Applying to the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

General Admissions Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• GPA of 3.0 or higher*

Not Required:

• GRE score
• Specific majors or course prerequisites

*See Application Procedures below for more information.

Application Deadlines

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• Submit by January 31
  • All application items must be received by January 31
  • Interviews during the last week of February
• Submit by April 1
  • All application items must be received by April 15
  • Interviews in May

Please Note: After these deadlines, completed applications will continue to be reviewed and qualified applicants will be interviewed as space is available.

Application Procedures

1. Official Transcript or Evaluation

• For degrees earned in the United States or Canada, please request that your institution send us the official transcript of your bachelor’s degree (and any graduate level credits earned) in English.
• For degrees earned outside of the United States or Canada, please have your transcripts evaluated for US degree equivalency and GPA by an institution approved by NACES. A full course-by-course evaluation is only needed if you plan to request transfer credit (from graduate-level coursework). Please consult your enrollment counselor in advance.
• The transcript may be sent electronically to admissions@northwestu.edu or mailed to:
  Northwest University Admissions
  P.O. Box 579
  Kirkland, WA 98083-0579
• We ask for a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a lower GPA may still apply and are asked to submit an Explanation of Grades in a separate document. Please submit this via email to your respective enrollment counselor.
• Students still completing their degree may apply for conditional admission by emailing an unofficial transcript.

2. Online Application

• Three References: The applicant may choose any combination of academic, professional, pastoral, or personal references (no family members). The references can be requested from within the online application form by entering the person’s email address.
• Essay: The essay prompt is given within the online application.
• Resume: Please submit your current resume including your employment history, community involvement, and other relevant experiences.
• Application Fee: The graduate application fee is $30.
• Visa Requirements for International Students (F-1 Visa) applying to Campus-based Programs
  • Bank Statement: An official, signed, current bank statement as proof of sufficient funds. The bank statement must be within 6 months. The bank statement should reflect that you have the full funds to cover the cost of attendance for one year. Northwest University is required by the U.S. government to obtain this information in order to prepare an I-20 for you, which you will need to get your student visa.
  • A copy of your passport: We only need a copy of the biographical page with your photo.
  • For questions on international visa requirements, please contact international@northwestu.edu.

3. Interview

• Applicants will be contacted with information about the interview process.

English Language Testing Requirements

Students must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Students whose native language is not English, and who do not hold a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree from a US-based institution which a) is regionally accredited and b) teaches its classes in English, are subject to the TOEFL or IELTS requirement. The requirement may be waived for citizens of countries where English is the primary language of instruction, who obtained their university degree in English. Please consult your enrollment counselor to learn more.

Please submit TOEFL or IELTS scores to the Admissions address listed above.