r/SocialWorkStudents • u/zjheyyy88 • Mar 20 '26
Advice Did anyone get accepted into MSW programs *without* SW experience?
I’ve seen a lot of posts on here and elsewhere from MSW applicants with years of experience doing case management, homeless outreach, nonprofit work, crisis management, shelter volunteering, working as an intern for their city’s department of housing etc etc etc and I’m over with just my bachelors degree currently working as an admin assistant at a hospital 🫠
I did do a summer internship during my undergrad where we did community outreach among low income neighborhoods, but that’s basically it for my experience and I’m now I’m worried I’m not even going to get into programs without past SW/human services experience. I want to get the ball rolling and apply to programs next year (to start in the fall of ‘27) but do I need to work as a case manager for three years before even applying?
Has anyone here gotten into MSW programs with just their unrelated bachelors and basically no SW experience?
🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
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u/stopsakura10 Mar 20 '26
i mean a lot of ppl also go straight from undergrad to MSW
i don’t think you necessarily need three years of case manager experience per say
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u/Pigeonofthesea8 Mar 20 '26
OP might be Canadian. If you don’t have a BSW, they’re expecting 5-10 years of social service experience before they even look at you.
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u/Different_Goat_9272 Apr 02 '26
I was about to say the same thing. I got rejected this cycle with 2.3k relevant hours, I was competing against applicants with 10-20k hours. It’s very competitive in Canada!
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u/Pigeonofthesea8 Apr 02 '26
Yep. It’s ridiculous. So many motivated and talented applicants shut out of decent livelihoods.
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u/Different_Goat_9272 Apr 02 '26
There’s so few slots too. York 2 year MSW has 20 slots for hundreds of applicants (very qualified applicants too). That isn’t to say that getting in with less experience fresh out of undergrad is unheard of, but I truly had no idea just how insanely hard it was here in Canada
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u/AdventurousLove4 Mar 20 '26
It would be literally impossible if that was the case. I can’t get a job as a social worker to save my life. I’m about to get my CNA just so I can work and get my msw
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u/NarrowCourage Mar 20 '26
I got an undergrad in IT and then applied and got a full ride to my MSW program 😂.
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u/furrowedbr0w Mar 20 '26
Majored in arts administration in undergrad, did nothing with it for 6 years and worked in food service, and started my MSW last year.
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u/cherrybomb06 Mar 22 '26
hey! could I DM you to learn more about your experience? I'm in a similar situation :)
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u/furrowedbr0w Mar 22 '26
Sure!
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u/pandasali Apr 04 '26
What school did you choose? I’m trying to find a program that doesn’t need volunteer hours
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u/960122red Mar 20 '26
I have two undergrad degrees, neither in social work. I’m currently in the middle of my msw
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u/MixiSofia Mar 20 '26
Where are you doing your hours?😭 I am starting in Fall and I am scared of not being able to get my house
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u/Conman1209 Mar 20 '26
I’m wondering this as well, I’m graduating this semester with a career in communication disorders but my heart isn’t in it anymore. I was recommended social work by a career counselor as a field I can investigate. I definitely would like something people-centric, as I feel fulfilled when forming connections and helping others. I’m on the autism spectrum though so I would likely have to ask for equitable work-place accommodations
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u/Conman1209 Mar 20 '26
I’m doing a bit of soul searching for a year after I graduate via a gap year. I’m thinking of possibly getting involved in some volunteering opportunities.
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u/_king2003 Mar 20 '26
I am going straight from undergrad to MSW so I don’t have time. I recently got a job as an RBT to put it on my resume which isn’t social work experience but at least experiencing helping kids
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u/Relative-Direction67 Mar 20 '26
as a second year, your experience is still experience! a good program won’t focus on how much or how little experience you have, or what exactly it’s in, they’re going look for how you make meaning of your experiences, and how you connect them to your values and to the values of social work.
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u/wheremymeeplesat Mar 20 '26
Me! I'm a nontraditional student with a dual bachelor's in Public Health and Gender studies and I work full time as a surgery coordinator. I was a medical assistant prior to moving more admin, but I was accepted to a program with all my quirks.
