We host a series of Welcome Sessions to provide an opportunity to connect with members of the advising and practicum teams, current students, discuss your degree plan, and get questions answered about financial aid. Some sessions are general and some are specific to financial aid. Register for both below!

Register for a General Welcome Session: https://forms.office.com/r/6HDu2KWCz3

Register for a Financial Aid Welcome Session: https://forms.office.com/r/FA7BwpBy9d

In order to confirm your acceptance and reserve your space for fall, complete your decision form within ApplyWeb, which includes submitting a nonrefundable confirmation fee, by the date provided in your decision letter. Failure to complete the confirmation process by this date could result in forfeiture of your admissions slot.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is open for the 2024-2025 academic year. Click here to apply. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for student loans, the Graduate School Fund and need-based GCSW scholarships! The UH school code for FAFSA is 003652. Typically, Financial Aid releases award packages to your myUH account in June. If you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, you might be eligible for the TASFA, click here to learn more.

The GCSW scholarship application is accepting applications through May 15, 2024. To learn more and to access the application, click here. All GCSW scholarship applications are considered after the application closes. Award notifications for GCSW scholarships are emailed in early Summer.

Here is an estimate of the tuition and fees for the program, based on enrollment model and residency status. *Please note that this is an estimate based on the current information provided to us. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

You will find answers to the questions we get asked most in our list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Practicum or internship is a required part of a master’s in social work (MSW) degree accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE has policies and requirements that guide practicum. Practicum at the Graduate College of Social Work is an experiential way for students to engage and apply knowledge learned from coursework in a real setting.

The practicum team made a collective decision to shift language from using the word field to practicum. This language shift was inspired by activist Joyce McMillan (as seen in a webinar discussing the racist and anti-black history of the word field) This language shift encompasses a larger effort by the practicum faculty team towards an anti-racist and affirming practicum experience for all stakeholders.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires a minimum of 900 clock hours of practicum education for an MSW degree. When enrolled in a practicum course you will typically spend 16-18 hours per week during the day, mostly Monday-Friday, dedicated to practicum activities. Most students enroll in practicum courses in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Full program students will complete two separate practicum placements. The student’s first placement (Generalist) placement requires 400 clock hours. The student’s second practicum placement (Concentration) requires 500 clock hours.

Generalist placements at GCSW require 400 clock hours at a single agency/community setting (typically in two consecutive semesters, Fall/Spring, of 200 hours per semester). This placement is required to be completed with generalist coursework, typically in the incoming Fall semester and first year of the MSW program. The focus of this placement is broad social work roles and activities that serve individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This typically requires 16-18 hours per week during the day, Monday-Friday.

Concentration placements at GCSW require 500 clock hours at a single agency/community setting (typically two consecutive semesters for 250 hours per semester). This placement happens during the student’s last year of the MSW program. This placement aligns with the student’s chosen concentration and advanced coursework, either Macro or Clinical. Macro placements focus on activities serving groups, organizations, and communities. Clinical placements focus on activities serving individuals, families, and groups. This typically requires 16-18 hours per week during the day, Monday-Friday.

*Note: your academic course schedule is based on your enrollment type and can also impact your availability for practicum.

Advanced standing students only complete the final concentration placement that requires 500 total clock hours. (They do not complete a generalist placement, as the BSW placement waives generalist placement requirement).

Concentration placements at GCSW require 500 clock hours at a single agency/community setting (typically two consecutive semesters for 250 hours per semester). This placement happens during the student’s last year of the MSW program. This placement aligns with the student’s chosen concentration and advanced coursework, either Macro or Clinical. Macro placements focus on activities serving groups, organizations, and communities. Clinical placements focus on activities serving individuals, families, and groups. This typically requires 16-18 hours per week during the day, Monday-Friday.

*Note: your academic course schedule is based on your enrollment type and can also impact your availability for practicum.

Students will engage in activities at the practicum site to complete required hours and activities that demonstrate growth. Additionally, students meet weekly with their practicum instructor for supervision- called practicum instruction- and processing to connect what they are doing with what is learned in class. Practicum instruction is provided by a person who has a master’s degree in social work (license is not required but the degree cannot be in anything else) and two years, post-graduate, full-time, social work experience.

Yes, students may receive approval to complete practicum at a place where the student is already employed if the placement is eligible and meets specific criteria. More information about criteria and how to request approval will come through orientation. 

The GCSW considers any practicum completed in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston and/or Harris County as INSIDE the Greater Houston area. The practicum team has structured processes for connecting students with affiliated agencies. More information about these processes will be provided through orientation.

The GCSW considers any practicum completed outside Brazoria, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston and/or Harris County as a distance placement. Students completing practicum at a distance will be responsible for finding and securing a placement in their local area that meets specific practicum requirements. The practicum team has resources to support students seeking distance placements. More information about this process and available supports will be provided through orientation. Full program, distance students can start exploring now for a placement that meets criteria in their area. This Practicum Guidelines sheet has logistics you can share with prospective agencies to answer basic questions.

• Review your degree plan and identify when practicum is scheduled.
• Plan a possible schedule: Determine what days/times your coursework is scheduled to understand your availability for practicum (16 hours a week). Many practicum settings require students to engage during business (Mon-Fri), daytime hours.
• Review information sent via email from practeam@uh.edu during the summer to participate in connection processes and information specific to your enrollment model.
• For more information, participate in a Practicum Information Session via zoom over the summer and/or review the practicum guidelines sheet.

