uwc application essays

Scholarship Essays

United World College Scholarship Essay Example - Personal Statement

A personal statement (within 300 words) explaining why you are interested in attending a uwc school/college and reflecting on uwc's mission and values, what you might contribute to the school/college and what you would hope to gain from the experience.

About a year ago, I received an immense opportunity to go on an international excursion with 43 other nations to Gothenburg where I had to represent my nation and my culture. In other words, it was an adventure of a lifetime for me, one that taught me about multiculturalism, diversity, responsibility and self-dependence; one that I would like to take again. So I began my hunt for greater opportunities that could once again let me experience the magic behind multiculturalism and more importantly, help shape myself into a better person by being more open to diversity.

I had the incredible luck to come across UWC's website during one of my hunts, and was instantly enticed by what each school had to offer. Cultural exchange, the challenging IB curriculum, community service, extracurricular activities and plenty of time to have fun -all these are basically everything I could ask for in a journey of two years, specially being a person who likes to keep busy. Moreover, it seems incredible to me that so much can be done and learnt in this time span, and I'm definitely eager to take this ride.

In order to contribute to the UWC community, I believe I have the requisite skills and characteristics that would help make the two years in college productive and successful. To begin with, I am naturally comfortable with diversity and curious about different worldviews and belief systems, so I plan to learn a lot about the different cultures as well as let others know about mine. Furthermore, I am particularly keen to contribute to various social services and community projects because I want to make use of the experiences and knowledge I have gathered from working in different non-profit organizations throughout my life. Lastly, having been a sportsman all my life, I wish to be involved in any of UWC's sports team which I can help lead to victory; where I can form a bond with other players from different social and cultural backgrounds, and where I can make every player recognize their worth and help them face challenges together.

From experiencing two years at a UWC, I hope to achieve a deeper level of intercultural understanding so that I can become more globally engaged. I also aspire to gain meaningful social relationships across culturally diverse groups as well as learn to be more compassionate and understanding from doing the CAS program and similar service works. All in all, I am hoping to have the time of my life in these two years which will be a journey of self exploration, adventures and lots of learning.

Original Source: Essay Forum

"incredibly inspirational" ~one of my friends, jokingly

ULTIMATE INTERVIEW/SELECTION WEEKEND GUIDE – TIPS FOR THE UWC APPLICATION PROCESS

I have promised to do this for way too long now and never actually got around to it- but since I’m at home in lockdown and college doesn’t start until August, I’m finally writing up my tips for all things regarding the UWC application, interview and selection weekend. I think, since I got rejected the first time I applied and I went through the whole process twice, I probably have at least some useful insights to share. !DISCLAIMER! Remember that these are all based on my own experience going through the Austrian selection process- the one in your country might be different. These are all things I wish someone had told me before starting/during the application process, so I really hope that you’ll find some of these helpful😊

1. THE WRITTEN APPLICATION

Your first step towards your greater goal of attending a UWC! It may seem daunting, but this is the one thing in this whole process that you have complete control over, so really you should take full advantage of that fact! You can spend as little or as much time as you like writing and tweaking your application and have family or friends help you. Interviews, selection weekends, group activities etc. is where other people come in, but this step is under your control, so don’t stress yourself out too much! 😊 Here are my top tips for the written application.

1. Get your letters of recommendation early

Take it from someone who left it until it was almost too late. It doesn’t feel good to have to (politely) stress out your teacher/whoever is writing you a recommendation because the application submission deadline is soon, and it will definitely not make them feel any more inclined to write it for you if you’re forced to pressure them to do it quickly. Just figure out who you want to ask for recommendations as early as possible and make sure they have all the time they need to write you a great letter!

2. Don’t compare yourself to others

It’s so important to be honest with yourself. Know yourself, know how long it takes you to write an essay and how many times you might need to edit it to be satisfied. It doesn’t matter whether that one UWC youtuber said you should take 3 months to write the essays, or that maybe that one friend of yours who is really good at essay writing said they wrote them in one day. Just because you’ve read or heard somewhere that someone wrote it in 2 days doesn’t mean you should and just because you heard that someone took all summer to write them doesn’t automatically mean they’re good. Obviously, it’s easy to give the tip “Start early!” but I think it is more effective to just be realistic and honest with yourself. Personally, I wrote up my application and edited everything in the span of 1-2 weeks, and it worked for me that way. But, let’s say you tend to be a perfectionist and also want your mom, your best friend and your dad’s brother’s cousin’s daughter to read over your stuff, starting early is probably a good idea.