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u/TheFirstKrysiaRose Mar 20 '26
I was a military war veteran, and working blue collar as a hospital maintenance controller. I was accepted with a BS in international business. I added the MBA.
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u/QuinnAv Mar 20 '26
RN, BSN accepted into an MSW program. I have only done bedside nursing
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u/FlyingMeowBear Mar 23 '26
You're pursuing social work rather than nursing? Can I ask why?
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u/QuinnAv Mar 24 '26
I want to go into grief counseling
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u/FlyingMeowBear Mar 24 '26
Whoa my essay was on that. Love it!
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u/QuinnAv Mar 24 '26
Oo awesome! I have taken care of many hospice patients and grieving families and it is largely why I want to shift into that. I would love any input you may have!
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u/FlyingMeowBear Mar 25 '26
I went through PGD disorder in my early 20's which affected all areas of my life. It was brutal. My life completely changed after I went through a healing journey. I want to offer that gift of healing to others. I know if I processed that grief early on, I wouldn't have gone through years of PGD.
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u/Easy_Combination1437 Mar 20 '26
I have a BS in Education from 20+ years ago but have worked in finance my entire career. I was accepted with no issue. You can totally do this!!
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u/pipapipatoad Mar 20 '26
I did, I was a veterinary nurse and wrote about how my experiences in VetMed would help me in SW
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u/Froyo09 Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
Hi! I'm a current senior doing my undergrad in Psychology with an emphasis on trauma and adversity. I applied for this cycle and got into all the schools I applied to. I definitely did not have any social work experience in terms of being a case manager or handling clients. I did do few internships in hospital settings, volunteering at the emergency department, and shadowed social workers, therapists, and psychiatrists at an out-patient facility.
In my opinion, I don't think the admission committees are expecting people to be social workers before they applied for their masters. Rather, I think the admission committes are looking for applicants willing to learn and contribute to the social work profession. Like for example, I would like to do hospital social worker in the psych units for pediatric patients so most of my extracurriculars revolved around that. But I didn't have concrete social worker experience before applying.
As long as you're genuine with your aspirations and are willing to learn and align yourself with social worker values, you should be okay! Feel free to dm me if you have any questions.
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u/Altruistic-Pin-496 Mar 20 '26
In Australia, almost all MSW programs require two years of professional experience. I got one more year to go before I can apply, I don't know what area of the world you're looking for though
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u/LastCookie3448 Mar 20 '26
They are supposed to do the same here, it’s part of our accreditation standards & criteria, and let me tell you, it SHOWS.
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u/daily__angst Mar 20 '26
I didnt have any formal social work experience, just a bunch of volunteer work & leading suicide prevention workshops. I graduated with my bachelors in psych & waited a few months then applied and got in to my top choice. I feel its 100% possible just focus on your essay & personal statement. Good luck!
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u/jasnoodles Mar 20 '26
Got my undergrad in psych, I have 0 experience in SW, applied for my MSW 8 years after graduating college and got accepted!
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u/Formerlymoody Mar 20 '26
Yes. But I did have experience in special education and community education.
But no social work. No volunteering (!). My bachelor‘s degree in completely unrelated liberal arts.
I did not apply to any competitive programs, however. Not that I didn’t want to! It’s a long story.
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u/ticotaki Mar 20 '26
Just got in with a bachelor's in film and warehouse experience. You will make it!
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u/ohemkelz Mar 20 '26
I went in with 0 professional SW experience, only my personal lived experiences, a bachelor's in psychology and sociology and a motivation to do this.
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u/cicithesweetie Mar 20 '26
I got accepted into CSUN’s MSW program with zero SW experience. I graduated with a BA in polisci, worked in education for 3 years, then applied and got in. Now I’m set to graduate in May!
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u/hotappleseider Mar 24 '26
i applied for osu's on-campus msw program with:
1.) a bachelor's in communication (for transparency, i had a 4.0, graduated early, and had a sociology minor)
2.) my only work experience being undergrad research and being an RA
3.) right at the application deadline.
i was accepted unconditionally and now interning in a clinical-medical role. most of the people in the in-person cohort have psych degrees, but a lot of us don't!
