University of Victoria MSW Application Guide
The University of Victoria’s (UVic) School of Social Work, accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE), offers three MSW program options: Foundation, Advanced, and Indigenous. This blog post provides an overview of each program, along with details about the admissions process and MSW application tips.
MSW Programs:
Foundation Program
The MSW Foundation (MSWF) program is designed for students with an undergraduate degree (other than a BSW) and at least two years of full-time human services experience (approximately 3,000 hours). Offered every second year, this full-time, on-campus program runs from September to August in a cohort model. Students complete 16.5 units, including core courses and a 450-hour field education placement. After meeting the Foundation program requirements, students can continue to the MSW Advanced (MSWA) or MSW Indigenous Specialization (MSWI) program through distance education to complete their degree.
Advanced Program
The MSWA is for applicants who have already obtained a BSW degree or completed the foundation year of the MSW program. This program focuses on expanding social work practitioners’ understanding of the broader social, cultural, and political contexts of their work. Delivered primarily through distance education, the program begins with a mandatory on-campus session in August. Students complete 15 units of coursework/field placement and choose between a thesis (no field education requirement) or course-based option.
Indigenous Program
The MSWI program at UVic is designed for social workers in Indigenous settings, focusing on the unique historical, cultural, and administrative contexts differing from other social work settings. Offered every second year (opposite the Foundation year), the program combines distance education with a mandatory on-campus session in August. Students complete 15 units of coursework/field placement and choose between a thesis (no field education requirement) or course-based option.
Admissions Requirements
The University of Victoria’s MSW program has several admissions requirements and differ based on which specific program you are applying to:
Foundation Program
Undergraduate Degree Requirement:
Must have a completed four-year undergraduate degree from a Canadian or recognized degree-granting institution
The degree must be completed by April 30th of the entry year
GPA Requirements:
Minimum GPA of 5.0 (B or equivalent) in the last 30 units leading to the bachelor’s degree
Exceptional cases may be considered if significant relevant experience is demonstrated
International Students – English Language Proficiency:
TOEFL minimum scores: 575 (paper-based) or 90 (Internet-based) with section minimums of 20 in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
Equivalent ELTS or MELAB scores are also accepted
Human Services Experience Requirement:
At least two years of full-time (approximately 3,000 hours) paid or volunteer experience in human services
Experience can include work in health, education, housing, income security, economic development, social justice, community development, public safety, or policy/advocacy work
Practicums, internships, and co-op placements do not count toward this experience requirement
Advanced Program
BSW Degree Requirement:
Must have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited institution
The BSW must be completed by April 30th of the MSW entry year
GPA Requirement:
Minimum GPA of 5.0 (B or equivalent) in the last 30 units leading to the bachelor’s degree
Exceptional cases may be considered if significant relevant experience is demonstrated
International Applicants:
Must have a BSW from an internationally accredited School of Social Work
TOEFL minimum scores: 575 (paper-based) or 90 (Internet-based) with section minimums of 20 in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
Equivalent ELTS or MELAB scores are accepted
Post-BSW Human Services Experience Requirement:
At least two years of full-time (approximately 3,000 hours) paid or volunteer experience in human services
Experience can include work in health, education, housing, income security, economic development, social justice, community development, public safety, or policy/advocacy work
Practicums, internships, and co-op placements do not count toward this experience requirement
Indigenous Program
BSW Degree Requirements
Must have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited institution
The BSW must be completed by April 30th of the entry year
GPA Requirement:
Minimum GPA of 5.0 (B or equivalent) in the last 30 units leading to the bachelor’s degree
Exceptional cases may be considered if significant relevant experience is demonstrated
International Applicants:
Must have a BSW from an internationally accredited School of Social Work
TOEFL minimum scores: 575 (paper-based) or 90 (Internet-based) with section minimums of 20 in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
Equivalent ELTS or MELAB scores are accepted
Human Services Experience Requirement:
Indigenous applicants: At least two years full-time (approximately 3,000 hours) post-BSW experience in an Indigenous human services context
Non-Indigenous applicants: At least four years full-time (approximately 6,000 hours) post-BSW experience in an Indigenous human services context
Experience can include work in health, education, housing, income security, economic development, social justice, justice and public safety, community development, or policy/advocacy work
Practicums, internships, and co-op placements do not count toward the human services experience requirement
Admissions Process
The following information is taken directly from the University of Victoria Faculty of Social Work website. This blog post does not include all the details from the website, so be sure to visit the official website for complete information when preparing your application.
Foundation and Advanced Program
The MSW Foundation and Advanced program application process at the University of Victoria requires several components. Applicants must submit a Statement of Intent (1000-word limit) that highlights how their experiences and interests align with the program’s mission and objectives. Additionally, applicants must complete a detailed Experience Summary form, documenting a minimum of 3,000 hours of paid or volunteer experience in social work, social services, community activism, or a related field. This experience must be outside of practicums, internships, or co-op placements. Applicants may include life experiences that connect to social work, with a rationale explaining their relevance.
