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Application

UW Study Abroad is delighted to welcome over 200 visiting exchange students per year from our partner universities around the world. The application process below is for students coming from one of these partner universities. If your university is not listed among our partner universities then we unfortunately cannot accommodate your request for short term study at UW. Please contact Undergraduate Admissions or Graduate Admissions if you would like more information about degree or transfer options for international students.

Students interested in English language programs or research possibilities should contact the International and English Language Programs office.

As a visiting exchange student, you’ll be fully immersed in the student life and culture of UW and Seattle.  You’ll be attending classes, social events and possibly even living with UW students. We use the term ‘exchange’ because while you are studying at UW, one of the UW students will be taking your place and studying at your home university!

In order to be considered for an exchange at the University of Washington:

  1. You must first be nominated as a candidate for exchange by the international office or corresponding department at your home university.
  2. Nominated students will automatically receive an email with a link to the UW Study Abroad Exchange Application.
  3. You should submit a completed application by the relevant deadline (see Application and Admissions deadlines below).
  4. After the deadline, you will receive an email with information on next steps including immigration information. To learn more about what happens after acceptance, visit the Admitted Students page.

All undergraduate students attending the UW on a university-wide exchange will be admitted through Undergraduate Admissions to the College of Arts & Sciences regardless of class standing or major in your home country.  Undergraduates on departmental exchanges are admitted to a specific department.  Please refer to the Academics page to get an idea of courses available to exchange students.

Please note that UW Study Abroad is only able to accept graduate students through departmental exchanges.

The following documents must be included in your online application.  It is not necessary to submit any of these documents as hard copies. Please note that incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

  • Copy of passport identification page
  • Academic transcripts (preferably in English) from each college, university, professional or technical school attended. Students with a grade point average (GPA) equivalent to 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) will be given first priority.
  • Verification of English Proficiency. Every exchange visitor must possess sufficient proficiency in English to successfully participate in the program and function on a day-to-day basis. Federal law requires sponsors use and retain evidence of “objective measurements” to determine the student’s English language proficiency.
    TOEFL (iBT) IELTS Duolingo (DET)
    Minimum score required 76 6.0 105
    Recommended score 92 or higher 7.0 or higher 120 or higher

    Exception: International students whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (English-speaking provinces), the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand or the U.S. are exempt from this requirement. Students born in one of these countries and educated elsewhere are still required to satisfy the English proficiency requirement.

  • Official bank letter or bank statement (only required after you have been admitted). You will be asked to prove you can cover your non-tuition expenses for the duration of your exchange. Details and required amounts can be found on the Proof of Finances page.

NOTE: Graduate students will need to visit the Visiting Graduate Students web page and complete an application to the graduate school in addition to the UW Study Abroad Exchange Application. Additionally, some graduate departments have additional requirements, such as a GRE or GMAT score or different English Proficiency requirements.  Please check the specific department requirements to see if anything further is required.

Academic Term Autumn Quarter start

(September-December)

Winter Quarter start

(January-March)

Spring Quarter start

(March-June)

Application Deadline March 15 August 15 November 15
Admissions Decisions (for undergraduate students) Late May/Early June Mid/Late October Mid/Late  January
DS-2019 issuance Mid/Late June Late October Early February
Course Registration June – September November – January February – March

Graduate admissions decisions vary widely by department, but you can use the undergraduate timeline as a rough estimate.

Questions? Contact uwexchanges@uw.edu