• Learning About the Program
• General Admissions Questions
• Application Requirements & Eligibility
• Application Materials
• International Applicants
• Careers

Learning About the Program

Q: Do you offer MLIS program information sessions?
A: Yes. We offer information sessions year-round. Most recruiting events occur during autumn quarter. View schedule of dates, times, and locations.

Q: Can I communicate with a current student in the MLIS program?
A: Yes. Prospective students can arrange a campus visit or be put in email contact with a current student. Please email iask@uw.edu to get this set up. 

Q. How can I learn more about the program?
A: Visit the MLIS section of the website.

Q: What can you tell me about the MLIS student body?
A: See MLIS class profile information. 

General Admissions Questions

Q: What is the best undergraduate major to have if I want to apply to the MLIS program?
A: The only requirement to apply to the MLIS graduate program is a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. We do not require that applicants have a bachelor's degree in a specific area or that they take specific prerequisite courses.

Q: Do you accept transfer credits?
A: Students transferring from other institutions are expected to complete the application process as described. No more than 6 quarter credits will be transferred from another institution, and the credits must meet certain University requirements. No decision will be made regarding the acceptance of transfer credits until after enrollment.

Q: How many times do you admit applicants each year?
A: The MLIS program admits applicants each year for Autumn entry. For most application cycles, we have four rounds of review. Details regarding the application cycle can be found on the Application Timeline page. We do not admit students for Winter or Spring admission.

Q: How competitive is the program?
A: The level of competitiveness for admission into the MLIS program fluctuates from year to year depending on the applicant pool and on the number of admission spaces available. For the last several years the admit rate has fluctuated between 60 percent and 70 percent. See MLIS class profile information.

Q: How many students are in each cohort and how many applications do you get?
A: We aim to have 70-80 in each cohort, online and residential. Therefore, about 150 new MLIS students will start in the autumn. We normally establish waitlists if needed, for both online and residential and admit people through the summer as space becomes available. For the last several years, we’ve received between 500 and 550 applications.

Q: Are applicants allowed to defer enrollment to a different quarter or year?
A: The MLIS admissions committee rarely grants deferrals. However, applicants who have accepted the offer of admission but have a specific reason why they need a deferral are encouraged to contact us and provide additional information.

Q: What are the requirements for admitted students?
A: In order to accept the offer of admission, applicants are required to pay a $250 non-refundable deposit, which will go toward their autumn quarter tuition. Additionally, applicants will need to fulfill other requirements as outlined by the UW Graduate School, such as submitting official transcripts and measles immunization documentation. Students will be directed to the steps to complete after being admitted through the Graduate Application for Admission. 

Application Requirements & Eligibility

Q: What are the basic requirements to be eligible to apply to the MLIS program?
A: The only requirement to apply to the MLIS program is a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. We do not require that applicants have a bachelor's degree in a specific area or that they take specific prerequisite courses. Applicants to the Law MLIS program must have a JD (law degree) from an American Bar Association approved law school.

Q: I have a low GPA/GPA below a 3.0. Will I be automatically disqualified from consideration?
A: No. The admissions committee considers much more than just the GPA. Each piece of your application will be carefully reviewed. The personal statement and essay are both important application materials, as they provide the best opportunity to make it clear why this particular program is right for you, what you will bring to the program, and what your goals are once you complete the program. If you would like to address your GPA or provide the committee with additional information, please use the Extenuating Circumstances part of the application.

Note: The UW Graduate School has a minimum GPA requirement. As detailed on their website, individual programs may consider qualified applicants with a GPA below a 3.0. If you have a lower GPA, it may be beneficial to submit official GRE scores as this information can be helpful when entering a low GPA petition.

Q: The application is asking for the GPA of my last 90-quarter or 60-semester credits. How do I do this type of calculation?
A: There is a helpful link included in the online application that can help you calculate your GPA.

Q: Do I need to submit GRE scores?
A: No. GRE scores are not required.

Q: I had previously reported GRE/GMAT/TOEFL scores with UW. They are showing up in my MLIS application even though they aren’t required. Can you delete these scores so the admissions committee doesn’t see them?
A:  Once official test scores have been reported to the UW it is not possible to have them removed by request. Application materials and student records are subject to UW records retention requirements and will be purged according to these guidelines. Scores will only be reviewed if valid and required for the application.

Q: I have a 3-year bachelor's degree from a school outside the United States. Am I still eligible to apply to the program?
A: Although the MLIS admissions committee has no specific policy regarding admitting students who do not have a bachelor’s degree, the UW Graduate School requires that all graduate students have a degree equivalent to a 4-year undergraduate degree from the United States. Most 3-year undergraduate degrees from schools outside the United States do not fulfill this requirement. However, if you have a 3-year bachelor's degree, it’s a good idea to confirm directly with the Graduate School whether your education meets the requirement at uwgrad@uw.edu. Traditionally, however, the Graduate School has issued the following guidelines for additional qualifications from India — to combine with a 3-year degree bachelor’s — which are deemed sufficient for graduate admission:

1. A 3-year bachelor degree plus CONFERRAL of an Indian master's degree. These two qualifications are sufficient for graduate admission. (One year completion of a master's program without conferral of the degree is NOT sufficient.)
2. A 3-year bachelor degree plus CONFERRAL of the Post Graduate Diploma (PGD 1-year minimum early-career), recognized by AIU (Association of Indian Universities) or AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). These two qualifications are sufficient for graduate admission.