The application also requires an updated resume, two references (either two academic references or one academic and one employer reference), and unofficial academic transcripts.
Indigenous Program
In addition to the requirements highlighted for the Foundation and Advanced Program, non-Indigenous applicants are required to have a minimum of 6000 hours of human services experience in an Indigenous social services setting, or a closely related field, as of the application deadline date. Indigenous applicants are required to have a minimum of 3000 hours of human services experience in an Indigenous social services setting, or a closely related field, as of the application deadline date. Along with an updated resume, three references are required. These may be two academic references or one academic reference and one employer reference, in addition to a mandatory Indigenous community-based reference.
Statement of Intent Tips
The statement of intent is one of the most important aspects of your MSW application, which essentially acts as a replacement for an in-person interview. It is your opportunity to showcase your strengths and demonstrate your readiness for the MSW program.
Before you get started: Make sure to get a copy of our free personal statement template
The UVic statement of intent requires that you submit the form through an online system and input your responses into a text box. Therefore, a title page is not required. You have a maximum of 1000 words to address the required components. It is important to stay within the word limit as this demonstrates your ability to follow instructions, which will be important when completing assignments in the program. The statement asks you to discuss the following:
Self-reflexivity is a core practice within critical social work. Please provide a critical reflection on how your positionality informs your academic and professional aspirations. Stated differently, please speak to how who you are and where you come from informs your worldview and your intentions and motivations for your social work education and practice. Be sure to consider and speak to issues of power, privilege, and oppression.
Please note that the idea of the statement is not simply to describe your positionality, but to make critical links between your positionality and lived experiences and your aspirations for your social work education (at UVic specifically) and future practice. Positionality refers to your personal/social/political location, including but not limited to factors such as Indigeneity, race, ability, class, gender, and sexual identities.
Additionally, within your statement, please incorporate what the concepts of decolonization; anti-racism; intersectionality; and equity mean to you. Please refrain from simply stating definitions of these concepts, but rather discuss how you would engage with these concepts in relation to your social work education and practice.
How to Write The Statement of Intent
As noted by the school, the purpose of this statement of intent is not to simply list your lived experiences and various aspects of your identity, but to demonstrate your critical thinking skills by discussing how your experiences and identities have informed your worldview and motivation to apply to the program, be an MSW-level social worker, and work within your specific area of interest.
It is also important to keep in mind that self-reflexivity is different from self-reflection. Self-reflection is a process of examining your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and experiences. It involves asking questions such as, "What have I learned from this experience?". Self-reflexivity goes a step further by critically examining how your identity, social location, and lived experiences shape your perspectives and interactions with the world. It includes questioning how your position is shaped by systems of power, privilege, and oppression and asking questions such as, "How might my privileges or biases affect the way I support marginalized communities?". In social work, self-reflexivity is important because it pushes you to not only recognize your perspectives, but also to understand your roles in larger structures, systems, and power dynamics.
When discussing your social work aspirations, UVic specifically asks you to address why you are choosing their program and how it aligns with your goals. Be explicit about what draws you to UVic’s School of Social Work and how what it offers will help you achieve your professional goals. Be sure to use concrete examples that are unique to this school of social work.
Since the statement of intent requires you to reflect on personal experiences and identities, it is important to be intentional about what you share and why. Avoid “trauma dumping” by ensuring that every experience you include has a clear purpose and directly answers the prompt. Rather than listing multiple examples, focus on a few key experiences that are fully developed and directly relevant. You have the flexibility to decide which personal experiences best help you address the required components of the statement.
When responding to the part of the prompt that asks you to discuss concepts such as decolonization, anti-racism, intersectionality, and equity, avoid simply defining these terms. The admissions committee already assumes you understand them. Instead, provide specific examples of how you will apply these concepts in your future social work practice—such as your role in advancing decolonization efforts or challenging racial biases and inequities in the field. The examples you provide should directly align with approaches you will use within your specific area of interest.
Overall, the statement of intent should demonstrate an awareness of how your unique experiences will contribute to your approach to social work practice. It should be personal, critical, and reflexive, demonstrating an engagement with both your own identity and the broader systemic powers that shape our society and contribute to social injustice.
Conclusion
The University of Victoria’s MSW program offers diverse pathways for students to advance their social work education, whether through the Foundation, Advanced, or Indigenous specialization. Successfully navigating the admissions process requires significant effort, particularly in developing a compelling statement of intent that reflects self-reflexivity and strong critical thinking skills. By meeting all program requirements and thoughtfully aligning your experiences, values, and aspirations with UVic’s social work approach, you can set yourself up for a competitive application.
