Undergraduate

Admissions

Pre-Major Admissions | Transfer Student Admissions | Returning Student Admissions | FAQs

Pre-Major Student Admissions

Applicants who are currently enrolled at UW Bothell as a Pre-Major student can meet with a First Year and Pre-Major academic advisor to apply for admission to any major housed in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. Applicants can also review major planning worksheets prepared by First Year and Pre-Major academic advisors to review prerequisites and prepare for admission to an IAS major.

Application deadlines for Pre-Major/First Year student admissions:
Quarter of Admission	Open Date	Close Date
Autumn 2023	March 1, 2023	June 1, 2023
Winter 2024	August 2, 2023	October 10, 2023
Spring 2024	December 1, 2023	January 25, 2024

The School of IAS does not accept applications for summer quarter admissions.

How to Apply

To apply for admission to an IAS major, login and complete the major application form. This application is not intended for current IAS students who want to add or change their major (contact an IAS advisor for help with this process).
Review the Major Application for Current Students webpage for more information about the application process.

Tips for Completing your IAS Major Application

Don’t apply for more than one IAS major. If you apply for more than one major and are admissible to both, you will only be admitted to the first major you applied for. If you want to add a second major you can do so the following quarter once your new major has become official, by making an appointment with your IAS advisor.
Only use your UW email to sign into the application.
Run your degree audit for the major you are applying for before starting your application. Reference your audit when completing the application.
When looking for your Areas of Knowledge (I&S, VLPA, and NW) on your degree audit, make sure to look at both the top and the bottom of your audit.
Have a copy of your unofficial UW transcript ready and a personal statement ready (if you do not meet the minimum declaration requirements) to include in your application.

S/NS Grades during COVID-19- For any quarter designated as having extenuating circumstances, IAS will consider a S (satisfactory) grade as fulfilling admission requirements, meaning a S grade will not negatively impact your application to the School of IAS. An earned S grade will not be compared against a numeric grade earned by another applicant.

If you have questions about major requirements please contact the Pre-Major program advisors.
If you have any technical issues with the application please contact the Major Application team.

Transfer Student Admissions

If you are currently enrolled or have previously been enrolled at a community college or university, and are not currently taking courses from UW Bothell, please review the transfer student admissions page and admissions planning worksheets. Prospective transfer students should contact the Office of Admissions for transfer admissions advising.

If you have questions about IAS majors, major requirements, admission process and application status, please contact the Admissions advisors.

Returning Student Admissions

If you are an IAS student and have not been enrolled for more than one quarter (excluding summer quarter), then you must re-apply to the IAS major using the returning student application. If you have questions about registration and graduation dates, please feel free to email IAS advisors to check your academic plan.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about IAS Admissions

I am a Pre-Major student applying to IAS, how long will it take to get a decision?

Once your application has been submitted, you should receive a decision or email communication from the IAS Admissions Committee within 2-3 weeks. If you do not receive any communication, you can always email iasadv@uw.edu for an update on your application status.

I am a Pre-Major student admitted to the IAS program, what is the next step?

After you have been admitted to an IAS major there are a few things you should do:

Complete the online New Student Orientation. This orientation is located on Canvas and the link to access it will be included in your acceptance letter. If you have any issues accessing the link after you have been admitted email the IAS advisors.
Register for BIS 300. IAS requires that all majors complete BIS 300 in their first quarter of admission. Students admitted to the Earth System Science major should register for BEARTH 300 instead. Please note that BEARTH 300 is only offered in Autumn quarters. Students admitted in Winter or Spring should plan to take BEARTH 300 in the next upcoming Autumn term.

I am a transfer student admitted to the IAS program, what is the next step? And when can I register?

To be able to register, you must confirm your enrollment, verify Measles Immunization and attend a new student orientation. Then, you should be able to register the orientation. Newly admitted IAS students may register during Registration Period 2. Please visit the following pages for detailed information:

To confirm your enrollment, please visit the Online Enrollment Confirmation System (ECS)
In order for a newly admitted student to confirm admission via the Enrollment Confirmation System, they will need to create a UW NetID. Questions regarding creation of/set up of UW NetIDs can be forwarded to Admissions at uwbapply@uw.edu or 425.352.5000.
Review the UW Tri-Campus Immunity Verification Requirement.
Sign up for a new student orientation.

I was dropped for low scholarship. How do I apply to be reinstated to IAS?

Students who have been dropped from for low scholarship can apply to be reinstated to IAS. To begin this process, email the IAS advisors and they will provide you with the prompt for your Reinstatement Letter as well as the required Reinstatement Form. Once those have been submitted the IAS Admissions Committee will review those documents and issue a reinstatement decision.

Does IAS admit students who have not completed the World Language requirement? May a student make up the World Languages while majoring at the IAS?

IAS will not admit students who are deficient in any of the core requirement (World Languages, Intermediate Algebra, English Composition, and Quantitative & Symbolic Reasoning). If a student is in the process of completing a core requirement at the time of application, and is admissible to the program, IAS will admit the student contingent upon successful completion of the core requirement. The student will not be allowed to register until official documentation of successful completion of the deficiency has been received.

I am interested in applying for Summer quarter. Is that a possibility?

Due to the limited number of course offerings, IAS does not admit new students for Summer quarter.

What is the Individualized Studies major?

The Individualized Study (IS) is designed for highly-motivated students who want to create their own courses of study. Students can't apply directly to this major. If interested, students apply to one of the IAS majors and change it to the IS major in their junior year after they have completed at least one quarter of coursework in IAS, including BIS 300 Interdisciplinary Inquiry. For more information about the IS major, please contact the faculty coordinator and visit the IS major page.

I have been denied admission to the School of IAS. Can I get help applying for another quarter?

If you are a transfer student and have been denied admission to an IAS major and would like to receive additional guidance on your educational plan, you can contact the IAS Transfer Admissions Advisor. If you are a UWB pre-major student and have been denied admission, please make an appointment with your pre-major advisor to receive additional guidance.