3. Don’t be afraid to contact your national committee

Applications vary from country to country so I can’t talk about any specifics, but generally, if there is anything at all that you are confused about, don’t be afraid to write an email to your NC! They will be happy to assist you, and there is no such thing as stupid questions (cliché but true in this instance). A personal example would be that the first time I applied, I wasn’t sure which things on the application should be answered in German and which in English, but instead of contacting my NC I just kinda did it and changed it again and after submitting was scared that I did it the wrong way. Don’t be like me! If something is unclear, ask for clarification. It will spare you a lot of stress.

4. Just send it!

Send off your application, even if you have doubts and think it may not be good enough. First of all: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! And second of all, I assure you that everyone hitting that submission button doubts themselves at least a little bit. I sure as hell did.

2. INTERVIEWS

So now you’ve made it to the interview- congrats! I know that this is a nerve-wracking part of the application process, but just try to see it as a way to share more about what kind of a person you are with the National Committee.

1. Be yourself

I know what you’re thinking. Wow, how cliché, thanks, never even thought about this totally obvious thing! I agree, it’s cliché, but if you take away one thing from this whole blog post it should be this. Now, this should also be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, you shouldn’t try to act any different, for example if you’re usually a bubbly person-it’s okay, you don’t have to act all serious. If you’re a naturally funny person, you could include a little (appropriate) joke here and there even though we tend to think this is an extremely formal setting (which yes it kind of is, but again this may vary from national committee to national committee). However , “be yourself” doesn’t mean “stay in your comfort zone”. As an introvert, I know it can be hard to speak up, and I’m not saying you should change and act like an extrovert. What you have to make yourself realize is that this interview is about you. These people (the number of people interviewing you will vary) are sitting there to listen to you talk and occasionally ask some questions, they are trying to find out what kind of a person you are beyond those stiff essays from the application. If you’re an introvert, it’s fine to not talk loudly or whatever, but be confident about your opinions and don’t be afraid to talk about yourself! And even if you’re not, just act like you are confident and before you know it you will feel that way too (fake it till you make it). Believe me, I know it can feel super weird to just talk about yourself, but in some ways that is the point of an interview.

2. Don’t be scared of the interviewer(s)

They aren’t trying to trip you up. They will ask questions about your essays and things you indicated on your application in order to get an idea of who you are as a person. They might challenge something you said, but just stay true to your opinion, they don’t want to hear a certain answer they want to get to know you. If they ask you to elaborate on something, you should see it as a great opportunity to talk even more about something that you obviously already like discussing, since otherwise you (hopefully) wouldn’t have chosen it for your essay! In my case, the interviewers even made a joke here and there. The whole thing isn’t quite as formal as you might think.

3. Be passionate

I kind of touched on this earlier, but again: these people are there to listen to you talk. They will ask you questions about stuff you wrote on your application to find out more about you and whether or not you are a good fit for UWC (and whether or not UWC is a good fit for you.) They want to know what kind of a person you are, what makes you get out of bed in the morning and what things light up your eyes when you talk about them. No matter what you are passionate about, make sure they know it and feel it!

4. Don’t read too much into facial expressions

Seriously, don’t. During my interviews a lot of my stress came from me overthinking the interviewer’s facial expression. You don’t know what they’re thinking! They are just listening intently or taking notes, if one of them looks bored to death don’t let it affect you or discourage you. They are there to listen and take notes and maybe think of additional questions, but during the interview there is absolutely no time for value judgements anyway. Just do your thing and try not to read into it too much.

5. Be honest

This one is kind of similar to “Be yourself”. Don’t try to psychoanalyze the interviewers to answer in a way that you think will please them. They aren’t looking for a specific answer from you, they genuinely want to know your honest thoughts. If they phrase a question weirdly and you’re like ‘okay maybe I should answer it differently…’ No, stop right there! Stay true to what you think and what you believe in. Be honest in giving your opinions. Also, be ‘honest’ (maybe that is the wrong word) in terms of your feelings. UWC is an intense experience, that can be hard to adjust to and they want to make sure to send people who they think will be able to work through that and deal with it, which means they might ask you personal or emotional questions that could strike a chord. It’s okay to be emotional in that case, I was asked a very personal question and got teary-eyed. It’s totally fine to say “This is a hard question, please give me a second to think about it” or something along the lines of that.

