Facebook Skip to main content

Admissions

All applications must be submitted through the UW online application. No application materials are to be submitted by postal mail or email.

Admission to the University of Washington Foster School of Business Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) Program is for fall quarter only. Every fall, the Foster School registers approximately 50 new students in Auditing & Assurance. We offer admission to those who we believe have the highest potential for achievement in the accounting profession.

We select prospective students on the basis of their academic achievements, their ability to communicate effectively and their record of personal accomplishments. Prospective students must have well-developed language and reasoning skills. During our evaluation process, we consider evidence of applicants’ skill levels in reading, writing, speaking English, and the ability to reason analytically, logically and creatively.

JUMP TO:

Application Process
Selection Criteria
Non-Accounting Majors

Application Deadlines

Applications are now open for 2025-26 for the Master of Professional Accounting Program

Domestic Applicants

U.S. citizens, permanent residents
February 15

International Applicants

January 15

Start Your Application

Our admissions committee will review applications throughout the application period, with decisions around March or April. Late applications received after the published deadlines will be processed on a space-available basis.

Application Process

Below you can find more information about all the required components of the application, cost of the program and financial aid options. Click on each heading to learn more.

Prerequisites

The Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) Program is designed primarily for applicants who studied Business Administration with an Accounting major. Typically, applicants from other universities anywhere in the world who studied Business Administration with an Accounting major will be eligible for the MPAcc program.

Prospective students are encouraged to contact us directly if there is any uncertainty.

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 section to learn more. We encourage any student to contact us to learn more about this pathway.

Application Process

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, if required, are the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score and the TOEFL or Duolingo score. To apply, use the “Apply Now” button at the bottom of this page.

Please be aware that there are master’s degree programs offered at the UW Tacoma and UW Bothell campuses. You must apply separately to each of the locations and programs you are interested in studying as they are independent programs. Be careful to send application materials to the program you wish to be considered.

Application form

Fill out the online form completely.

Video Essay

Choose to answer either of the following questions in your video:

Describe why you would be a good fit for the MPAcc program, and specifically address your career goals in professional accounting and the relevance to the MPAcc degree.

OR

Describe your professional goals and what hardships or barriers you’ve had to overcome to get this far.

Directions for video essay
The video essay should be a maximum of 3 minutes, in MP4 format, and 150 megabytes or less.

We recommend using the Zoom application. However, you are free to use any common video application that fits within the stated guidelines and that we can save and open. If you have any questions, email us at [email protected].

Directions:

  1. If you do not already have Zoom, download the Zoom app to whichever device you will be recording on
  2. Open Zoom and click on New Meeting
  3. Click on Join with Computer Audio
  4. Click Record
  5. When complete, click Stop and End. Zoom will automatically download and covert to MP4
  6. At the MPAcc application, click on Browse, Docs, and open the Zoom folder
  7. Click on the video you want to upload to the MPAcc application

It is a good idea to watch it over before you upload to make sure it sounds and looks the way you want. Please name the file with your name so it is easy for us to retrieve.

Tips for creating your video:
Try not to read off a script, make your video as conversational as possible. Don’t worry about normal mistakes. We are not looking for a rehearsed speech. Show the committee who you are, be yourself!

Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)

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 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.

GMAT Scores

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.

Recommendations

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.

English Proficiency

The demands of the MPAcc 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.

Non-Refundable Application Fee ($90)

The application fee is $90 and subject to change without notice. The fee is paid by MasterCard or Visa credit/debit cards through the online application system.

Program Fees (tuition)

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

2024-2025 program fees for the year:

  • Washington State Residents: $24,411
  • Non-Washington State Residents: $29,997

The MPAcc 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. Students are also not eligible for teaching assistantship positions. GET funds may be used but will only cover up to the undergraduate tuition amounts.

Selection Criteria

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 (please see Prerequisites tab below) 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.
  • Ability to communicate clearly, succinctly, and persuasively.
  • 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.

Non-Accounting Majors

CPA Requirements

Most individuals that pursue a graduate degree in accounting are considering sitting for the CPA exam. The CPA exam requires that students have:

  • A recognized bachelor’s degree
  • 36 quarter credits (24 semester) of accounting classes, 23 quarter credits (15 semester) of those credits must be upper division (300 level or higher)
  • 36 quarter credits (24 semester) of business administration credits
  • 225 quarter credits (150 semester)
  • For the most up-to-date information, please visit the State Board of Accountancy website

These requirements are important to keep in mind, especially if your undergraduate degree is in something other than Accounting.

Economics & Other Business Majors

Students without a degree in business or a degree in business without an accounting focus may still apply for this program. Economics majors are often a great fit because their major credits are accepted by the CPA to count towards the required business credits. The Certificate in Accounting program is a great option to consider to be eligible for our programs.

Certificate in Accounting Program

  • To meet the accounting prerequisite requirements for either program, students might consider the Certificate in Accounting Program offered through the University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education.
  • The certificate program is offered in a condensed format in the summer as Accounting 505. It is also offered during the regular academic year in the evenings and on weekends as Accounting 506, 507 and 508.
  • Note that the Accounting Certificate program is a completely separate application and fee for students; it does not guarantee admission to either MPAcc or MST, however it is a great way to meet the accounting prerequisite requirements for those in need.
  • Prospective students committed to taking the certificate in accounting prior to the next start date are welcome to apply to either program by the February 15th deadline. Successful completion of the Accounting Certificate program prior to the start of the academic year is required.

To learn more about this option and how it could assist your pathway to the MPAcc or MST programs, please feel free to contact us.

Advisory and Consulting career path

Another career pathway open to our MPAcc students is Advisory or Consulting. Rather than auditing financial systems, Advisory is a form of auditing generally used more for auditing technology or business. Though many accounting procedures are used in Advisory, earning a CPA is often not necessary. For this reason, Advisory may be an excellent choice for non-Accounting majors, especially those with strong technical backgrounds. We would still need students to take the Accounting Certificate in order to prepared for the MPAcc classes, but the CPA requirements would not be needed.

Financial Aid

Students in need of financial assistance may receive aid from the University of Washington, the Foster School (MPAcc Office), or both. Aid is available in the form of non-state sponsored aid in the form of 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 be permanent residents, U.S. citizens or hold a qualified status listed on the FAFSA website. Students who have just graduated with a bachelor degree may now file independent 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 their visa paperwork. However, they might qualify for some scholarships depending on available funding sources.

The MPAcc Office will send out MPAcc scholarship applications once admissions decisions have been made. Financial aid will be primarily based on the need for assistance from 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 MPAcc Program’s enrollment service fee is due on June 1.

Accommodations for Disabilities

The University of Washington is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office, 448 Schmitz Hall, at least ten days in advance of the event at 206-543-8924 (voice), 206-543-8925 (TTY), 206-616-8379 (fax) or [email protected] (email).

Equal Opportunity

The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity in education without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled Vietnam era veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.