Admissions

Admission is based on a number of criteria including:

• Past academic performance. We review each prospective student’s undergraduate academic bachelor’s degree work, taking note of the difficulty of the curriculum and the scholastic quality of the school attended. We also consider the applicant’s post-baccalaureate academic experience. Your bachelor’s degree must be completed by the September of the year in which you wish to start the MPAcc Program. Grades are considered at the time of the application deadline. When you report your last two years of grades on your application, this is a university requirement and does not have to be exact. New grades will only be considered for satisfying class and degree requirements but will not be added to the application GPA. Grades from more than one school must be submitted as separate transcripts. We do not review transfer credits that have been reported on a different school’s transcript.

• Satisfactory completion of prerequisite accounting major classes before the September in which you wish to start the program. We must see grades from at least three intermediate-level accounting courses in order to make an admissions decision.

• English Proficiency. International students, immigrants, and permanent residents must submit English test scores of at least 92 for TOEFL or 120 for Duolingo. English test scores are not required if you receive a bachelor degree from a U.S. university or attended a university where all of the classes were taught in English.

• Ability to communicate clearly, succinctly, and persuasively. The required essays demonstrate each applicant’s level of writing competence, as well as his or her ability to think through issues.

• Internship and/or work experience (include on your resume even if you haven’t started work yet). Work experience is not required for admission.

• Managerial potential. We assess each prospective student’s level of managerial responsibility by examining his or her accomplishments in school, community activities and work experience.

In selecting the entering class, the school also strives to create an environment that fosters a rich and satisfying learning experience and is representative of society as a whole. We believe that a diverse student body helps create such an environment.

The Master of Taxation is designed primarily for applicants who have an undergraduate business degree with an accounting option or major. Generally, students with such a degree do not need to complete any course prerequisites prior to applying for the program. Applicants with non-UW degrees will be screened to determine whether the prerequisite courses have been taken.

Students without a degree in business, or with a degree in business but without an accounting option, may apply for this program; however, all prerequisite classes must be completed before the September of start of the MST Program. Please explore our Pathways for Non-Accounting Majors page to learn more.

Prerequisites for UW Foster School Accounting Students

Foster School of Business Accounting students will have completed all their prerequisites for the MST program once they have graduated. The BA/Accounting degree must be completed before the September of the start of the MST program. Exceptions may apply for students with upper level accounting classes, and prospective students are encouraged to contact us directly if there is any uncertainty.

Prerequisites for non-UW Accounting Students

Typically, applicants from other universities anywhere in the world who studied Business Administration with an Accounting major will be eligible for the MST program. We expect students to have taken the standard business classes as a part of their undergraduate degree. These classes, or their equivalents, must be taken at a college or university, either at the undergraduate or graduate level.

We expect students to have taken the standard business classes–Marketing, Finance, Info Systems, International Business, Organizational Behavior, Exceptions may apply, and prospective students are encouraged to contact us directly if there is any uncertainty.

Accounting Prerequisite Courses

Course Title	Course Name
Accounting 301, 302, 303	Intermediate Accounting I, II, III (Offered as two classes in semester systems)
Accounting 311	Cost Accounting
Accounting 320	Accounting Information Systems
Accounting 321	Tax Effects of Business Decisions
Accounting 411	Auditing

Other Prerequisite Business Courses

Course Title	Course Name
Business Econ 300	Managerial Economics
Finance 350	Business Finance
Management 300	Human Resource Management
IS 300	International Environment of Business
I Bus 300	International Environment of Business
Mktg 301	Marketing Concepts
OpMgt 301	Principles of Operations Management

Pathway for non-Accounting and non-Business Students

Applicants that did not major in Accounting or Business, may still pursue this program, however there are some extra steps required. Please explore our Pathways for Non-Accounting Majors page to learn more. We encourage any student to contact us to learn more about this pathway.

All application materials must be submitted through the UW online application. The only items in the applicant’s packet that will be sent to the school from a separate source are the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score and if required, the TOEFL score. To apply, use the “Apply Now” button at the bottom of this page.

Application form

Fill out the online form completely.

Video and Written Essays

Complete both the video essay and one of the written questions below.

Video Essay
Assume that you have an opportunity to meet with the MST admissions committee. The committee has asked you to describe yourself, elaborating on the reasons why you should be admitted to the program. This is your chance to tell them about the things that are important to you, to give them information or insight that will convince them to admit you. Specifically, address your career goals in professional accounting and the relevance of the MST degree. (Limit to 3 minutes)

Written Essay (choose one)

1. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. (Limit to 700 words)

OR

2. Describe any personal or economic hardship/barriers you have experienced and/or are experiencing. Explain how the hardship/barriers directly affected your ability to be successful in your college academics. As hardships/barriers may occur throughout your life, be specific about when you encountered these hardship/barriers, how long they lasted, and how they impact your academic record. (Limit to 700 words)

The resume you include should be similar to what you use for job applications, including schools attended, work experience, internships (both past and future assignments), community and volunteer work, and skills. If you have an internship for the coming summer, be sure to include it on your resume even though you have not yet worked.

