If you have a degree in social work from a social work program accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE), you will likely meet the academic requirements for the issuance of a general certificate of registration for social work.
How to Apply
Please ensure you first read all information related to the requirements for registration on the Information for All Applicants webpage.
Applicants with a social work degree from an accredited program can now apply through the College’s online application portal.
If you would like to submit a paper-based application rather than completing the application online, please contact the Registration Department at registration@ocswssw.org.
If you are a graduating student and require membership in the College prior to your convocation, but after you have completed all the academic and practicum requirements of your social work degree, the Registrar may issue a general certificate of registration provided all other registration requirements are met, and you agree to a term, condition and limitation on your certificate of registration. (This term, condition and limitation will be removed once the College receives verification from your academic institution that you have obtained a degree in social work). Please follow these steps to be registered prior to your convocation:
- Once you have completed your application through the College’s online application portal, contact the dean/director of your social work program and request that they complete the “Confirmation of Completion of Requirements for a Social Work Degree” form. Deans and directors of
Ontario-accredited social work programs will have access to this form. If you attended an accredited program outside Ontario, the College will forward a form to the dean/director upon your request – email registration@ocswssw.org to ask for the form to be sent to the dean/director outside of Ontario. Ensure the dean/director forwards the completed, dated and signed form directly to the College either by mail to the attention of the Registration Department or by email to registration@ocswssw.org. - Once the College receives the completed form from the dean/director and reviews your application, we will forward to you a “Student/Applicant Declaration, Consent and Undertaking Regarding a Degree in Social Work” form.
- Read, complete, date and sign the form and forward it to the College by mail, fax, or email.
- When the College receives your signed form, your application will continue to be reviewed.
- If the Registrar issues you a general certificate of registration for social work, with the term, condition and limitation outlined to you, you are then required to provide the College with confirmation that you have obtained your degree in social work within the time frame specified in the term, condition and limitation.
- Once your degree has been conferred, arrange for your academic institution to forward an official transcript directly to the College. Failure to do so, within the required time frame, specified in the term, condition and limitation, will result in the cancellation of your certificate of registration.
Attention MSW students who have a BSW degree:
If you are applying for registration in the year that you will get your MSW degree, and you have not yet convocated, your registration will be based on your BSW degree. Please note that there the College does not have a different certificate of class of registration for registering with a BSW or a MSW.
Being registered based on your MSW (prior to convocation) would mean that the Registrar would have to issue a certificate with terms, conditions and limitations since you have not yet obtained the MSW degree. The College will require a transcript confirming your BSW degree to be sent directly from the university, not your MSW transcript, if you are applying before convocation.
Payment
If you apply prior to completing the requirements for your MSW degree, you would be required to submit payment for the regular registration fee because your registration will be based on your BSW degree; the fees could be adjusted to the new graduate rate later in the year once we receive your MSW transcript confirming that you obtained your MSW in the current year.
If you apply after you have completed the requirements for your MSW degree, but before your convocation, you would be able to submit payment at the new graduate rate. You would be required to sign an agreement confirming that you will arrange for your MSW transcript to be sent to the College within 30 days of your MSW convocation in order to be eligible for the new graduate rate for renewal next year.
Once you have submitted your application, the College will contact you if more information regarding your application is required. Once the College has all your documents, it typically takes three to six weeks to process your application. The process may take longer if the College requires more information. Documents submitted to the College become property of the College.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Registration Department at registration@ocswssw.org.