Visiting graduate student status allows students who are actively pursuing a graduate degree (master’s, Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.) at another college or university to take graduate courses at the University of Washington (UW) and transfer a limited number of credits back to their home institution. (Acceptance as a visiting graduate student does not confer priority for later admission to a graduate program at the UW.) The length of enrollment is determined by the number of quarters approved by the home institution and the UW graduate program that admits the visiting graduate applicant. Students may hold visiting graduate status in only one graduate program at a time and may not hold any other student status while enrolled as a visiting graduate student.
Not all graduate programs accept visiting graduates, so please contact the program before you apply. You may find contact information in the graduate program listing.
If you are an international student who does not plan to enroll full-time at the University of Washington during your visit, but instead you plan “to participate in full-time supervised research and work-based learning experiences at the University of Washington,” then please refer to the Visiting International Student Internship & Training (VISIT) program.
Citizenship and Visa Status
U.S. citizens, permanent residents, immigrants, and international applicants are welcome to apply for visiting graduate status. (International applicants requesting an F-1 or J-1 visa must meet the UW’s financial ability requirement to show that they have adequate funding to cover living costs and tuition and campus fees.)
Information Specific to J-1 Visiting Graduates
The majority of Visiting Graduates at the UW attend in the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Category because they are receiving over 50% of their funding from their home country government, home institution, US government organization, international organization, UW Study Abroad and/or a UW department. If you are an international student who will receive this type of funding, please review this section carefully.
J-1 Visiting Graduates, read more:
Admission Requirements
Prospective visiting graduate students must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Must have earned the equivalent of a Bachelor’s (undergraduate) degree before starting the Visiting Graduate exchange program.
- Be in good standing and actively pursuing a graduate degree at another regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or its equivalent from a foreign institution (your transcripts must include graduate coursework (Master’s, doctoral), or you may upload a letter confirming graduate enrollment into your UW application).
- Students who are non-native English speakers must meet Policy 3.2: Graduate School English Language Proficiency Requirements.
- Graduate programs may have additional admission requirements.
Application Deadlines & Procedures
- Review graduate program admissions requirements & deadlines. A list of graduate programs can be found in the graduate program listing.
Contact the graduate program to confirm they will accept visiting graduate students.
Submit a Graduate School Application: Apply Online (Select Visiting Graduate for application type).
Registration Procedures
- Visiting graduate students register for classes in MyUW.
- Visiting graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment if they have been admitted for multiple quarters of study or lose their visiting graduate student status.
- Visiting graduate students holding an F-1 or J-1 visa must register for a minimum of 10 credits each quarter of attendance.
Additional Information
- Visiting graduate students can establish a UW NetID and a UW email account.
- Visiting graduate students have access to the UW Libraries.
- Visiting graduate students have access to the Intramural Activities (IMA) Building on the Seattle campus.
- Visiting F-1 & J-1 graduate students are required to maintain insurance and are eligible for International Student Health Insurance (iSHIP).
- Visiting U.S. citizens or permanent residents should refer to the Student Affordable Care Act.
Questions?
Please send questions to Graduate Enrollment Management Services at uwgrad@uw.edu.