6. Don’t try to find out what they asked the other people

When you’re sitting there waiting for your turn and someone who just had their interview comes out, don’t ask that person what questions they were asked. The questions you get are based on what you wrote in your application, so there’s no point since they most likely won’t even ask you that question. It will only make you more nervous.

3. GROUP ACTIVITIES/SELECTION WEEKEND

1. Arrive early

Of course, being early is always a good thing for these kinds of situations, but as an introvert this truly made a big difference for me. The first time I applied, I had really bad luck and ended up arriving late to the selection weekend. Picture this: 15 year-old, very introverted me opening the door to see groups of people seated at tables, already deep in conversation with one another and since I was the only person left, once I had arrived everyone got up and the activities started straight away. This led to me being super ‘stuck in my shell’ and stressed out from the get-go. The second time I applied, I made sure to be (maybe even too) early, which enabled me to be calmer since I wasn’t stressing about having to find my way in a big city I don’t know too well, I wasn’t stressing about whether or not I’d be late and make a bad impression, and I got to be the first one to sit down at the table and then have a chill introduction and conversation with the first person who arrived after me, and then the next etc.

2. Don’t be afraid to talk in group activities

After I received my rejection the first time round, I also received an email with feedback and insight as to why I didn’t make it into the final selection. It said something along the lines of: “We often had the impression that you wanted to say something but in the end you didn’t. We know that you have opinions, and we would have loved to hear them more often.” If you are a naturally ‘charismatic’ person you probably don’t have to worry too much about this, but for my fellow quieter peeps: just dive head in! Make a conscious mental note to SAY SOMETHING, to force yourself if you have to, during group activities, to contribute in any way, don’t be scared of what the other applicants might think of what you’re saying because, frankly, they don’t matter that much. Say what you’re thinking, if you are playing a group game and you have an idea for a strategy that might work, propose it to the rest of the group! It might not work, but that’s not what matters. What’s important is that you are contributing and trying to get the whole group to succeed by providing ideas and that you can show that you can work with others. UWCs are all about sharing ideas and brainstorming together, trying new things and tweaking what doesn’t work to try and find solutions to problems. That’s what they are trying to ‘simulate’ in these group activities, so speak up when you have an idea, even if it’s just a small one.

3. “Who wants to start?”

You do! Or at least I think you should. At least once or twice. On my first selection weekend, we had activities in small groups where we would get some sort of an ethical dilemma and had to do a ranking for example. In the end we would all go around in a circle and share our ranking with the group. What happened was, everyone ended up kind of having very similar rankings and I always ended up saying mine last, so I was left pretty much awkwardly repeating what we already heard 5 times. I learned from that experience, and during my second selection weekend, when it was time to share our ranking and one of the ‘evaluators’ asked “Who wants to go first?” I just went and said “I can go!”. For people who don’t want to seem too dominant this may seem daunting, but I promise you, in practice it’s not as bad as you think. It shows you are not afraid to say what you think and you don’t need to run your rankings by the other people first.

4. Stick to your opinion

In group activities and games, it may be that you suggest something and everyone is on board right away. But, it’s also very possible that the others in the group are skeptical of your idea and quietly look at you with confused looks. If this happens, don’t despair! The worst thing to do in that situation is drop your shoulders and quietly say “But we can do something else too”. Instead, calmly try to explain what you were thinking and why this might work or how you arrived at the conclusion that this might at least be a step in the right direction compared to the last thing you all tried to do. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” In those games, it’s good to have everyone contribute new ideas, even if the idea itself isn’t the solution, someone else might bounce off of it and think of something new and so you will arrive at the finish line much faster. Obviously, don’t be unnecessarily stubborn and insist on your idea because you think it’s the very best- remember that it’s a group effort and you have to compromise.

Just don’t instantly give up on something you said just cause people aren’t agreeing to it right away.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE FUN!

