Faculty of Social Work applicant admission requirements (2025-2026)

March 1, 2025

This page is available with, and constitutes part of, the application. It is assumed that all applicants have read and understood it prior to submitting the completed application.

Programs offered

Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

A. Academic Requirements

To be eligible for consideration for admission to the Faculty of Social Work on the Fort Garry Campus and the Thompson External Campus, each applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Minimum Credit Hour and Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) Requirement

Successful completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours of university level coursework* by May 1 which are acceptable to the University of Manitoba with a minimum of 2.5 (C+) Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) and no individual grade lower than a C. (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA))

* Courses completed at a community/technical college which are deemed as “university level” by the University of Manitoba Admissions (Evaluations) Office, will be accepted and used for the admissions calculations and transfer credit thereafter. Students presenting only college or diploma level credentials may need to present additional university coursework to meet the required 30 credit hours.

2. Course Requirements

Applicants must now meet the following course requirements to be considered eligible for admission into the program:

Within the required 30 credit hours of university level coursework for admission, applicants must have successful completion of a minimum of 21 credit hours from the courses identified in the two tables below, with a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course. All required courses must be at the 1000 level or higher.

All successful applicants who are admitted to the BSW program will be required to complete any remaining required courses from these tables within their first 30 credit hours in the program.

Effective for the Fall 2026 admission intake and beyond, all 30 credit hours from the course tables will be required by May 1 of the year of application to be eligible for admission.

Required core courses

^*Strongly recommend taking courses from Psychology, Family Social Science and Sociology

All successful applicants who are admitted to the BSW program will be required to complete any remaining required courses from these tables within their first 30 credit hours in the program.

External applicants

The required courses WOMN (3 credit hours) and INDG (6 credit hours) must be transferable to the University of Manitoba if taken at an external institution. To assess whether or not your courses transfer to the required department (WOMN and INDG), please visit our online transfer credit database found here: Transfer Credit Resource. If you cannot find the courses in our transfer database, you will be requested to provide syllabi for assessment.

WOMN and INDG courses completed externally to the University of Manitoba will need to be within the 10-year limit and will be assessed by the appropriate department for equivalency. Courses completed prior to September 2015 cannot be used to meet the core course requirement.

University of Manitoba Access Program Students

In cooperation with the Province of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba ACCESS Program (UMAP) facilitates university studies at the degree level for persons who traditionally have not had the opportunity for such experience because of social, economic and cultural reasons, lack of formal education or residence in remote areas. Preference will be given to Indigenous Manitobans (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Learn about the ACCESS Program

Applicants who are currently enrolled in the Access Program of the University of Manitoba may use the Summer term of the year of application to complete the academic requirements listed in this section, on the condition that a minimum of 18 credit hours of university level coursework at the 1000 level or higher from the table above is completed by May 1. A minimum of 2.5 (C+) AGPA is required (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)).

All applicants are advised that this is a competitive program with limited spaces and that applicants meeting minimum eligibility requirements cannot be assured admission.

B. English Language Proficiency Requirements

All applicants whose primary language is not English and do not qualify for a waiver under the University of Manitoba’s English language proficiency regulations will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English.

Additional information regarding specific proficiency requirements, waiver information, and test options can be found on the English language proficiency requirements page.

• English language proficiency requirements

Results for most language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo, expire two years from the test date. Test scores must be valid at the start of classes. Please confirm the validity of your test results.

C. Categories of Applicants

1. Academic Achievement Category

Applicants to this category must meet all eligibility requirements (see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, A. Academic Requirements) and will be selected based on the competitiveness of their AGPA (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)).

2. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID)

Applicants to this category must meet all eligibility requirements (see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements, A. Academic Requirements) and will be selected based on the competitiveness of their AGPA in each declared EDID priority group (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)).

This category is for applicants who are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada who are members of one or more of the following education equity priority groups listed below:

• Canadian Indigenous Peoples
• Racialized persons
• Refugees and/or Immigrants to Canada
• Persons with DisAbilities
• 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirited / Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Transgender / Queer / Intersex / Asexual +)
• Non-Indigenous University of Manitoba ACCESS Students

The purpose of this Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) Category is to achieve equality in professional education so that no person shall be denied educational opportunities or benefits reasons unrelated to ability. In the fulfillment of this goal, the aim is to correct the conditions of disadvantage in professional education experienced by Canadian Indigenous peoples, persons with disAbilities, immigrants and refugees to Canada, 2SLGBTQIA+, non-Indigenous ACCESS students and racialized persons. Giving effect to the principle of educational equity means more than treating persons in the same way; it also requires special measures and the accommodation of difference.

