Undergraduate Bachelor of Social Work Admission Overview
Our program conducts one admissions cycle per year for possible entry in the Fall term. Our next admissions cycle will be for possible entry in the Fall of 2026.
Applications will open for Fall 2026 starting September 2025; the website will be updated to reflect the required application components and associated deadlines in August.
Please review the frequently asked questions page for BSW Admissions before contacting the School, as it contains very helpful information and many answers to your questions may be located on that page.
All questions concerning the application process or BSW program requirements must be referred to the School’s Undergraduate Administrator, Gabrielle Crete, at gabriellecrete@cunet.carleton.ca.
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BSW Applicant Evaluation Criteria
- All applicants must meet Carleton University’s minimum admission requirements. Please visit the Undergraduate Admissions website to review these requirements.
- All applicants should have a minimum average of 75% overall, whether applying from high school, college, or university (Carleton included).
- Amount and quality of human service/social change work or volunteer experience.
- Essay question response.
Please Note:
- Please review the Essential Requirements for the Bachelor of Social Work. Students are required to meet these requirements throughout their studies to remain in the BSW program.
- Please note that the Bachelor of Social Work program is an in-person program and some of the core required courses involve compulsory attendance requirements to pass.
- Students must complete two placements in order to meet degree requirements for the BSW (some students may receive transfer credit for the first of these placements, depending on completed education). Please be advised that social work placements are unpaid. For more detail on current practicum policies, please visit the BSW Practicum Hub;
- While a police records check is not requested as part of the application to the program, it may be required for current BSW students for the practicum components of the program. Check our policy for more information on the School’s police record check;
Admission Decisions
You are able to track your application status in Carleton360. Questions about transcripts should be directed to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at admissions@carleton.ca.
Admission decisions typically begin to appear in late April, however timing may vary from year to year.
All admission decisions are final. The School of Social Work does not have an appeal process for unsuccessful applicants, however we do encourage all interested applicants to apply again the next year.
Year of Entry
Each year, we admit students into the first, second, and third year entry of our program, depending on what, if any, transfer credit(s) are awarded from applicants’ previous post-secondary studies. An applicant’s year of entry or transfer credit cannot be guaranteed or confirmed before this process occurs as transfer credit can vary depending on the availability of inforamtion about your completed courses (i.e. course syllabi), the existence of equivalents at Carleton, and other factors. Information on frequently asked questions about transfer credits can be found on our BSW FAQ page, please review this information prior to contacting the School of Social Work.
Information on suggested course sequencing by year of entry can be found on our Current Students page.