Application Steps for Transfer Students

The Informatics program admits majors once a year for Autumn quarter only.

1. Plan Your Transfer

Begin planning your transfer to the UW and to the Informatics program as early as possible. You will need to understand the equivalency between courses taken and Informatics prerequisites. Equivalents for some of our prerequisites (such as INFO 100, CSE 142, and STAT 311) may be difficult to find at community colleges. Otherwise-qualified applicants who are unable to complete these courses prior to admission to the Informatics program, may request consideration for provisional admission pending completion of prerequisite courses.

• Plan your transfer with the Academic Planning Worksheet.
• Review the UW Course Equivalency Guide for information on all courses which transfer to the University of Washington (including out-of-state colleges).
• The Informatics Requirements Planning Worksheet lists all of the requirements necessary to graduate with the Bachelor of Science in Informatics.

2. Complete Your Prerequisites

Plan to complete your prerequisites by Spring of the year in which you apply. Prerequisites may be in progress at the time of application. If some of the courses or their equivalents were unavailable at your community college and you are otherwise qualified for the major, you may request consideration for provisional admission pending completion of prerequisite courses. Make the request in your personal statement.

3. Prepare Your Application Materials

Prepare your personal statement and gather your transcripts before applying online.

A. Personal Statement

Prepare your personal statement (typically 2 pages) before you begin the online application.  The statement must be an electronic document in Microsoft Word, RTF, or ASCII text format. At the end of the online application form, you will upload your personal statement to our server. 

The personal statement should include the following:

1. Include your full name and UW ID number, if you have one.
2. The Informatics major focuses on integrating people, information, and technology. Please choose one of the topics below to express your interest in the Informatics program.
   1. Given your interests, academic preparation, work experience, personal and/or cultural experience, describe how you might contribute to the Informatics major and/or to the field.
   2. Describe a critical problem you perceive existing at the intersection of information, people, and technology. Why is this problem interesting to you? In other words, what is it about you personally that makes this problem important and interesting?
3. Include any additional information that is important for the Informatics Admissions Committee to know:
   1. Demonstrated commitment to Informatics (e.g., related courses you have taken, work experiences, internships, etc.)
   2. Hardships and barriers you may have had to overcome (e.g., disabilities or socioeconomic disadvantage)
   3. Any exceptions or special considerations you are requesting (e.g., substitution of a transfer course or request for provisional admission pending completion of prerequisite courses).

B. Transcripts

Gather transcripts well in advance of the application deadline. You will need the information from your transcripts in order to complete the online application. For prerequisite courses in progress at the time of application, send transcripts immediately as soon as they are available. Your application will not be complete until the transcripts arrive. Any delay in sending transcripts will delay consideration of your application.

4. Apply to UW and the Informatics Major

Follow the application process below. You will need to apply to both the University of Washington and to the Informatics Major at the iSchool:

A. UW Undergraduate Admissions

Application Deadline:

• Final closing date for transfers: February 15, 2010

B. iSchool Informatics Major

Application Deadlines:

• Opening date: January 25, 2010
• Final closing date: April 15, 2010

Applicants who are otherwise qualified, yet are unable to complete these courses prior to admission to the Informatics program, may request consideration for provisional admission pending completion of prerequisite courses. Be sure to have transcripts for any prerequisite courses in progress as soon as possible. Consideration of your application will be delayed until your transcripts are received.