For the purpose of identification, the definitions for the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) priority groups are:

Canadian Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples are all indigenous peoples of Canada including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

Racialized Perons

Persons other than Canadian Indigenous Peoples who, because of their colour, are racialized persons in Canada.

Immigrants (Permanent Residents)

Immigrants are those who do not record Canadian Citizenship by birth, and whose native tongue is NOT English.

Refugees

A refugee is an individual who has left his/her country of residence because of persecution for belonging to a particular social, cultural, religious and/or national group, and/or for holding particular political beliefs, and has been accepted for residence in Canada.

Persons with DisAbilities

Persons with disAbilities are those who would consider themselves disadvantaged by reason of any physical, intellectual, mental, sensory, or learning impairment.

2SLGBTQIA+

2SLGBTQIA+ are persons who self-identify as two-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual +. While this definition is intended to be inclusive of sexual and gender variations, we recognize it is not meant to be exhaustive or excluding.

Non-Indigenous ACCESS Students

Persons who traditionally have not had the opportunity for university studies because of social, economic and cultural reasons, lack of formal education or residence in remote areas, and who are enrolled in the University of Manitoba ACCESS program.

Application Fees

Applications are not considered received until the application is submitted and the non-refundable application fee has been paid by the posted deadline.

All correspondence, including decision release information will be sent via email and posted to your application portal.

Please ensure your email account remains current and will accept emails from the University of Manitoba. Check your filters.

It is important to check your email and application portal regularly and specifically around the deadlines and important dates listed below.

B. Deadlines and Important Dates

C. Required Application Documentation

The following documents will be required to complete your application:

Please send all application documentation to the following address:

Admission for Social Work
University of Manitoba
424 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts should be submitted to applicant.services@umanitoba.ca.

In order to be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the email of the office responsible for issuing transcripts. Transcripts emailed or forwarded by the applicant are considered unofficial.

The University of Manitoba is a registered receiving organization with MyCreds^TM. Applicants from participating member universities and colleges can release their transcripts to the University of Manitoba through their MyCreds^TM portal. Applicants should select 'Share' and then 'Organization' instead of opting for 'email'.

Applications are not complete until all necessary documents are received. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that our office receives all required information.

Applicants must notify the Admissions Office immediately should they either enroll at a postsecondary institution not previously declared on their application or enroll in additional coursework not declared on the previously submitted final transcript provided for assessment. Applicants will be required to provide proof of registration.

D. Required Admission Documentation

All BSW applicants offered admission are required to:

• Sign a declaration regarding criminal convictions and whether they have ever been placed upon a child abuse registry as a perpetrator.
• Provide a completed Criminal Record (CR) check obtained through the local police service (may not be older than three months prior to the date of offer).
• Provide a completed Child Abuse Registry (CAR) (for residents of Manitoba) or a Vulnerable Sector check (for residents of provinces where there is no Child Abuse Registry) (may not be older than three months prior to the date of offer).

A positive response on the CR check, the CAR or Vulnerable Sector check, or the declaration regarding previous criminal convictions, does not necessarily eliminate applicants; however, it shall require that the applicant participate in a personal interview. The Faculty reserves the right, based on its findings, to declare an applicant ineligible for admission.

E. Transfer Credit Information

At the University of Manitoba, all prior course work from recognized post-secondary institutions will be considered as part of the application for admission process for our undergraduate degree and diploma programs.

Upon admission to the Bachelor of Social Work program, incoming students will only be allowed to apply courses from the University of Manitoba and any other post-secondary institution with a mark of ‘C’ or higher, with the exception of courses satisfying the Mathematics requirement to their degree plan. Admitted students may be eligible to receive up to 48 credit hours (including required courses used in admission) transferred towards their degree, based on their previous undergraduate university-level studies.

Those presenting a recognized bachelor’s degree will have the Mathematics and Written English requirements waived. Proof of graduation is required. Those who have not completed a recognized bachelor’s degree will have their Written English and Mathematics course requirements assessed separately.

Students presenting studies at the diploma level (including social service worker programs) must have a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework (deemed university level, transferrable to the University of Manitoba, and meeting the course requirements outlined in Section 2.A: Academic Requirements) to apply to the BSW program. Diploma coursework will be assessed on a course-by-course basis for transferability.

Applicants presenting only diploma level coursework may require additional university coursework to meet the required 30 credit hours.

Specific social work courses must be from CASWEACFTS accredited institutions to be considered transferable to the University of Manitoba. Such courses are subject to a 9-year limit for transferability. A maximum of 60 credit hours of course transfers from external institutions, including admission and elective credit, may be used towards the degree.

• Visit the Canadian Association for Social Work Education website

Students may be asked to provide comprehensive and accurate course outlines or syllabi, as issued by their institution of study, for all courses lacking a current evaluation for the Mathematics and Written English requirements. Course outlines or syllabi should include information on course objectives, outline of the units studied, textbook(s) used, assignments, and accompanying laboratory information, if applicable, to assist in the transfer credit assessment process.

An online transfer credit resource is available for information on current course evaluations receiving credit.

Note

Decisions on considerations of equivalency may not be finalized until after fall courses have started. While we appreciate that some institutions do not have course information readily available, many students have been able to provide the information requested by contacting the individual departments or instructors at their prior institutions. Students that are unable to provide the requested course information may render themselves ineligible for programs with specific course requirements. Only successful applicants will be notified of transfer credit results. Additional information related to transfer credit is available on the Admissions website.

Challenge for Credit

The Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba provides a social work education in keeping with its mission statement and the standards of the Canadian Association for Social Work Education, whereby academic instruction and closely supervised field experiences are combined to ensure that students acquire the values, knowledge and skills necessary for BSW level practice.  The Faculty also recognizes that these components, in some instances, are acquired outside the traditional educational system, through work experience and/or classroom experience from other disciplines. 

The Faculty of Social Work accommodates those students who are qualified and who can demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge and skill, by allowing them to challenge for certain social work courses.

A. Calculation of the Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA)

The Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) is calculated to take into account the student’s most recent academic work and to allow for some elimination of the lowest grades within this work.   Only the student’s most recent 60 credit hours of university work, which are acceptable to the University of Manitoba, will be used in calculation of the AGPA.

If an applicant has completed a total of 36—60 credit hours of university work, the lowest marks will be dropped from the calculation of the AGPA in accordance with the above table. For instance, if an applicant has completed 36 to 59 credit hours, six (6) credit hours of the lowest grades will be dropped in calculation of the AGPA. If an applicant has completed more than 60 credit hours of university work, the AGPA will be calculated over the most recently completed 60 credit hours of university work, minus twelve (12) hours of the lowest grades. If it is not possible to clearly identify the most recently completed 60 credit hours of work, the average of the term containing the least recent of the 60 credit hours will be used as a representative grade for the remaining hours.

In the calculation of the AGPA, all courses which have been assigned a final grade are considered “completed” university work, including failed courses and repeated courses. The exceptions to this are courses graded “Pass/Fail” or “Satisfactory”, and courses that have been assessed and awarded as university credit from either the Advanced Placement (AP) program, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) program; these are excluded from both the AGPA and from the most recent 60 credit hour count.

Courses completed on a full or part time basis, in all undergraduate and graduate programs, and in Fall, Winter and Summer terms (except for the work taken after the April exam period in the year of application) will be included in the AGPA calculation.

Note

• It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform the Admissions Office in writing of any deferred exams or grade changes.  All final grades, including grade changes must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the document deadline in order for them to be included in the final selection process.  Grade changes will not be accepted after the documentation deadline date.  If a grade is not available by the documentation deadline date, an ‘F’ grade will be used in the final admission determination and calculation.
• Should a grade be retained on your record yet excluded from your institutional GPA calculation, that grade will be used to meet admission requirements and the GPA calculation for your application to the University of Manitoba.
• AP or IB courses that have been awarded as university credit will be considered for transfer of credit if admitted to the Faculty. However, AP and IB courses cannot be used as part of the minimum 30 credit hour eligibility requirement.

Courses completed at a community/technical college which are deemed as “university level” by the University of Manitoba Admissions (Evaluations) Office, will be accepted and used for the admissions calculations and transfer credit thereafter.  Applicants presenting only college or diploma level credentials (without an articulation agreement) may need to present additional university coursework to meet the required 30 credit hours.

B. Selection

Applicants who are determined as meeting the eligibility criteria (see Section 2: Eligibility Requirements) are compiled and applicants are selected through two categories.

1. Academic Achievement Category

60% (approximately 45) of all available positions will be awarded on the basis of highest AGPA.

2. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID)

40% (approximately 30) of all available positions will be awarded on the basis of identification with an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) category(ies) and highest AGPA within the EDID categories. Applicants may identify themselves with as many categories as are applicable to them: Canadian Indigenous Peoples, Non-Indigenous ACCESS students, Racialized Persons, Immigrants and/or Refugees, 2SLGBTQIA+, and Persons with DisAbilities.

Spaces in the EDID priority group category will be proportionately allocated based on the number of eligible applicants in each EDID priority group. There will be a minimum of one space allocated to each EDID priority group as long as there is at least one eligible applicant.

