Social Work Students
Social Work students can choose from two different pathways to obtain a social work license. Choose the Standard License pathway to obtain your social work license by examination. Choose the Provisional License pathway to obtain your social work license through additional supervised practice.
Before applying for a license, please review all the information for both standard and provisional license requirements.
Apply for a Standard License
Students currently enrolled in a social work degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) can apply for a standard license six months before graduation for the best application process.- Applying for a license before graduation gives students the option to take the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam, upon Board approval, before graduating, and complete the licensing process more quickly after completing their degree
- Under Minnesota Statutes section 148E.055 and ASWB Exam Policy, students cannot take the exam more than six months before completing social work degree requirements
Review standard license and application requirements:
Students who have passed the ASWB exam and submitted fingerprints for the criminal background check (CBC) may also be eligible to apply for a temporary license upon completion of degree requirements.
Apply for a Provisional License
- Applying for a provisional license before graduation is NOT an option, you must wait until your degree is conferred.
-
Provisional license requires additional supervised practice and supervision hours. ASWB exam is not required for this pathway.
-
Provisional License requirements can be found under Minnesota Statutes section 148E.0551
Review provisional license and application requirements:
Resources for Students
- Standard License Application Action Steps: An at-a-glance overview of the application process and required steps.
- Provisional License Application Action Steps: An at-a-glance overview of the provisional application process and required steps.
- Standard License Top Ten Application Tips for Students: Tips for navigating the the standard license application process for graduating students.
- Provisional License Top Ten Tips: Tips for navigating the provisional license application process for students who have graduated and their degree conferred.
- Temporary License Top Ten Tips: Tips for applying for a temporary license as a graduating student who is seeking to take the ASWB exam to obtain a Standard social work license.
- Standard License Application Process for Social Work Students Video: Short video produced by BOSW outlining the process to apply for a standard social work license as a graduating student.
- ASWB Exam Exam Resources: Exam resources provided by ASWB.