Applying to Case Western Reserve University is an exciting step toward your future career—and at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, we work to make the process as seamless as possible with no application fees or GRE scores required.
We welcome applications from all academic backgrounds, regardless of your goals. Our holistic review process places value on your work as well as your leadership potential. Our minimum GPA for general admission is 2.7 or higher.
Take a closer look at the required materials and relevant deadlines for each of our programs:
Master of Social Work
On-Campus MSW Application Deadlines
All on-campus MSW and dual degree students begin the program in the fall semester.
- Early decision admission and scholarship deadline: December 1, 2025
- Priority admission and scholarship deadline: January 15, 2026
- General admission and scholarship deadline: March 15, 2026
- Extended admission and scholarship deadline: April 15, 2026
Weekend MSW Application Deadlines
All weekend MSW students begin the program in the fall semester.
- Priority admission and scholarship deadline: January 15, 2026
- General admission and scholarship deadline: March 15, 2026
- Extended admission and scholarship deadline: April 15, 2026
Online MSW Application Deadlines
Online MSW students may begin the program in the fall or spring semester.
Spring deadlines:
- Priority admission online application deadline: October 15, 2025
- General admission online application deadline: November 15, 2025
- Extended admission online application deadline: December 1, 2025
Fall deadlines:
- Priority admission online application deadline: March 15, 2026
- General admission online application deadline: May 15, 2026
- Extended admission online application deadline: June 15, 2026
How to Apply
1. Submit Transcripts
Transcripts from a regionally-accredited college or university, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), that demonstrates completion of a bachelor’s degree in any field of study. We require transcripts from any school at which you completed six or more credits. If you completed your degree outside of the U.S. or Canada, we will require a transcript evaluation. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded into the application system for application review. Official degree conferring transcripts will be required following admission.
2. Submit a Two-Part Essay
The essay involves a two-part essay that is five double-spaced pages in length.
- Part one: Discuss significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW). Your essay should include information regarding your interest in the social work profession, your intended concentration/specialization and career goals. Please reflect on how any past personal, school, community, volunteer, professional work or leadership experiences will contribute to your success as a social worker. Describe your strengths that you bring to the program and how the Mandel School might support your educational or career goals.
- Part two: Analyze a social, racial, economic and/or environmental justice problem of great concern to you. What do you think are the causes of this problem? Assuming you have power and resources at your disposal, in what ways do you think this problem could be addressed? Please include possible steps for implementation and challenges likely to surface in seeking a solution.
3. Additional Items to Submit
- Current resume highlighting paid and volunteer experiences.
- One recommendation letter from a faculty member, direct supervisor and/or volunteer coordinator; two preferred.
Students pursuing dual degrees in bioethics and medical humanities, business, law or public health must apply to the Mandel School with the materials above and apply separately to those programs via the methods described on program websites. Dual degrees are only available to on-campus students at this time.
Master of Nonprofit Organizations
MNO Application Deadlines
MNO students may begin the program in the fall, spring or summer semester.
- Fall deadline: July 20, 2025
How to Apply
1. Submit Transcripts
Transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), that demonstrates completion of a bachelor’s degree in any field of study. We require transcripts from any school at which you completed six or more credits. If you completed your degree outside of the U.S. or Canada, we will require a transcript evaluation. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded into the application system for application review. Official degree conferring transcripts will be required following admission.
2. Submit Two-Part Essay
Two-part essay that is five double-spaced pages in length.
- Part one: Discuss significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a Master of Nonprofit Organizations (MNO). Your essay should include information regarding your interest in nonprofit management and your career goals in the field of nonprofit management. Please also reflect on how any past personal, school, community, volunteer, professional work or leadership experiences will contribute to your success as a graduate student. Describe your strengths that you bring to the program and how the Mandel School might support your educational or career goals.
- Part two: Discuss some of the forces impacting nonprofit organizations today. Imagine you are a nonprofit executive. Identify three things you would do to ensure the success and effectiveness of the programs your organization delivers. Who would you seek to collaborate with to achieve these objectives?
3. Additional Items to Submit
- Current resume highlighting paid and volunteer experiences.
- One recommendation letter from a faculty member, direct supervisor and/or volunteer coordinator; two preferred.
PhD in Social Welfare
As of fall 2025, we are moving to a cohort model of the doctoral program. Over the 2025-2026 academic year, we are revising the mission, vision, courses and program outcomes, updating our mentorship model, and evaluating our faculty development needs.
Information sessions will begin in spring 2026, and we will begin accepting applications for the fall 2027 cohort in fall 2026.
