Admissions

Application deadlines

Applications submitted before the deadline will receive priority consideration. Current University of Washington undergraduate accounting students should complete one quarter of prerequisite accounting coursework prior to submitting the application. Incoming students from UW Undergraduate Accounting majors, contact us at uwbmsa@uw.edu or (425) 352-3306.

Note: Applications are accepted after deadline on a space available basis.

International student deadline

For questions related to international graduate student visas, visit UW Bothell International Student Services.

Note: Applications are accepted after deadline on a space available basis.

More information for international applicants.

Prerequisites:

• Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized four-year U.S. University or equivalent institution. If your degree was NOT an accounting degree, complete the prerequisites as noted below.
• Applicants must expect to have completed (by the time they start the Master’s program), upper level (300 and 400 level) undergraduate Accounting courses in the following areas:
  • Intermediate Accounting*
  • Cost Accounting
  • Federal Income Taxation
  • Auditing
  • Accounting Information Systems

*NOTE: The Intermediate Accounting I, II and III series may be offered in 2 semester classes or 3 quarter classes depending on the structure of your college or university.

Applicants may complete prerequisites in the following ways:

• Enroll in the 9-10 month Certificate in Accounting at UW Bothell. Classes begin each September, and the program completes in 3 quarters. If the above link does not answer your questions, please email bbusinfo@uw.edu.
• Enroll in in either the 9-10 month or 9-week summer Certificate In Accounting at UW Seattle. The UW Seattle Certificate meets in the daytime. Applying requires completion of a Bachelor’s degree and academic credits earned in an introductory financial accounting course AND an introductory managerial accounting course. Click above link for details.
• Enroll in any other certificate in accounting program that meets either state CPA or Uniform CPA educational requirements.
• Take prerequisite courses at local community colleges.

Please note that in addition to the upper level accounting courses above, the CPA exam has additional requirements. Anyone planning to work in a different state should always check with that state’s CPA exam requirements.

Application requirements

Applicants must meet UW Graduate School admission requirements as well as the general UW Bothell MS Accounting program requirements to be eligible for admission to the MS Accounting Program.

UW Graduate School minimum admission requirements

• Required: a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its four-year equivalent from an accredited foreign institution.
• Also acceptable: hold a Master’s degree, a doctoral degree (Ph.D., D.Phil.), or a professional degree (M.D., J.D., D.V.M., etc.) from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from an accredited foreign institution.
• Have earned at least a 3.0 grade-point-average (on a 4 point scale) from a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution for the last 90 quarter credits — OR —- 60 semester credits from a baccalaureate degree. For a Master’s, doctoral, or professional degree, the total cumulative average may be used. If you earned additional credits from an accredited institution after your degree, you may include these credits in calculating your GPA.
• Be proficient in English: Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. The ways in which proficiency can be demonstrated are outlined in Memo 8: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements.

General UW Bothell MS Accounting program admission requirements:

• Applicants must have completed, or expect to have completed by the time they start in the Master’s program, an undergraduate degree program in accounting or in Business (with MSA prerequisites) at a recognized four-year U.S. university or equivalent institution.
• Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in Accounting or Business but complete the necessary prerequisite coursework are also eligible to apply.
• GMAT/GRE exams may be waived under certain conditions.

Required application materials

• Current Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• References
• Transcripts

TOEFL scores may be required for non-English native speaking candidates

How to apply

Step 1 – Create a profile & complete the application

1. Create a New Applicant Profile at the University of Washington Graduate School application website.
2. Select your application type: Graduate
3. Select your graduate program: Accounting (MSA) – Business Administration – Bothell.
4. Complete the rest of the New Application. Be sure to indicate the quarter and year you wish to enter.

Step 2 – Provide supporting documentation

1. Complete the online application Statement of Purpose.
2. Upload a PDF of your resume.
3. Upload one PDF transcript copy of your 4-year bachelor’s degree (or the required 4-year equivalent from an accredited foreign institution). If the PDF file size is too small to upload all documents, save all as 1 condensed, black and white PDF.
   • Include a transcript for each college or university you attended if it is not documented on your final transcript.
   • If accepted, you will then be instructed about how to provide official transcripts.
4. Provide contact information for 2 online recommenders, as instructed in the application.
   • NOTE: Upon entering the recommenders’ contact information, an email will automatically be sent to the recommenders with a link to a recommendation form. “Received” beside the recommender’s name indicates that the form was completed.
   • Please do not mail anything to our office.
5. If English is not your native language, you may be required to demonstrate English Language Proficiency. Your submitted application will be considered complete only after one of the items in Memo 8 (see details), is successfully submitted.
6. Applicants are required to have at least a 3.0 grade-point-average (on a 4 point scale) for the bachelor degree’s last 90 quarter credits, OR, the last 60 semester credits.
   • If your GPA is below 3.0, please explain the cause in the space below your statement of purpose.
   • For a Master’s, doctoral, or professional degree, the total cumulative average may be used.
   • If you earned additional credits from an accredited institution after your degree, you may include these credits in calculating your GPA.

Step 3 – Determine if you need a GMAT/GRE score

The GMAT/GRE is not required for applicants who, at the time of application, meet any of the following criteria:

• Are enrolled in a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program or accounting certificate program and expect to achieve a cumulative accounting GPA (as defined in note 1 below) of 3.2 or higher
• Have earned a BBA or undergraduate accounting certificate with a cumulative accounting GPA (as defined in note 1 below) of 3.2 or higher
• Have earned a BBA or undergraduate accounting certificate, do not meet the cumulative accounting GPA requirements listed above, but have two or more years of full-time accounting-related work experience and can provide at least one professional letter of reference describing the nature of the work experience and how it has prepared the applicant to succeed in graduate study of accounting,
• Have earned a graduate degree in any field from an accredited U.S. post-secondary or equivalent international educational institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and, a cumulative accounting GPA of 3.2 or higher*
• Possess a relevant professional certification (CPA, CMA, CFE, CFA, or equivalent).

*For the purposes of this policy, cumulative accounting GPA means the applicant’s cumulative GPA in all 300 and 400-level accounting courses, including but not limited to, all of the required courses (or equivalent thereof) listed in the program admission eligibility criteria.

Applicants ineligible for a waiver per the criteria above may apply for a waiver explaining attenuating circumstances. 

Applicants ineligible for or denied a waiver must submit GMAT or GRE scores at the time of application. Scores may be submitted using the UW institution code of 4054.

Step 4 – Verify submission of your materials

1. Log in to the UW Graduate School application website to confirm receipt of your application materials. All required materials must be received before your application will be reviewed. You may be contacted by the UW Bothell MS Accounting Program Office requesting additional material as needed.

Step 5 – Admission interviews & decisions

The MS Accounting Admissions Committee will review completed applications and invite selected students for interviews.

Questions?

Email uwbmsa@uw.edu