Scholarships and Financial Aid
Application Instructions
Thank you for your interest in our Graduate Social Work Program. Applications are submitted online.
Important Application Information
- Graduate students must apply to the program of their choice, in accordance with the requirements set by their program. Applicants may only apply and be considered for one program at a time.
- Program specific admissions requirements can be reviewed below.
- Please do not wait to submit your application while waiting for other application materials to be completed or submitted. Application materials can be submitted as they become available.
- The application prompts you to provide recommender information, and once your application is fully submitted, your recommenders will receive an email guiding them on successfully submitting their recommendations.
- Once you submit your application, you will gain access to your application status portal, allowing you to track the progress of your application completion. Additionally, you can upload specific admissions materials directly through the portal. Applicants are advised to regularly check their Adelphi application status portal for important updates.
- Upon receiving your application and all required admissions materials, we will begin the review process for admission. The timing of the application decision may vary based on the specific program to which you applied.
- All accepted candidates will be reviewed for potential scholarship opportunities following acceptance into the program. No separate scholarship application is necessary for Adelphi scholarships.
MSW Specific Requirements
Letters of recommendation
Two letters of recommendation (professional and/or academic): Recommendations are submitted electronically. You will be asked to provide the email and contact information for each recommender. We recommend including letters from recent or current employers, volunteer supervisors and/or current or former faculty instructors. If you are applying for Advanced Standing one of the two letters must be from either your practicum instructor, practicum liaison or practicum director of your BSW program.You will be prompted to enter your recommender information within the application. Once your application has been fully submitted, your recommenders will receive an email outlining their next steps on successfully submitting your recommendation. You may also have your recommenders follow our recommendation letter guidelines to successfully complete their recommendation.
Personal essay/statement
The personal statement helps the Admissions Committee understand an applicant’s decision and readiness to pursue a career in social work. Please use this as an opportunity to share with the committee why you have chosen to study in the field of social work at Adelphi University.
The personal statement/essay prompts are found within the application. We recommend copying and pasting the prompts into a word or google document until you have completed your responses. When ready to do so, you will be able to upload the essay/statement through the application portal.
Please address each prompt separately. Your statement should be written in essay format, double spaced, between three to five pages. If you choose to share your personal experience(s), please respond to the questions as they relate to social work rather than the details of your personal journey.
Transcripts
Official transcripts from each institution you’ve attended including your degree conferral (to be sent by your previous institutions.)
Official transcripts should be sent directly to Adelphi from each institution attended. Official transcripts may be sent electronically if your institution provides official transcripts online or mailed in a sealed envelope from your institution directly to Adelphi.
Adelphi students: The Office of Graduate Admissions will obtain your official transcripts on your behalf.
Course-by-course evaluation: All graduate applicants with undergraduate-level work completed outside of the United States will be required to send a course-by-course evaluation of their academic work prepared by a NACES member organization. Adelphi recommends you use SpanTran or IEE (discount provided for Adelphi applicants), ECE, or WES, but any NACES member evaluation would be acceptable.
International Students
Additional information is required from applicants with degrees from non-native English-speaking countries as well as an official TOEFL score of 80 or higher, Duolingo English Test score of 110 or higher OR IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.
Advanced Standing Program Applicants
Submit evidence of the following:
- An undergraduate degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)–accredited social work program within the past five years
- One letter of recommendation from your faculty practicum liaison or practicum instructor
- A second letter of recommendation; preferably from a faculty member
- Grades of B or better in all social work courses (in some cases, additional courses may be required)
Human Service Professional Applicants
Submit verification of their employment history: