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Apply to the MLIS program
The MLIS online application is updated annually and opens on September 1. Admission is for Autumn Quarter only. To be considered for admission, applicants must complete and submit the UW Graduate School online application. We encourage prospective applicants from diverse backgrounds and professional experiences to apply.
Application Deadlines for Autumn 2011
MLIS Residential/Online/Law
- Deadline for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents: February 1
- Priority deadline for International Applicants (visa holders): November 1
Requirements for Application
All applicants to the MLIS program must meet the following basic requirements:
- Bachelors degree* or higher (must be equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution)
- Grade point average of 3.0 or higher (some exceptions considered)
Law MLIS applicants must have earned a JD from a law school within the United States.
*In order to be eligible to apply for Fall 2011, applicants must have earned their bachelor's degree by the end of Summer 2011. Applicants do not have to have earned their bachelor's degree prior to applying for the program.
Application Checklist
- Apply online
- Complete the UW Graduate School online application via MyGrad
The personal statement, resume/cv, supplemental questions and letters of recommendation will all be submitted online through MyGrad.
- Pay the application fee ($75 USD).
- Other application materials
- Request that official transcripts be sent to the Information School
- Request that official GRE scores be electronically reported to the University of Washington using report code 4854. (Applicants with a doctorate or professional degree (PhD, JD, MD, PharmD, etc) are not required to submit GRE scores.)
- Law MLIS applicants only – Official LSAT score
- Non-native English speakers must fulfill the UW English language requirement, UW Grad School Memo 8
- Applicants with foreign transcripts must also submit official transcripts to the UW Graduate School. Please see address below.
- International applicants - Financial ability form
- Paper letters of recommendations (if not submitted through MyGrad)
Please make sure to throughly review the Online application process site.
Law MLIS Applicants
When applying to the Law MLIS program, applicants should select Master of Library & Information Science (Law Librarianship) in the “Select your graduate program” section on the “Program Information” page. Please note, the Law Librarianship MLIS application is separate from the Residential/Online MLIS application. Law MLIS applicants should take care to select the correct degree designation when filling out the application.
Law MLIS applicants do not need to submit GRE scores, but are required to submit their official LSAT score. Please review the “Other Application materials” section for instructions regarding how to submit your LSAT score.
International Applicants
An international student is defined as any person who is not a U.S. citizen and is not a US Permanent Resident, and requires a visa to be in the United States. This includes individuals who have visas with the designation F1, J1, H4 etc.
The priority application deadline for international applicants is November 1.
The Online MLIS program can support international students because the coursework is 100% online. International applicants to the Online MLIS program are not required to have F-1 (student) visas. However international students must be able to travel to Seattle for the 4-day Online MLIS Orientation Week in late September during their first year in the program. To do so international students may use a visitor's visa or their passport, and should indicate that the purpose of the visit is to attend an on-site meeting or holiday.
For more information, please review the International Applicants section of the UW Graduate School website.
UW Graduate School Resources
For more information, please refer to the UW Graduate School's Admissions page.
UW Graduate School mailing address:
University of Washington
Office of Graduate Admissions
Box 84808*
Room 301, Loew Hall
Seattle, WA 98124-6108
*If using a shipping service that does not deliver to PO Box numbers, just delete "Box 84808" from the address and the UW Office of Graduate Admissions should receive your package.
Tuition Overview
See Tuition Information for both the residential MLIS and Online MLIS program options.
More Information
View the MLIS Admissions Brochure or join our mailing list.
View the MLIS Technology Requirements and the Information Technology Literacy Requirements.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Information School’s Office of Student and Academic Services (OSAS) by e-mail at mlis@washington.edu or by phone at 206-543-1794. Thanks for your interest!