Q: How do I request an application fee waiver?
A: The application fee is $90 USD, payable online by debit or credit card. Learn more about the Application Fee Waiver Policy on this page

Application Materials

Q: What is the most important aspect of the application materials?
A: The MLIS admissions committee will review all materials submitted with the application. We often encourage applicants to dedicate the most time to their personal statement and the essay.

Q: How strictly are the word counts enforced?
A: We don’t have strict limits on exact word counts of the personal statement. However, if it is significantly longer than the given word limit, the committee members might choose to rank your application lower. Part of the purpose of the personal statement is to determine if you can communicate effectively within given parameters.

Q: After my application is submitted, can I edit my application materials?
A: No, after you submit your application, you are not able to edit your personal statement, resume, supplemental question responses or extenuating circumstances. Letters of recommendations and test scores (if applicable) will still be accepted after your application has been submitted and until the application deadline. If not received by the deadline, your application may move to a future round. 

Q: Which transcripts do I need to submit with my application?
A: Please provide transcripts from all colleges, universities and institutions where you have earned collegiate level credit.

Q: I took classes as a non-matriculated student OR I started a different graduate program, but didn't graduate. Do I need to list the school and provide a transcript?
A: In order to get a complete picture of your academic history, the admissions committee requires that you list and provide transcripts from all colleges, universities and institutions where you have earned collegiate level credit.

Q: Do I need to upload official or unofficial transcripts into the online application?
A: Scans of either official or unofficial transcripts can be submitted online. Applicants can request an official transcript from their school, open and scan it. Once it is opened, it is no longer official. Another option is to copy/paste a transcript from an online system into a word document. All transcripts are reviewed, if we have questions, we’ll contact the applicant directly.

Q: I am not able to obtain copies of some of my transcripts. What do I do?
A: Applicants are required to list all schools they have attended or where they earned academic credit. If you aren’t able to obtain a transcript, you still need to list the school in the application. In place of the transcript, upload a document that summarizes why you aren’t able to obtain a transcript and/or the steps you took to try and obtain it.

Q: How do I know whether or not my recommendations have been submitted?
A: Once the recommendation requests have been sent, the status will update in the Application for Graduate Study automatically if/when a recommendation is submitted for you.

Q: My recommender lost the email that included the link to complete the online recommendation. What do I do?
A: Log back into the Application for Graduate Study, the recommender section includes a “Resend Email” link that can be used to send another recommendation email request.

Q: My recommender wants to send a paper letter. Is this OK?
A: The admissions committee strongly prefers that applicants use the online recommendation system in the Application for Graduate Study. We have additional questions besides just the letter that we ask them. 

Q: My recommender is having a hard time with the online recommendation system. What should they do?
A:  Recommenders can contact our office at iask@uw.edu or 206.543.1794 for assistance.

Q: What should my recommender write about in my reference letter?
A:  Basic guidelines for recommenders are provided on our website. If your recommender has additional questions or needs assistance, please instruct them to contact our office at iask@uw.edu.

Q: My letters of recommendation are on file with a recommendation service. Can I submit these with my application?
A: We strongly recommend that all applicants use the online recommendation system in the Application for Graduate Study for several reasons. Often times, the letters stored in a letter service system are generic and not specific to the UW Information School or MLIS program. Therefore, these letters are not as strong as those that are more detailed and written specifically for this application process. Also, these types of letter services often require that paper copies be mailed to our office rather than allowing for online submission. We can accept paper letters, however, the process takes much longer. If you decide you want to use letters on file with a recommendation service, please contact our office, iask@uw.edu for specific instructions.

Q: How can I retain the right to view my recommendations?
A: You may view your recommendations only after you have been admitted to and are enrolled in the program. At no time can an applicant have access to a recommendation that has been submitted on their behalf. Current students can review their recommendations with an adviser. We are unable to give you copies of your recommendations but we can forward them to another institution or department.

International Applicants

Q: Do I need to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo?
A: All applicants who are non-native English speakers (regardless of citizenship) must fulfill the UW English language proficiency requirements. The MLIS admissions committee will accept any form of documentation listed in UW Grad School Policy 3.2.

Q: What is the minimum TOEFL, IELT, or Duolingo score required?
A: The MLIS program follows the Minimum Required Scores list on the UW English Language proficiency requirement. 

Careers

Q: What types of jobs do MLIS graduates do?
A: A broad range of career opportunities in the information field is open to graduates of the MLIS program. Read more about career opportunities. 

Q: What is the job placement rate for MLIS graduates?
A: Check out MLIS job data and salary information. We provide career counseling and assistance, but because we don't do placement, we don't have a placement report.