International Requirements

The Garland School of Social Work requires applicants have either a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution that meets the same quality standards as a regionally accredited U.S. school. The institution must be fully recognized as regionally accredited at the time the degree is conferred.

Note: Students applying to the Waco campus must have a degree conferred date by July 15th to be eligible to apply for the upcoming academic year.

International applicants - citizens or permanent residents of a country other than the United States to which they intend to return following completion of their degree program - must submit a completed application that includes:

Completed Application Deadlines for Fall 2026
 

*An application is considered complete when all application documents required for admission have been received and processed by the Garland School of Social Work. 

**This amount represents the minimum financial aid award admitted students should expect to receive through scholarships and tuition remission.

• MSW-Waco Application
• $45 Application Fee*
  • You may qualify for an application fee waiver. If you are interested in applying for an application fee waiver, please contact our team at MSW_Admissions@baylor.edu
  • Additionally, all students who visit campus, attend a webinar, or meet with us one-on-one will receive a fee waiver code.
    • Fee waiver is only applicable for prospective students applying to our residential program (Waco, TX campus)
• Letters of recommendation: At least one of your three letters of recommendation should come from an academic professor who has direct knowledge of your academic work.
• Transcripts: Yearly or semester records from each college or university attended that indicate the number of lecture and/or laboratory hours per week, per course, and the grade received in each course.
• Essay responses
• Diplomas/Proof of Degree/Academic Certificates are required for each degree you have received. The documents will include the title and date of the degree conferred. As a reminder, your degree-issuing institution must have accreditation that is equivalent to United States accreditation standards and be regionally accredited.
• International applicants must demonstrate English-language proficiency by submitting one of the following:
  • TOEFL
  • TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition-for areas affected by testing center closing
  • TOEFL Essentials
  • IELTS

Minimum Scores:

TOEFL Paper: 550; Computer: 213; Internet: 80
TOEFL Essentials: 8.5
IELTS 6.5

TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid up to 2 years.

Baylor's Institution Code: 6032

International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement under the following circumstances:

• You have a conferred bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States.
• English is the national language of your country.
• Your degree was issued from an institution where English is the only language of instruction.
• You are a U.S. citizen.

Our admissions coordinators are proficient in reviewing academic records from different educational systems around the world. However, you may be asked to provide supplemental information or a foreign credential evaluation report. Baylor University has partnered with WES (World Education Services) in an attempt to offer a viable solution to international applicants when such an evaluation is needed for an admission decision. Please take care to ensure you are selecting the United States equivalency.

If required, obtaining an education evaluation report may take several weeks so we strongly encourage applicants to start this procedure promptly to avoid delays in the admissions process. For instructions on how to submit your official evaluation electronically, contact MSW_Admissions@baylor.edu.

For additional information and specific help on understanding the many processes, regulations, and timelines for international students, please visit Center for Global Engagement.