The selection weekend is your first opportunity to experience the UWC spirit, and you will truly meet some great people there who share the same values as you. You will have great conversations over dinner, question your own beliefs over challenging discussions and just get to hang out with really interesting people. Above all, it should be an enjoyable time, and even though I was very anxious during my first application process, I still had so much fun and I hope you will too.:)

BEING REJECTED If you are rejected but you are not too old yet, APPLY AGAIN NEXT YEAR! In the Austrian system, you are allowed to apply twice.

If you are 15 and get rejected, APPLY AGAIN NEXT YEAR, and I cannot emphasize this enough. I’ve heard before that people think “Oh, if I didn’t make it this time then why should I get in next year?” but just look at me- I didn’t even get into the final selection the first time I applied. People evolve, things happen, you change. A year is a time where a lot of stuff can happen, you can collect new experiences and work on yourself, so don’t just write it off. Also, if you are applying a second time it is definitely a positive, since the National Committee will see how much you want this and how dedicated you are.

5 thoughts on “ULTIMATE INTERVIEW/SELECTION WEEKEND GUIDE – TIPS FOR THE UWC APPLICATION PROCESS”

yES STELLA new blog post finally!! p.s. from another recent grad, cannot stress the last apply again point enough. some years UWC simply might not have a scholarship available for the school you want to go to = aka why you might not get a spot! some of the most important people to me are those who reapplied, and i cannot imagine what life would’ve been like had they not done so 😉

yes fully agree!! now don’t mind me, i’m just over here waiting for a new blog post on thenotoriusdreamer 😉

• Pingback: Applying to UWC for a second time – what made all the difference? – Stella's Chronicles

can you send me the pdf form

Hi, sorry but I’m not sure what form you are referring to?

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UWC Application Essays

I am applying for UWC this year and there were four essay questions. This is the first one. Please share your views on this.

• Tell us about any subject or activity (or both) that you are passionate about. Help us understand why you think it is fascinating and/or important.

A thing I like doing is listening to stories; listening to people’s experiences. I am passionate about learning what they are passionate about. This could explain my interest in novels. They are my best pass time. I took up reading four years ago. Since then, I am engrossed in fiction novels. It takes me to a different world, living a different life. It has increased my creativity and imagination. It makes me think that the world is my oyster and motivates me to dream bigger. My boarding school facilitated me to recognize my potential and develop my interest. A rather strange interest that I have developed is in history which earlier I never considered it to be my cup of tea. I used to fear that subject like any other student. Never would one have imagined, reading my NCERT textbooks would get me digging into that subject. I learned that our present is shaped by our past; how we have molded some of the great ideologies for our benefit today. It helps us to understand why our societies are the way they are. There is a history for all of that which is taking place today. Nowadays, we need to know the history before we look into any issue, be it of the world or minor community. I believe every person I meet has a different past which is the reason they look at things differently than I do. I found it fascinating that by taking people’s perspective, I can expand my knowledge and think more rationally.

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Apply Online

• You may apply for a maximum of TWO programme choices
• Try to keep your options open, especially when applying for programmes in Faculties such as Dentistry, Community and Health Sciences, and Law
• There is NO application fee payable
• Applications close on 30 September 2023.  
• Applications for Bachelor of Dentistry and Oral Health as well as School of Government postgraduate degrees close on 31 August 2023 .
• Applications for BA Honours Sport Recreation and Exercise Science, BA Honours in Biokinetics, and BSc Honours Biokinetics close on 31 July 2023 .
• After completion of the online application form you will receive a letter via email from the University acknowledging receipt of your application
• The acknowledgment letter will contain your APPLICANT NUMBER
• This applicant number is to be used in all communication with the University
• You will also receive a brochure indicating the SUPPORTING documents that you will need to submit to the University by the application closing dates for your application to be considered complete
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• Should you not ACCEPT your offer in the designated period you will forfeit your place to study (your offer will expire)
• You may however, call or email the UWC Contact Centre and enquire as to whether your offer is still available even after it has expired and have it accepted on your behalf
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Documents required, post-matric learners                                                                                                 .

• Certified copy of your NSC certificate or Senior Certificate
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Students applying for readmission to UWC

International students .