Transcripts
Include one transcript from each post-secondary school (after high school) you have attended. These transcripts must be uploaded into your online application. We do not need transcripts if you only attended a school for three or fewer classes or if you attended a study abroad program if the credits are on your degree school transcript. We ask that overseas school transcripts be in English because we do not use evaluation services. If you attended the University of Washington, you must still upload your UW transcript. If you transferred credits to the UW, you also need to submit a copy from each of those schools. Official transcripts will not be needed until after an admissions decision has been made and/or after your bachelor’s degree has been earned.

The GMAT is only required for applicants whose bachelor’s degree is from another country. The GMAT is recommended, not required, if an applicant’s grades are low (below a 3.2).

If you have a test score, please submit a photocopy of the test score you receive at the test center. When you take the test, inform the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) that it must forward your scores to the University of Washington. The Foster School’s code number is 459-75-41. We will hold your scores on file for one year. When you sign up for the exam, you will not see the MST Taxation program listed. We are currently working with GMAC to correct this. Meanwhile you should choose the MPAcc degree, and our MST admissions committee will be able to see your scores.

Include one transcript from each post-secondary school (after high school) you have attended. These transcripts must be uploaded into your online application. We do not need transcripts if you only attended a school for three or less classes or if you attended a study abroad program, if the credits are on your degree school transcript.

If you earned your undergraduate degree from overseas we ask that school transcripts be in English. We also required International Applicants to submit either a WES evaluation of your transcripts or a GMAT score.

If you attended the University of Washington, you must still upload your UW transcript. If you transferred credits to the UW, you also need to submit a copy from each of those schools. Official transcripts will not be needed until after an admissions decision has been made and/or after your bachelor’s degree has been earned.

List three people who are able to provide detailed information about your academic performance, employment responsibilities and accomplishments, activities, personality or character. We will only contact your references if we need additional information. We do not use an online form for references to submit their comments.

The demands of the MST Program require that all students have a thorough understanding of the English language. An English proficiency exam is required for all permanent residents, immigrants, and international applicants. The test is not required for international students who graduate with a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited English-speaking institution where all classes are taught in English. If you will graduate from a U.S. school, you do not need to submit English scores.

We accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Duolingo for the English proficiency requirement. We require a minimum iBT of 92 for TOEFL and 120 for Duolingo. TOEFL scores are valid for two years. Scores must be sent directly to the University of Washington from the testing center. If there are multiple scores, we will accept the best score.

Our school code is 4854. For more information, or to request that your scores be sent to us, visit this page for TOEFL iBT questions, if sending your Duolingo scores please contact them online here.

The application fee is $85 and is subject to change without notice. Applicants pay the fee by MasterCard or Visa through the online application system.

Since the UW is a state institution, program fees are usually announced in July for the three-quarter program coming year.

2023-2024 program fees for the year:

• Washington State Residents: $26,472
• Non-Washington State Residents: $29,187

The MST program is a fee-based program. Our students are not eligible for Washington State-funded programs such as the tuition exemption program, institutional tuition waivers or the Undergraduate/Graduate University Grant programs, including the Husky Promise program. GET funds may be used but will only cover up to the undergraduate tuition amounts.

Students in need of financial assistance may receive aid from the University of Washington, the MST’s designated scholarship finds, or both. Aid is available in the form of non-state sponsored aid such as loans, fellowships and scholarships. Very limited funding is available for international students. Financial aid candidates must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, which can be obtained through the FAFSA website. To be considered eligible for financial aid, prospective students must file the online FAFSA form before January 15 for the coming fall and must be permanent residents, U.S. citizens, or hold a qualified status listed on the FAFSA website. Students who have just graduated with a bachelor’s degree may now file independently of their parents.

International students who receive admission to the program must submit proof of approximately $52,000 in financial resources for the year in order to receive visa paperwork.

The MST office will send out MST scholarship applications once admissions decisions have been made. Financial aid will be primarily based on the need for assistance from the information on the FAFSA application. The Foster School notifies entering students of financial awards in late May; the University of Washington sends notice of awards during the summer. Applicants who have not submitted all necessary financial aid documents or who file their applications after the January 15 deadline may not receive notification of an award before the MST program’s enrollment service fee is due on June 1.