Undergraduate Bachelor of Social Work Admission Information

Applications for the BSW program for Fall 2024 have now closed. Our website will be updated closer to September indicating the application requirements and deadline for our next admissions cycle for Fall 2025.

Our program does one admissions cycle per year, for possible entry in the Fall term. Our next admissions cycle will be for possible entry in the Fall 2025 term.

There are two main steps for applying to the Bachelor of Social Work program, for information on these components please see the Application Deadline & Components below.

  • Online Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
  • Supplementary Application Components Deadline: March 3, 2025

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 requirements of the BSW program must be referred to the School’s Undergraduate Administrator, Gabrielle Crete, at gabriellecrete@cunet.carleton.ca. Follow us on social media for ongoing events and information from the School of Social Work! 


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:

  • 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;
  • 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;
  • Please review the Essential Requirements for the Bachelor of Social Work.

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. 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.