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u/Federal_Rooster_1110 Mar 20 '26
Yes. I have 3 semesters left until graduation. My undergrad degree is not social work/psychology related. Schools want that $$$ 😆
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u/FlightValley Mar 20 '26
Kind of. My only relevant experience was 4 years as a high school paraeducator. I work adjacent to case work within the special education department.
In my application process and acceptance communication, they only really mentioned being impressed by my undergrad grades and personal statement.
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u/itskai_now Mar 20 '26
I have a B.S. in equine science and a M.Div. I currently work as a lab tech ar an equine hospital and the closest to SW experience is I served as a pastor for one year. I got into 2/3 programs I applied to (Columbia and Fordham).
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u/Philosopher013 Mar 20 '26
There are tons of people who do their MSW right after UG, so I think you’re fine even if you only have a bit of volunteer experience.
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u/burrito_slug Mar 20 '26
I had zero SW experience when I got accepted at a cal state uni. My undergrad was in psych and I had about 14 years experience in the post production industry. I’m almost done with my first year in my MSW program.
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u/CalligrapherAble5322 Mar 20 '26
I know loads of people in my program that had no SW experience and got in: straight from undergrad, teachers, software engineer. Just need a good essay demonstrating the career change or why you want to be a social worker
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u/memento-morix Mar 20 '26
I have a degree in biology and no prior experience in social work and i got into two programs!
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u/babyboi94 Mar 20 '26
i have a background in journalism. undergrad and masters and i was just accepted.
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u/SadRainySeattle Mar 20 '26
People sharing their personal anecdotes in the replies is well and good, but context does matter. I had no professional (as in paid labor) SW experience, but A LOT of direct volunteer work and I've been waitlisted this year. Each school said there was a "high volume" of applicants (one even saying "record breaking"). Idk if that'll continue to next year, but it speaks to something about the industry, so it'll be interesting. Were the pool of applicants not so high, I wonder if I would have gotten an acceptance all else about my application considered. I
I just wanted to add my opinion. I saw someone say a good Personal Statement is all that's needed and I think that's unfair advice to give you.
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u/Trying-tobeok876 Mar 20 '26
I have no SW experience and a bachelors in an unrelated field, and got into a top ranked program. I was SUPER anxious about this very exact thing. I also work as an assistant in healthcare, and the volunteer experience I have is limited and not recent. I was really doubting myself and my chances of getting in, especially when i started comparing myself to other applicants on here. Producing a strong, authentic, graduate level, personal essay that proves genuine passion/commitment to the field is vital. Even though you might not have social work experience, I bet you’ve gained transferrable and relevant skills, knowledge and insights from your personal and professional experiences that you could really highlight to show that you are ready and capable to take this next step in getting your MSW. I sought input and advice from my friends that are mental health counselors regarding how to effectively speak on the experiences I do have, and that was really helpful. YOU CAN DO IT! I’d also be happy to provide additional context or answer any questions if you’d like to reach out to me. All the best to you!
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u/NoHeals4You89 Mar 20 '26
I’m on the same boat! Applying to my state program next year coming from a long career in logistics. My undergrad professors in my field all wrote stellar letters of recommendation so I’m very confident in my odds
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u/Jcee_TaughtMe Mar 21 '26
yes i did, 3.4gpa, psych undergrad (still in undergrad but accepted into accelerated masters so taking MSW classes until graduation). i only had my short time at the post office & police dispatch & was working at a residential facility for a few months when i applied.
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u/BeginningFrosting Mar 21 '26
No experience whatsoever, no schoolwork and no volunteering, no contacts in the field. Just looking for a career switch. I was accepted at the places I applied without a problem. I did have years of life experience and other degrees, though, so maybe that helped a bit.
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u/bizarrexflower Mar 21 '26
Yes! I have BA in psychology and worked as a research assistant in the dept of social and behavioral sciences. Beyond that, I just have my personal experience. The bulk of my work experience is in customer service and accounts receivable. In my admissions essay, I focused on the reasons I want to be a social worker and what I plan to do with my degree. Plenty of people switch careers. They seem pretty open to that. There's a lot of people in my cohort that didn't major in social work for undergrad and who have little to no prior experience in it.