How to Apply
To be admitted to the Mandel School doctoral program, candidates should have a master’s degree from an accredited school of social work or a master’s degree in a related field and demonstrate a superior record in undergraduate and graduate studies. Admission considerations include practical experience in social welfare, letters of reference, and competency in written and spoken English.
Identify and upload an unofficial transcript from each post-secondary institution directly onto the application. Only if you are admitted, will you then be required to submit official transcripts. In order to alleviate the cost and logistics of applying, please do not send transcripts in with your application; they will not be reviewed. International students: Documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by certified scanned translations in English.
English Proficiency Test
Students from non-English speaking countries must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken within the past two years.
International applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Minimum language scores to gain admission are detailed on this page; we do not offer conditional admission to applicants who do not meet the minimum language scores.
You only need to upload your unofficial score report; you do not need to send official test scores unless you are formally admitted. The TOEFL, IELTS and PTE are all valid for two years after the test date.
TOEFL
Requirements: 90 minimum if internet-based or 577 if paper-based (minimum of 80 TOEFL if applying to a Course Focused Engineering program). Scores can be sent officially through ETS using CWRU's school code 1105.* The School of Graduate Studies does not accept the TOEFL MyBest Scores. Applicants must achieve a minimum of 90 on one exam date; exams will not be superscored.
IELTS
Requirements: 7.0 minimum. Please do not send scores officially, simply include your TRF number on your application and we can verify your score online.
PTE
Requirements: Academic, 61 minimum. Scores can be sent officially through the Pearson website to be verified online.
Writing Sample
One writing example (not exceeding 25 double-spaced pages) of a recent, single or co-authored work of scholarly writing that provides evidence of your capacity to think analytically and critically about a social welfare issue. The following are examples of appropriate submissions:
- published article
- book chapter or book
- unpublished research report
- term paper written in a graduate-level course or a
- grant application
Personal Statement
Written personal statement (3-5 single-spaced pages) that describes and evaluates your professional development, including your career goals and how doctoral education is relevant to them and your area of research interest within the social work profession.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a faculty member.
$50 nonrefundable application fee.
Highly recommended:
- A phone or in-person interview with the chair of the program or a faculty member.
- Site visit, sitting in on a doctoral class, meeting with faculty and current doctoral students. Please contact the program to arrange an in-person visit or get more information about the program. Email Anna Gibas to arrange an in-person visit or get more information about the program.
The Doctoral Program Admissions Committee meets and makes the decision on each application.
Dual Degree: Social Work and Nonprofit Management
Dual Degree Application Deadlines
All dual degree students begin the program in the fall semester.
- Early decision admission and scholarship deadline: December 1, 2025
- Priority admission and scholarship deadline: January 15, 2026
- General admission and scholarship deadline: March 15, 2026
- Extended admission and scholarship deadline: April 15, 2026
How to Apply
1. Submit Transcripts
Transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), that demonstrates completion of a bachelor’s degree in any field of study. We require transcripts from any school at which you completed six or more credits. If you completed your degree outside of the U.S. or Canada, we will require a transcript evaluation. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded into the application system for application review. Official degree conferring transcripts will be required following admission.
2. Submit Two-Part Essay
Two-part essay that is 5-7 pages (double-spaced) in length.
- Part One (3-4 pages) Discuss significant factors influencing your decision to pursue a dual degree program with the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Nonprofit Organizations (MNO). Your essay should include information regarding your intended path of study and career goals. Please address both degrees independently. Please reflect on how any past school, community, volunteer, professional work and leadership experiences will contribute to your success as a graduate student. Describe your strengths that you bring to the program and how the Mandel School might support your educational or career goals.
- Part Two (3-4 pages) Analyze a social justice problem of great concern to you. What do you think are the causes of this problem? Assuming you have the power and resources at your disposal, in what ways do you think this problem could be addressed? Please include possible steps for implementation and challenges likely to surface in seeking a solution. Finally, include your plan as a nonprofit manager addressing this problem. How would you mobilize your team? What are key factors to consider before implementing a plan of action?
3. Additional Items to Submit
- Current resume highlighting paid and volunteer experiences.
- One recommendation letter from a faculty member, direct supervisor and/or volunteer coordinator; two preferred.
Certificate and Non-Degree Programs
Certificate and Non-Degree Program Application Deadlines
Non-degree and post-master certificate students may begin the program in the fall, spring or summer semester.
- Spring deadline: December 1
- Summer deadline: April 15
- Fall deadline: July 15