Admissions

Application deadline – July 1, 2025

The Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations (GCECEF) is a cohort model that admits for the autumn quarter only. The GCECEF does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements for students studying in the United States on an F-1 Visa.

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Admissions requirements

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations has required prerequisites and strongly recommended courses:

Required

  • A regionally accredited bachelor’s degree in a STEM (or related) field with a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last two years of study
  • English language proficiency
  • A full year of Calculus
  • Engineering Calculus-based Physics 1 (Mechanics) and 2 (Electromagnetism and Oscillatory Motion)

Strongly recommended

  • Multivariable Calculus
  • Differential Equations
  • Matrix or Linear Algebra

Recommended

  • General Chemistry 1 (with lab)

Students do not need to complete any of the strongly recommended or recommended courses in order to be eligible for admission.

View the prerequisite guide for course equivalencies.

Based on a holistic review of the applicant’s background and experiences, exceptions to the required list of prerequisite courses are possible. Please email the School of STEM Office of Graduate Studies for further guidance if you think your educational or professional background may exempt you from one or more of these prerequisites.

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How to apply – the application checklist

Autumn 2025 application deadline: July 1, 2025

The application to the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations is submitted online via the Graduate School Application. All application materials should be submitted online, and are due by the application deadline. APPLY NOW

To learn more about the application process to the University of Washington, please read Understanding the Application Process.

Select a checklist item to navigate for detailed instructions on how to apply:

1. Application & paid fee

Complete the UW Grad School application and pay the application fee. Applications must be completed online.

  • Create an applicant profile or log in to an existing applicant profile
  • Create a new application
  • Select your application type (choose from the drop down list: Graduate)
  • Select “Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Electrical Engineering Foundations” from the drop-down list of graduate programs
  • Complete the application as directed

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2. Unofficial transcripts

Upload your unofficial transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree and all graduate certificate prerequisites.

Applicants with degrees from outside the United States must upload detailed official mark sheets (front and back) and official documentation showing degree earned. It is encouraged to include the grading scale/scheme used if not already listed on the transcript. All documents must be in English, and be the official translation from the institution in which the degree(s) was earned.

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3. Current resume

Upload a current Resume showing detailed relevant work experience.

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4. Personal statement

Upload a Personal Statement detailing why the Graduate Certificate in Electrical & Computer Engineering Foundations is of interest to you, and how the GCECEF will support your scholarly and career goals.

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5. English language proficiency

Proficiency in English is required for graduate study at the University of Washington as outlined in Policy 3.2. Therefore, every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Proficiency for this program can be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

  1. A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States where English is the medium of instruction.
  2. A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United Kingdom and where English is the medium of instruction. While enrolled at the degree-granting school, the student must be in residence on campus.
  3. Official documentation from the applicant’s undergraduate degree-granting institution (if the institution is in a country other than those listed in #2 above) verifying that all instruction is in English. A minimum of three years of enrollment at the undergraduate institution is required. Documentation must be presented to the Graduate School; credential service reports are not acceptable. Acceptable documentation must be one of the following:
    • Official or attested letter from the undergraduate college, University Registrar, or Controller of Examinations office.
    • Official transcripts, attested mark sheets, or degree statements are also accepted if English is stated as the medium of instruction.
  4. Official English Language Test Score (sent electronically to the University of Washington to institution code 4854). The School of STEM Graduate Programs require the minimum scores listed:
    • 92 on the TOEFL iBT (sent via ETS to institution code 4854)
    • 7.0 on the Academic IELTS (sent via E-TRF to organization code 365)
    • 125 or higher on the Duolingo English Test (sent via Duolingo to University of Washington Graduate Admissions (Bothell, Seattle, Tacoma))

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