Spaces for applicants in each EDID priority group will be awarded based on the highest AGPA.

If there are unfilled EDID spaces, these will be filled based on the highest AGPA from the remaining applicants in the Academic Achievement Category.

All applicants applying under the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization category must identify themselves by completing the appropriate section on the Faculty of Social Work BSW Program application form by the application submission deadline.

The Faculty of Social Work reserves the right to request verification from applicants indicating membership in any of the EDID priority groups. Please note that the total number of spaces for admission may vary depending on the Faculty’s decision

C. Tie Breaking Procedures for Offers

In the event of a tie, the following procedure will be used:

1. Increase the number of significant figures used in the calculation.
2. Where a tie still exists, the application that was received first will be used to break the tie.  All completed applications are time stamped upon submission; in the case of a paper application, these applications will be time stamped after they have been entered into the system by a University of Manitoba Admissions Office staff member.

D. Notification of Decision

Decisions will be posted to the applicant’s portal. Applicants must log into their application portal to view the decision and to accept or decline their offer. If the offer is not accepted and the subsequent deposit paid by the deadline date indicated in the letter, the offer will lapse. Lapsed offers will be considered a declined response. It is imperative that email accounts remain current and that emails and application portals are regularly checked. Applicants offered admission will have five (5) business days to respond and pay a non-refundable deposit of $100.00 to indicate their acceptance. The deposit will be applied to tuition fees at the time of registration.

Individuals who wish to have their applications reconsidered should submit their request in writing to the Chair of the Selection Committee. Past experience has shown that most inquiries can be satisfied at this level without further reference. Persons wishing reconsideration of the decision of the Selection Committee shall direct their request to the Chair within ten (10) business days of the posted decision date. All appeals must come directly from the applicant and not a third party (e.g. parent, sibling, friend, agent, etc.).

Should the student wish to pursue the reconsideration decision further, such an appeal will be made in accordance with the Senate Committee on Appeals Procedures.

• Review the Senate Committee on Appeals policy and procedures

Applicants are advised that appeals of reconsideration decisions by the Chair of the Selection Committee and the Senate Appeal Committee focus on questions of correct adherence to published policies and procedures outlined in this document, and not on subjective issues or the relative merits of the application.

The Faculty of Social Work and Admissions Office are able to assist applicants who seek counselling regarding admission to the Faculty of Social Work. However, it is policy not to instruct applicants as to a specific course of action they should follow, but rather to provide the information needed for applicants to make their own choice with respect to the alternatives available. The following points require special attention:

1. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their plans with all who can usefully advise them, but they should be aware that second and third hand information about admission policies may not be accurate.
2. No official at the university can guarantee the admission of any applicant. Admission is determined by the Committee on the basis of an annual competition.
3. All applicants are advised to supplement any personal enquiries with a written request so that an official written response can be made. It is only these written responses which will be considered as evidence of any advice given (see Section 8: Contact Information).

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. If you are a student with a diagnosed disability (permanent, chronic, or temporary) who may require academic accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services at 204-474-7423 or by email at student_accessibility@umanitoba.ca to learn more about the confidential supports that are available.

The following other contacts may also be useful.

The BSW program intends to provide students with knowledge and skills necessary for professional preparation for generalist practice in a variety of social work fields. The BSW program is the only program in Manitoba accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education, and graduates are eligible for acceptance into schools of graduate studies.

The BSW degree is accepted as a professional degree by the Manitoba College of Social Workers and by the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Holders of this degree are eligible to apply for membership to these organizations.

The BSW program is usually completed in three years after one year of university study. The program consists of a total of 123 credit hours; 75 of social work credits and 48 academic electives (including the 30 credit hours used for admission where applicable). It may also be completed in two years plus a summer (Concentrated Program), after two years of university study, or in up to nine years of part-time study.

The Faculty of Social Work offers a BSW program at the following sites: the Fort Garry campus (located in Winnipeg on the main University of Manitoba campus), the Inner City campus (at the William Norrie Centre located on Selkirk Avenue), the Northern campus (located in Thompson, Manitoba), and through Distance Delivery. Please note that in addition to the regular ACCESS Northern Social Work Program, a number of spaces are available at the Northern campus for external applicants (those applicants who reside in Thompson and who are non-ACCESS students). The Northern Social Work program requires at least six months of residency in Northern Manitoba before the date of application. Those applicants wishing to apply to the Northern Social Work program as externals (non-ACCESS) are asked to contact the Northern Social Work Program office for details (see Section 8: Contact Information).