How to Apply

There is a $50.00 non-refundable application fee for most applications. 
(Certificate programs and Teacher Education applications do not have an application fee.)

Fee waiver requests can be submitted in the application, under the "Additional Information" section.

If you need to mail admission documents to our office, please use the corresponding address:

For USPS:
William & Mary
The School of Education - Office of Academic Programs
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA  23187

For FedEx and UPS:
William & Mary School of Education - Office of Academic Programs
301 Monticello Ave.
Williamsburg, VA 23185

** You must include “School of Education” in the address or we will not receive your materials. 

A copy of your unofficial transcripts from each institution you attended and that awarded or will be awarding you a degree(s) can be attached to and submitted with the application for admission. You may also include documentation of any additional coursework which may be relevant to the graduate degree you wish to pursue. Additional degree requirements will vary by program and degree.

Final official transcripts are required of those applicants who are offered admission. Failure to provide official transcripts reflecting degree conferral will result in a hold on the student record.

If your institution provides electronic transcripts, please feel free to use that option. Have the transcript sent to graded@wm.edu.

If your former institution is going to mail your transcript, you must tell them to include “School of Education” in our address, or the transcripts will not be delivered to our office. Please see the Mailing Address section above.

Applicants who received a previous degree from William & Mary need not supply an official W&M transcript. 

Applicants who supply unofficial transcripts during the application process are required to submit official transcripts upon admission. Providing fraudulent transcripts will result in dismissal from William & Mary.

Graduates of Foreign Institutions of Higher Learning

If you attended a university or earned a degree outside of the United States and are applying for to a licensure program, you will need to obtain an evaluation of your credentials from an outside agency. A transcript evaluation from an agency like the World Education Services (WES) or International Education Evaluation is required for any programs leading to licensure.

You will upload your essays to the online application and submit electronically. Essay should be in PDF (preferable) or Microsoft Word format. Each essay is typically 500 words or less. Some programs require one essay; some require two.

The first prompt for most programs asks you to describe your career aspirations and why you have decided to seek admission to the William & Mary School of Education. Your essay should describe your past experiences, both academic and volunteer or work-related, that are relevant to graduate study as well as the professionalism and perspectives that you will bring to your program. In support of your candidacy, please provide additional information concerning such areas as leadership potential, collaborative skills and propensity to engage in reflective practice.

Additional prompts include:

Counseling – online also prompts you to address what has led you to become interested in your specific concentration? Why are you interested in pursuing your counselor education at William & Mary? How will your graduate degree in Counseling at William & Mary help you achieve your career goals? What strengths would you bring to your graduate studies at William & Mary? 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)?

School Psychology also prompts you to reflect on how belonging and differences among children inform your contributions in the classroom throughout your learning experiences in this program and how they may impact you as a future practitioner?

Teacher Education Programs

The teacher education programs require two essays. In the first, you will describe why you want to teach in your specific content area. In the second essay, you will describe what it means to meet the needs of a diverse population of learners and how that relates to your commitment to public education.

Reading Program & Literacy Leadership (Certificate & Masters)

Why are you interested in becoming a reading specialist? Describe how you differentiate reading instruction for your students

The doctoral research paper is only required for the Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs in Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership (EPPL).  The Ph.D. programs in EPPL include Higher Education, Curriculum & Educational Leadership and Gifted Education Administration. The paper is also required for all of the Ed.D. programs.

Applicants to the Ph.D. in Counselor Education are not required to submit the research paper.

In the Department of Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership (EPPL), faculty require all doctoral applicants to submit an academic paper as part of their application. The purpose of this requirement is to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate to the faculty that you have strong foundational skills in scholarly writing on a topic relevant to the program and concentration to which you are applying. 

Doctoral students at William & Mary are regularly required to undertake academic research and to write formal academic papers in the courses that comprise the program of study. Additionally, doctoral students must design and undertake original research and write and defend a dissertation. Exceptionally strong communication skills — including speaking, listening, reading and, of course, writing — are essential to a doctoral student’s success in the Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership program.

Your sample paper must conform to the requirements outlined below.

Requirements for the Sample Academic Paper

1.  You may choose from among the following three options:

• Option A: Write an original academic paper.
• Option B: Submit an academic paper that you have written for a previous course in a prior degree program.
• Option C: Submit an academic paper that you originally wrote for a previous course in a prior degree program but have revised for purposes of your application to the program. The paper must be relevant to the field of the program to which you are applying (e.g., K-12 Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Gifted Education).