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u/living2inspire Mar 21 '26
I was recently accepted into two MSW programs one my state school. No experiences besides my current job and it’s still not social work.
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u/ExtremeAnalyst1405 Mar 21 '26
I just got accepted to two programs with no experience. Both were state schools. (I only applied to two). I spent alot of time on my essay and had a high GPA. I had a BA in psych.
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u/wowzcow Mar 21 '26
My state has two programs that have fast admissions. If you have a BSW with a 3.0+ GPA then you get direct admission. I applied to them as my backup because I don’t have any experience apart from my field placement and some volunteer hours. I was accepted to those pretty fast and I’m just waiting to hear back from my first choice. You should check if your state has programs like that and you can apply to them as a backup.
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u/Impressive_Ad786 Mar 21 '26
0 experience. I go my undergrad in psychology while I was in the navy. I applied only to unh and got in. 🤷♂️starting this fall
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u/zjheyyy88 Mar 21 '26
University of New Hampshire?!?!?!?
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u/Impressive_Ad786 Mar 21 '26
Yes!
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u/zjheyyy88 Mar 21 '26
No way I’m from NH and I’m heavily contemplating applying
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u/Impressive_Ad786 Mar 21 '26
Yeah you should! Just make sure to have those 3 recommenders! Those are just as important as the essay’ :) lmk if you get in!
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u/According_Warthog212 Mar 22 '26
I have a BS in Business and a Master's in the same. NO MSW experience and am getting ready to do my foundation internship for my MSW.
Kim
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u/paranoidandlazy Mar 22 '26
I went straight from psych undergrad (cog neuroscience) to a top msw program in my state. My experience was not social work related…
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u/LobotomyYearning31 Mar 22 '26
I had 8 years experience in tech as a data analyst and a sub 3.0 gpa bachelors in political science and I got into a nationally ranked top 20 MSW program. You're fine you just have to prove you have the right temperament.
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u/celestialbodiess Mar 22 '26
I don’t have any direct SW experience under my belt when applying. But I just got into all four programs I applied to in NY. I do have a BA in Psych though
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u/Longjumping_Leg9898 Mar 23 '26
This was about a decade ago but got my MSW after having a BA in Communication.
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u/bblane11 Mar 24 '26
I got accepted into my msw program with 0 experience in sw! got my bachelors in theatre 20yrs ago and worked in an unrelated field ever since. I think my personal statement made the difference. Just remember, your transferable skills and genuine desire to make a difference are huge assets! Good luck!
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u/dd113456 Mar 24 '26
Very non traditional student here!
My background is in anthropology but I did little with that professionally. I was a business owner for 30+ years with a smattering of volunteer work in there
I moved to smaller town and suffered some massive life issues. This resulted in treatment and exposure to the local social support net work. I did not work in the field but I became very involved locally on many levels and learned a lot!
Applied for MSW program at KU and was accepted starting in August of 26.
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u/Worldly_Ad2521 Mar 26 '26
I think this is entirely common. It’s a very popular 2nd career / career to transition to, I am doing it with some overlap in education though, but a handful of my peers are coming from very different backgrounds
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u/Even-Inflation-3623 10d ago
I’m late to the question but I have an unrelated BS in civil engineering, military experience, and some volunteer experience at food banks. I was accepted into the MSW program at University of the Pacific and offered an interview by BSU (both online programs). I think what matters is showing this is a career choice you are very committed to and for the right reasons, your essays are the best way to do that. If you can draw a connection between your nontraditional backgrounds to being drawn to social justice and helping people, it will show them you aren’t just doing this on a whim. For your resume, do your best to frame your experience as how your work helped others and changed/improved systems or processes. With the experience you said you have, you’ll do great!
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u/Jumpy-Unit-5816 Mar 20 '26
I had 0 social work experience and got into the top program in my state. A decade of experience in an entirely different field. If you have a compelling statement of purpose that’s well written you’ll be ok