripts via mail should send them to the following address:

Stony Brook University
School of Social Welfare, Student Services Office 
Health Sciences Tower
Level 2, Room 093
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8230

Due to the scanning and filing process for mailed materials, it may take several weeks for the materials to be added to your application. Mailed materials should be sent using the United States Postal Service (USPS), not other mailing services. Transcripts uploaded through the application portal will be added to the application without delay. Please ensure all required transcripts are received for application review. Applicants are responsible for submitting transcripts in the requested format. Missing transcripts may result in delayed admissions review.

For institutions attended abroad, an evaluation by the appropriate agency to determine U.S. equivalencies, an official transcript*, and translation are required. In addition, if your native or primary language is not English, you must take an English proficiency test to be considered for admission. You can visit our Health Sciences Bulletin for more information about the needed documents and test score requirements.

For further information, international students should email Graduate and Health Sciences Admissions at gradadmissions@stonybrook.edu.

*Unofficial WES evaluations & transcripts are acceptable for application review. Official WES evaluations and transcripts are only required upon acceptance of an offer of admission.

Undergraduate Applicants: Please do not send transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Applicants must upload transcripts through their application portal or mail them to the School of Social Welfare. Transcripts sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions may cause a delay in admissions review.

Graduate Applicants: Please do not send transcripts to the Graduate School. Applicants must upload transcripts through their application portal or mail them to the School of Social Welfare. Transcripts sent to the Graduate School may cause a delay in admissions review.

Applicant essays are an important component of the application. We assess your understanding of the profession, the School of Social Welfare Mission, and your readiness for graduate social work education through the manner in which you address the identified issues and your use of examples that illustrate your points. Although you may include any information that you believe is pertinent to your application, please be sure to clearly discuss the provided essay questions indicated on the application.

Each of the sections should be clearly numbered (please limit your essay to three (3) double-spaced typewritten pages). Do not exceed more than five (5) pages. 

Advanced Standing applicants must include a header identifying “Part 1 - Social Problem/Issue” on the first part of their essay and “Part 2 - Professional Growth” on the second part of the essay.

• Recommendations should be from past or current professors and/or employers, supervisors, or health care professionals for whom you have worked in a paid or volunteer position.
• Personal recommendations from family members/ friends are not recommended for review.
• Applicants will provide their recommender's contact information in their application portal. Recommenders will then be sent an email request to submit their letter of recommendation electronically with the applicant’s application. 
• Letters of recommendation should be submitted through the application portal or mailed to the School of Social Welfare. If your recommender did not receive the emailed request, please have them check their spam folder.
• Advanced Standing applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. At least one (1) recommendation letter is required from a faculty member of their BSW program.
• A maximum of four (4) letters of recommendation are to be submitted with your application. Applicants should not exceed this limit.
• Missing letters of recommendation may result in delayed admissions review.
• Applicants can send a reminder email to their recommenders through their application portal.
• Recommendations on professional letterhead are recommended but not required.

Applicants must upload a current resume with their application. Resumes should include the following:

• Work experience.
• Unpaid volunteer/community service experience.
• Awards, honors, and/or publications.
• Research and/or leadership experience.

Applicant resumes should demonstrate to the admissions committee their experience in the social services or related human services field, as well as relevant non-social work experience. 

BSW undergraduate applicants are strongly recommended to complete the Pre-Application Worksheet before submitting their application. Applicants should consult with the School of Social Welfare for equivalent Stony Brook courses or courses taken at another institution to ensure program prerequisite courses are fulfilled. Inequivalent courses may result in delayed admissions review. 

Applicants must email the School of Social Welfare Office of Admissions at ssw_admissions@stonybrook.edu with all unofficial transcripts for any college credit earned (including college courses taken while in high school). Applicants must submit their most recent unofficial transcript that shows courses in progress and/or courses registered for in the upcoming semester for a pre-application worksheet review, along with unofficial transcripts from any other previously attended colleges/universities. 

• Applicants who received Advanced Placement (AP) and/or CLEP credit must also submit their unofficial AP/CLEP score report for the pre-application worksheet review. 
• Applicants are responsible for informing the School of Social Welfare of any academic course changes to receive an updated worksheet.
• Applicants can visit our transfer course equivalency resource to view our course database for equivalent Stony Brook courses and courses taken at other institutions.

Consult with the School of Social Welfare for equivalent courses. Inequivalent courses may result in delayed admissions review.

Applicants must download the Advanced Standing Practicum Evaluation Form located in the essay section of the application and provide it to their field supervisor for submission. The field supervisor must email the form to ssw_admissions@stonybrook.edu or mail it to the address below. Forms submitted by the applicant will not be considered for application review and may delay admissions review.

Stony Brook University
School of Social Welfare, Student Services Office
Health Sciences Tower Level 2, Room 093
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8230