Online MSW Programs with No GRE Requirement

What "no GRE" can mean on an admissions page

Programs describe their testing policies in different ways, and the wording matters. Look for which of these a program's policy describes:

• No GRE required: the program does not ask any applicant for GRE scores.
• Conditional: the GRE may be required for applicants who do not meet another admission standard, such as a minimum undergraduate GPA.
• Optional: applicants may send scores, but the program does not require them.

If a policy says the GRE can be "waived," find out exactly what the waiver depends on and whether you have to request it.

What programs ask for instead of the GRE

CSWE requires each accredited master's program to have admission criteria, a process for evaluating applications and a process for notifying applicants of admission decisions, and to describe how it shares these with applicants (2022 EPAS, standard M4.1.2). Beyond the bachelor's degree, the criteria are the program's own. When you read a program's published criteria, check:

• Any minimum undergraduate GPA, and how the program applies it
• Every document it asks you to submit with your application
• Any prerequisite courses
• Whether it offers conditional or provisional admission, which CSWE's 2022 EPAS Interpretation Guide (version 7.21.2026) lists among the admission decision types a program may use

For more on what programs typically ask for, see our guide to admission requirements for online MSW programs.

How to check a program's GRE policy before you apply

1. Confirm accreditation status. Search CSWE's Program Directory, which shows whether a master's program is accredited, in candidacy or in pre-candidacy and lets you filter for online options. CSWE's accreditation FAQs (updated July 2026) note that attaining candidacy does not guarantee a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.
2. Read the testing policy for your start term. Find the program's own admissions page, note which kind of GRE policy it describes, and check which application cycle it covers.
3. Compare your record with any GPA condition. If the program asks for scores below a set GPA, see where your GPA falls and ask the admissions office how it calculates GPA for that purpose.
4. Check the program against your state's licensure requirements. Under federal rules, a school must determine that each of its programs that is eligible for federal student aid (Title IV) and leads to licensure meets the educational requirements for licensure in the states the rule covers, including the state where the school is located and states where its distance-education students are located (34 CFR 668.14(b)(32), eCFR, current as of October 13, 2026). Ask the program to confirm this for the state where you plan to work.

Field education and program length

Every CSWE-accredited MSW program, online options included, requires at least 900 hours of field education (2022 EPAS, standard 3.3.3), and advanced standing students complete at least 900 hours across their BSW and MSW programs combined (CSWE accreditation FAQs, updated July 2026). CSWE's 2022 EPAS Interpretation Guide (version 7.21.2026) allows field hours to be completed in person, virtually or in a mix of both, but simulated practice outside a real practice setting does not count toward the minimum. Each program has its own process for identifying and approving field settings (2022 EPAS, standard 3.3.4), so ask how placements work where you live.

Programs offer different plans of study, such as full-time, part-time and advanced standing. CSWE's Accreditation Policy Handbook (version 9.10.2026, policy 4.9) does not treat these plans of study as separate program options, and CSWE's Interpretation Guide states that its standards do not address the number of credit hours needed for the degree, which is left to each program and institution. Check each program's published timeline, and see how long it takes to become a social worker for the full path from degree to license.

Related questions

Are there MSW programs that don't require letters of recommendation?

CSWE does not require references for MSW admission. CSWE's accreditation FAQs (updated July 2026) say that each accredited program institutes its own admission criteria and requirements beyond the bachelor's degree, so check the list of application materials on each program's admissions page.

Do advanced standing MSW programs require the GRE?

Each program sets the testing policy for its advanced standing route, as it does for the full-length route. CSWE requires every accredited MSW program to offer advanced standing to graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs (2022 EPAS, standard M4.1.3), and its Interpretation Guide lists a minimum GPA or a B or better in social work courses as examples of added requirements a program may use.

Can I get into a no-GRE MSW program with a low GPA?

It depends on the program, because each program sets its own GPA minimum and decides whether test scores play any part (CSWE accreditation FAQs, updated July 2026). Our guide to GPA requirements for online MSW programs explains how to check a program's published policy.

Is an MSW program without a GRE requirement held to the same standards?

Yes, if it is CSWE-accredited. A testing policy is not part of CSWE's accreditation standards, and CSWE's accreditation FAQs (updated July 2026) state that all accredited programs are subject to the same accreditation standards and review criteria regardless of how they deliver the curriculum. Confirm a program's status in CSWE's Program Directory.