2.  The narrative of the paper may be no longer than 2000 words (typically 8 pages of 12-point type).

3.  The title page and reference list are not counted against the length.

4.  The paper should conform to a common style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

5.  You must be the single author of the paper. Co-authored papers are not acceptable. 

6.  The paper must be entirely your own work. Professionally edited papers are not (For Options B and C, a paper on which you received feedback from the professor of the course for which it was written is acceptable.) Generative AI may not be used to compose (write, draft, outline, etc.) any portion of the task.

• Paper title
• Your full name
• Indicate “Option A,” “Option B” or “Option C,” and include the year in which the paper was originally written.
• If the paper was written for a course in a previous degree program (i.e., Option B or C), then also include the following on the cover page:
  • Course title for which the paper was written
  • Degree level (e.g., Master of Education)
  • Name of the department or program
  • Name of the college or university
  • If you have opted to submit a previous paper that you have revised for your application (Option C), then provide a brief (2-3 sentences only) explanation of the nature of the revisions you have made. For instance, you might note that you revised for length; revised for clarity of expression; edited for grammatical and mechanical corrections; or revised to make the topic more clearly relevant to the EPPL program to which you are applying.

The application requires letters from one to three persons qualified to evaluate the applicant’s professional, ethical and academic qualifications for graduate study. It is suggested that the applicant present a combination of professional and academic references. The written references will be used exclusively for purposes of admission to the School of Education.

When you list your recommenders in the online application, your recommenders will receive an email with instructions for submitting the recommendation online. (If your recommenders say they didn’t receive the email, please have them check their junk mail folders. If they can’t locate it, you can re-send from your application checklist.) You can check the status of each letter on your checklist after you submit your application. You can also send your recommenders email reminders and add or delete recommenders from the checklist.

Applicants should not upload letters of recommendation to the application. Letters of recommendation should come directly from the recommender — not from the student.

None of our graduate programs require admission tests!

The institution code for W&M: 5115. Be sure to also indicate a major/department code on your request. Anything in the area of “Education” will find its way to us.  

TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo

Students who are not native English speakers are required to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS  or DUOLINGO English Test scores to the William & Mary School of Education (Institution Code 5115). Scores should not be more than two 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.

If you have graduated from a college or university in the United States, you are not required to submit English language testing scores.

In order to ensure your scores are sent to us electronically, please make sure you request them to go to:

Account Name: College of William & Mary School of Education
Address: Education - Office of Academic Programs
PO Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187
United States

All of our on-campus programs in School Psychology and Counseling Education (SPACE) invite top candidates to interview as part of the admission criteria.

These programs include:

• Master’s Programs in Counseling with concentrations in:
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling 
  • Couples, Marriage & Family Counseling
  • Military and Veterans Counseling 
  • School Counseling 
• School Psychology
• Ph.D. Program in Counselor Education

Interviews are held via Zoom, except for the Ph.D. in Counselor Education which holds interviews on-campus. Interviews are not required for other graduate programs.

مرحبا. 歡迎(光臨). Bienvenu. Willkomm. Benvenuto.ようこそ. добро пожаловать! Bienvenido.

The William & Mary School of Education receives applications each year from all over the world, and we understand the difficulties students have communicating with higher education institutions in a different country. Because we value international students, we hope to make the admission procedure as smooth as possible for everyone. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the admissions process. 

TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo

TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores are required for students for whom English is not their native language. If the applicant has a degree from a U.S. institution of higher education, the language proficiency test requirement can be waived for admission.

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.

Transcripts

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) or International Education Evaluation is preferred, and is required for any programs leading to licensure.

Information regarding Visas and Immigration can be found through the William & Mary Reeves Center for International Studies website. 

If you are interested in taking a class as a non-degree seeking student, you should complete the School of Education Non-Degree Seeking Application. Open dates for non-degree registration are listed on the School of Education Academic Calendar. 

When completing the application you will apply as a non-degree seeking student, select the Graduate level, select School of Education, and the term in which you wish to enroll. You will upload a copy of your unofficial transcript that reflects your baccalaureate degree within the application. Applications will be reviewed, and if admitted, we will register you for the courses you have indicated on the application during that semester’s registration period. 

If you are a Virgina Resident and want to be considered for in-state tuition, be sure to answer Yes to the question “Do you believe that you are an in-state Virginia domiciliary student.” If you select No, you will be charged out-of-state tuition.

You can view the courses that are offered by term in the Course Schedule. The schedule will provide you with details concerning when and where the course is taught, if it has openings, and who the instructor is.