The GCSW Student Ambassadors will be reaching out via email or phone to all admitted students to welcome you and answer any questions you might have about the program. Please be on the lookout for a welcome from one of them soon, if you haven’t already been contacted. You can view all of our wonderful ambassadors and read their blogs here!

If you are interested in touring the Social Work Building, please email gcswinfo@uh.edu to schedule a visit. For tours of the UH campus, please visit the undergraduate admissions page which coordinates those tours, or do a self-guided virtual tour.

Visit the UH Parking and Transportation website to learn more about parking permits and alternative transportation options.

Face-to-Face students are recommended to purchase either a Garage or Zoned parking permit. Here is a map showing all of the parking options on the main campus. The closest parking options to the GCSW are Zones A, B, and C and the Stadium and Elgin Street Garages; however, there is also a shuttle service that runs throughout campus if you are unable to secure one of these options.

Hybrid students are recommended to purchase an Evening-Weekend permit which can be used at the Sugar Land campus.

Parking registration usually begins in the spring and is first-come first-served, so we recommend looking into your options as soon as possible!

Houston is the 4th largest city in the country, with many options for housing. You can choose from on-campus housing, apartment complexes just off-campus that cater to students with shuttles and other services, or live off-campus and commute. Visit Houston has a guide to Houston neighborhoods that will help orient newcomers, and we have also created a resource guide. If you are interested in living with a roommate, we will open a private Facebook group in June for all MSW admits to connect with each other prior to orientation. Many students have found roommates or referrals through that group.

After you confirm your spot in the program, you should receive an email from University Information Technology with information about your new CougarNet account which you can use to login to AccessUH. Here is a semester quick-start guide, and you can call the 24-hour help line at 713-743-1411 or email if you have any questions or issues accessing your account.

You will receive an email from your advisor this summer with information on how and for what courses to register. If you haven’t received an email from your advisor by the end of July, please email gcswinfo@uh.edu. You may receive general communications prior to July from the university encouraging you to enroll; however, please wait for your advisor’s instructions before enrolling. If you have an enrollment hold, please follow the instructions provided to remove the hold(s) before you can register for classes.

Schedules vary based on enrollment model, semester, and other factors, but here is a general idea of what to expect the first semester based on enrollment model.

Face-to-Face Full Program (or Foundation) students will be in class from about 8:30 am to 4:00pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, with a lunch break between classes. This leaves Monday, Tuesday, and Friday available for practicum and part-time work (16-20 hours/week of practicum are required during daytime hours primarily). NOTE: Full-Time work commitments are strongly discouraged for full-time MSW students.

Face-to-Face Advanced Standing (students with a BSW) will be in class from about 8:30 am to 4:00pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a lunch break between classes. This leaves Wednesday, Thursday and Friday available for practicum and part-time work (16-24 hours/week of practicum are required during daytime hours primarily). NOTE: Full-Time work commitments are strongly discouraged for full-time MSW students.

Hybrid students take courses that are delivered both online and face-to-face and are in class 1-2 Saturdays each month at the Sugar Land campus. Saturday classes are scheduled in advance and will last the entire day, 9:00am-4:00pm. Lunch is typically provided on Saturdays. Some of the online classes may require synchronous online meetings scheduled M-F in the evening. The only exception to these arrangements is Foundations of Social Work, which will take place the Friday before the first semester begins. Practicum hours (16 hours/week minimum) and coursework will be completed at times when students are not in class. Students must have flexibility in their schedule during business hours. NOTE: There is no guarantee of a practicum placement with only evening/weekend hours.

Online students take courses that are delivered online in 8-week sessions during the fall/spring semesters (10- or 5- week sessions in the summer). Classes are asynchronous with virtual meeting options throughout the session. For planning purposes, each 3-hour course requires about 6-8 hours/week of time spent reading or completing learning activities or assignments. Students must have flexibility in their schedule during business hours to complete practicum (16 hours/week minimum). NOTE: There is no guarantee of a practicum placement with only evening/weekend hours.

In June, we will create a private Facebook group for Fall 2024 MSW admits to connect with future classmates! This will be a great resource to network, get acquainted and possibly find a roommate for next year. Once the group has been created, we will send an email to incoming students with instructions for requesting access.

The UH Graduate School has compiled a list of next steps for admitted international students. Please view it here.

After you confirm your spot in the program, the college will submit a request for an I-20 to the Graduate School on your behalf. They will contact you directly if they need documents to process the I-20 and will notify you once the I-20 has been issued. Please view their website for more information.

All graduate students are required to provide proof of the attainment of a Bachelor’s degree before enrolling at the University of Houston. If you submitted copies of your official documents during the admission process, you will need to send by mail official, sealed documents to the UH Graduate School for degree verification before enrollment. Visit the Graduate School International Student Transcript Information website for the complete guidelines and list of official documents required based on country.

ISSSO provides important services and support to international students, including pre- and post-arrival, housing, financial services, employment and visa information. Please visit their website for more information.

In addition to the GCSW Orientation which takes place during the summer for the MSW program, all new international students are required to attend the International Student Orientation hosted by ISSSO before the fall semester begins. Information will be posted here when available.

Q: Can I work as an international student?

A: Student employment is possible, but with restrictions for F-1 visa holders. Please see the employment section of the ISSSO website for more information.

Q: What financial support is available for me?

A: F-1 visa holders are not eligible for funding through FAFSA or TASFA, but ISSSO has compiled some other resources that are available here.

Q: Can I do a part-time program (Hybrid or Online) as an international student?

A: F-1 students are limited to full-time enrollment, which means they are only eligible for our Face-to-Face full-time enrollment model.