Admissions

Autumn 2027 application deadline – July 1, 2027

The Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations (GCECEF) is a cohort model that admits for the autumn quarter only. The GCECEF does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements for students studying in the United States on an F-1 Visa. Application opens in February.

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Admissions requirements

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations has required prerequisites and strongly recommended courses:

Required

  • A regionally accredited bachelor’s degree in a STEM (or related) field with a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last two years of study
  • English language proficiency
  • A full year of Calculus
  • Engineering Calculus-based Physics 1 (Mechanics) and 2 (Electromagnetism and Oscillatory Motion)

Strongly recommended

  • Multivariable Calculus
  • Differential Equations
  • Matrix or Linear Algebra

Recommended

  • General Chemistry 1 (with lab)

Students do not need to complete any of the strongly recommended or recommended courses in order to be eligible for admission.

View the prerequisite guide for course equivalencies.

Based on a holistic review of the applicant’s background and experiences, exceptions to the required list of prerequisite courses are possible. Please email the School of STEM Office of Graduate Studies for further guidance if you think your educational or professional background may exempt you from one or more of these prerequisites.

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How to apply – the application checklist

Autumn 2026 application deadline: July 1, 2026

The application to the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations is submitted online via the Graduate School Application. All application materials should be submitted online, and are due by the application deadline.

Select a checklist item to navigate for detailed instructions on how to apply:

1. Application & paid fee

Complete the UW Grad School application and pay the application fee. Applications must be completed online.

  • Create an applicant profile or log in to an existing applicant profile
  • Create a new application
  • Select your application type (choose from the drop down list: Graduate)
  • Select “Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Electrical Engineering Foundations” from the drop-down list of graduate programs
  • Complete the application as directed

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2. Unofficial transcripts

Upload your unofficial transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree and all graduate certificate prerequisites.

Applicants with degrees from outside the United States must upload detailed official mark sheets (front and back) and official documentation showing degree earned. It is encouraged to include the grading scale/scheme used if not already listed on the transcript. All documents must be in English, and be the official translation from the institution in which the degree(s) was earned.

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3. Current resume

Upload a current Resume showing detailed relevant work experience.

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4. Personal statement

Upload a Personal Statement detailing why the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations is of interest to you, and how the GCECEF will support your scholarly and career goals. Please limit your response to a maximum of 500 words.

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5. English language proficiency

Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington as outlined in Policy 3.2. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency.

Proficiency for this program can be demonstrated in one of the following ways (expand accordion for complete details):

  • Residency: For applicants using an English‑medium‑of‑instruction (MOI) degree to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement, the following residency conditions apply [Note: students that are non-native English speakers will be asked if they meet these residency requirements in the Graduate School application. Remote, distance, online, or primarily offsite enrollment does not satisfy the residency requirement.]:
    • For institutions located in an English-speaking country: The student must have been in residence in that country for the full duration of enrollment in the degree program.
    • For institutions located in countries where English is not the official or dominant language: The student must have been in residence on, or in close proximity to, the degree granting campus for the full duration of enrollment.
  • Documentation: Official documentation from the applicant’s degree-granting institutions verifying that all instruction is in English is required, except for degrees from accredited institutions in the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Canada, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, the United States, or the Virgin Islands.
    • Official or attested letter from the undergraduate college, university Registrar, or Controller of Examinations office.
    • Official transcripts, attested mark sheets or degree statements, are also accepted if English is stated as the medium of instruction.
  • TOEFL iBT (at test center or home)
    • Minimum score 4.5 (92 for test taken before January 21, 2026)
    • MyBest scores are not accepted
    • Sent via ETS to institution code 4854
  • Academic IELTS (at test center or home)
    • Minimum score 7.0
    • One Skill retake are not accepted
    • Sent via E-TRF to organization code 365
  • Duolingo English Test
    • Minimum score 130
    • Sent via Duolingo to University of Washington Graduate Admissions (Bothell, Seattle, Tacoma)

Previous UW graduate degree completion or previous admittance and current enrollment in a UW graduate program.

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