William & Mary Admissions Requirements

When you are ready to begin the application process, we ask that you be prepared to submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Application fee of $50
  • If you are an honorably discharged or active duty service member; Fullbright or McNair Scholar; or AmeriCorps or PeaceCorps participant, speak with an Admissions Outreach Advisor about determining your eligibility for an application fee waiver.
• Transcripts from all institutions attended: Unofficial is accepted during the review process. Official transcript is required upon matriculation.
• 3 academic or professional letters of recommendation
• Personal essay
• Resume detailing full employment history

Download the Application Checklist

TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores are required for applicants who have earned degrees that are not from regionally accredited US institutions or native English speaking regions. If the applicant has a degree from a U.S. institution of higher education, the language proficiency test requirement can be waived for admission. Scores can be sent to the William & Mary School of Education (Institution Code 5115). Scores should not be more than 3 years old.

Although a minimum score for admission has not been issued, international students who are typically admitted score at least 100 on the TOEFL iBT, a 7.0 on the IELTS, or a score of 95 on the Duolingo English Test.

Official copies of all transcripts from every college or university attended, along with certified literal translations where needed are required for admission. These transcripts must show courses, grades received, annual mark sheets, examination sheets, and leaving certificates as they apply in the student’s home country. Official copies must bear the seal of the issuing institution and the actual signature of your college or university registrar. A transcript evaluation from an agency like the World Education Services (WES) is preferred, and is typically required for any programs leading to licensure.

Your personal essay is an important means of sharing with us the reasons why you are drawn to counseling and what career aspirations you intend to pursue following successful completion of the Online M.Ed. in Counseling program. These pieces are usually two to three pages in length and can be submitted electronically with the online application.

As you begin to outline and compose your essay using the following guiding questions, please think about your career aspirations, past academic, professional and volunteer experience, leadership potential, collaborative skills and propensity to engage in reflective practice: Guiding questions:

1. What has led you to become interested in becoming a counselor?
2. Why are you interested in pursuing your counselor education at William & Mary?
3. How will your graduate degree in Counseling at William & Mary help you achieve your career goals?
4. What strengths would you bring to your graduate studies at William & Mary?
5. What do you think would be the greatest challenge(s) for you in your graduate studies at William & Mary? How would you address the challenge(s)?

If you have any questions regarding the composition of your personal essay, we encourage you to contact your admissions outreach advisor for clarification of expectations and requirements.

In addition to our How to Apply guide, we have created a sample timeline to guide you through the application process. While your personal timeline may differ, we encourage you to reference the sample timeline below to keep track of important William & Mary admissions milestones and plan for how much time you should expect to spend on each task.

^{*You can submit your application prior to William & Mary receiving your official transcripts, official GRE scores, or letters of recommendation; however, you must provide contact details for three recommenders, your resume, personal statement, unofficial transcripts, and unofficial GRE scores by the final application deadline.}