Application Instructions

International Social Work Degree Recognition & Evaluation Service is closed for holiday break. We will resume operations on January 6.

ISWDRES Application Instructions

Step 1: Screening Form, Screening Form Fee, and Approval of the Screening Form

a. Complete the ISWDRES Screening Form online.
The screening form is used to determine if you have a social work degree. You MUST fill out the screening form. Only submit one screening form per applicant. Please do not fill out the screening form until you have completed your social work degree. The screening form will not be processed until you have paid the $35 screening form fee. Important: Any unpaid screening form you created will be deleted after five business days.

b. Pay the ISWDRES Screening Form Fee

The $35 non-refundable screening form fee may be paid by credit card, cashier’s check, or money order.

  • If you wish to pay by credit card, please use this link. 
    If your credit card payment fails, it is likely due to recently increased security with credit card companies regarding international payments.  Unfortunately, ISWDRES/CSWE has no control over failed credit card payments.  Please do not continue and repeat to try to pay by credit card if the first payment attempt fails.  Repeated attempts to pay by credit card will also fail.  
  • If you wish to pay with a cashier’s check, it must be issued in U.S. dollars. Make the check payable to ISWDRES/CSWE. 
  • If you wish to pay by money order, be sure your name is written on the money order and make it payable to ISWDRES/CSWE.  Enclose a photocopy of the money order along with the original money order.

 Cashier’s checks and money orders should be sent to:

International Social Work Degree Recognition & Evaluation Service
CSWE
333 John Carlyle Street
Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
USA

The screening form will not be processed until the $35 screening fee has been received. 

c. Approval of the Screening Form
If the applicant is found to have a social work degree/major, the applicant will receive an e-mail stating that the screening form was approved along with directions to fill out the Recognition Application form and pay the Recognition Application Fee. You may not access the recognition application form until you have received an e-mail from this Service. Applicants may expect to receive screening results within 2 weeks of posting.

Step 2: Recognition Application, Recognition Application Fee, and Supporting Documents

a. Complete the ISWDRES Recognition Application Form online.

b. Pay the ISWDRES Recognition Application Form Fee.

The ISWDRES fee is based on the country where the degree was awarded; please see the ISWDRES fee schedule for a list of countries. 

This Recognition Application Fee may be paid by credit card or money order. If you wish to pay by credit card, please use this link.

If you wish to pay by money order, please pay it to the order of ISWDRES/CSWE. Be sure your name is written on the money order and include a photocopy of the money order. Please note that we do not accept checks of any kind. Please mail your money order (with your name on it) and a photocopy of the money order to:

International Social Work Degree Recognition & Evaluation Service
CSWE
333 John Carlyle Street
Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
USA

Recognition Application Form will not be processed and supporting documents will not be reviewed until the recognition application fee has been received.

c. Submission of Official Supporting Documents
After you submit the Recognition Application Form and pay the Recognition Application Form Fee, contact your social work program and/or institution and ask it to send the Official Supporting Documents listed below to ISWDRES.

All of the following materials should be mailed or emailed (via postal service or via email: in PDF format each document; 15 pages limit for course descriptions) directly from the social work program to:

International Social Work Degree Recognition & Evaluation Service
CSWE
333 John Carlyle Street
Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
​USA

PLEASE NOTE: Official supporting documents will not be returned to applicants as they must be kept in hardcopy for future referral. The Service does not serve as a legal representative of an applicant’s institution.

1. Competencies or Expected Outcomes* from the social work program you attended at the time you were enrolled (sent directly from the Social Work program**).

*Competencies or Expected Outcomes are the skill and value set that a social work program expects its students to possess by graduation.

**Applicants need to contact their Social Work program director/staff or faculty and have the institution send its competencies or expected outcomes directly to the CSWE. Click here (PDF) for examples of U.S. Social Work expected outcomes.

Source: 2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards 9 https://www.cswe.org/getmedia/23a35a39-78c7-453f-b805-b67f1dca2ee5/2015-epas-and-glossary.pdf (pages 7 – 9)

2. Transcript or mark list must be sent directly to CSWE by the social work program.

3. Proof of graduation – an official letter from your university stating that you attended the Social Work program, received a baccalaureate- or master’s-level degree and graduated in good standing, including the date. The letter must be on the official university letterhead stating that diploma was granted to you with the date when degree was conferred. Department Director or Chair can sign it.

4. Course descriptions of all Social Work courses that appear on applicant’s transcript, including field placements. The course descriptions must be official translations made from the social work program’s course catalog or official notarized copies from the original text if printed in English. Applicants need to clearly mark the classes they attended for easy reference by ISWDRES staff.

All documents must be officially translated into English in order to be considered for review. Photocopies of transcripts and diplomas MUST be affixed with a university/program seal or notary public to be considered for evaluation.

"Officially Translated" means that translation can be done at your social work program (it MUST be affixed with a university/program seal) or through an outside service (as long as it is notarized by a notary public and accompanied by the originals).

Important updates coming July 2025!

Beginning July 1, 2025, supporting documents for all ISWDRES applicants must reflect CSWE's 2022 Educational and Policy Standards (EPAS).

The following 2022 EPAS competencies must be met/demonstrated via field education practice* and classroom-based learning:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

*Field education (i.e., internship or practicum within a social work setting with clients, constituents, and communities) is the signature pedagogy for social work in the United States and without any field experience, degree equivalency cannot be granted. Field education must occur while enrolled in the social work education program. Pre- or post-degree field experience will not be accepted. The degree framework must include applying classroom-based theories and concepts in a real practice setting.