• You need to submit your final school results to Universities South Africa (USAf) for an evaluation
• Application for Exemption is to be done with Universities South Africa (USAf) formerly Higher Education south Africa (HESA) using the following link:  https://mbit-application.usaf.ac.za/assessment/
• We unfortunately will not be able to respond to your application until you submit a confirmation letter issued by USAf stating that you qualify to study at a South African University
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• Applications for 2024 open on 13 May 2023 and close on 30 September 2023
• Applicants are encouraged to apply online via the online application portal  
• Applicants wanting to submit a hardcopy application may collect these from the University and submit their application form at the University or via post.  Applicants may not apply via email or fax
• Undergraduate – You may apply for a maximum of 2 choices
• Postgraduate – You may apply for ONE choice directly via the online application form and for an additional programme click here  
• Current Grade 12 applicants will receive an acknowledgment letter via email after the completion of the online form
• Thereafter, you may receive a PROVISIONAL selection letter via email notifying you as to whether you have been provisionally accepted or not
• Please note that this will only be a provisional selection and does guarantee you a place to study in 2024
• A FINAL selection will only take place in January 2024 after final results have been released
• All other applicants (not currently in Grade 12) will receive an acknowledgement letter after the completion of the online application form with instructions relating to the submission of required documents
• In order for your application to be considered complete all required documents must be submitted as required
• Faculties will consider each application and make FINAL offers as is necessary
• You will receive communication via email in this regard by no later than January 2024
• Applicants currently in grade 12 may either enter their final grade 11 results or their mid-year grade 12 results online or on their hard copy forms
• Selection for applicants who completed grade 12 will be done based on their final grade 12 results
• You may enquire at the relevant faculty to verify credit applications
• You may call the UWC Contact Centre on 021-959 3900/01 to enquire or email [email protected]
• Yes, an applicant is required to fill out another application form for each academic year

United World Colleges

Thank you for your interest in applying to UWC.

The UWC movement seeks outstanding students who want to become change-makers for a better world, regardless of their socio-economic, religious, national, ethnic or cultural background. If you are a passionate learner, excited about the prospect of studying and living with young people from around the world, if the UWC mission to make education a force for a more peaceful and sustainable future inspires you - then take the leap and apply! 

There are two main ways to  apply to study the IB Diploma Programme at a UWC boarding school:

• Through the UWC national committee in your country of residence or citizenship
• Through the UWC Global Selection Programme  (GSP)

Which Application Route is Best for You?

Whichever route a candidate chooses, the application will be assessed against UWC’s core selection criteria .

Please note that a candidate may only submit one application per academic year to study the IB Diploma Programme at UWC through only one of the following routes: one UWC national committee, the Global Selection Programme, or through direct applications to any of the schools that accept direct entry applicants.

Please visit the following page to read more about the main differences between the two UWC applications routes.

UWC Selection Criteria

Each of our schools and colleges has its own distinct character and identity, influenced by their host country, the specific setting, cultural context and their community. What makes each one of them a UWC is a deliberately diverse student body, with students coming from all over the world, bringing with them very different backgrounds to learn and live together - and their joined mission to make education a force for peace and sustainability. 

Each year, we look for applicants to join our schools, who bring the following:

• Intellectual curiosity: You love learning about the world around you - both inside and outside the classroom. You have at least one academic area that you are passionate about, and would like to explore further. You are able to recognise global and local issues, and analyse them critically.
• Active commitment to your own values and those of UWC: You share UWC’s values and show a commitment to follow UWC’s code of conduct . You have humility and the ability to listen to, and value, other people’s opinions. You appreciate that although others may have different points of view, they may also be right. You promote UWC’s values in your daily life, and act as a global citizen of the world.
• Social competence: You interact respectfully with others, understanding and appreciating their viewpoints and perspectives, and you are able to work within a team to find solutions to problems. You know how to express yourself appropriately in different situations and to different people.
• Resilience, self-awareness and independence: You can look after yourself physically and emotionally during challenging situations, for example in a boarding school environment. You have developed good coping strategies, and you are not easily overwhelmed. You also know when to ask for help for yourself, and for others.
• Personal responsibility and integrity: You can express and examine your own values, and you are ready to contrast and reflect on them in comparison to the values of others. The way you behave within your family and community reflects your values and beliefs. You can communicate your own needs and are mindful of those of others, demonstrating a sense of communal responsibility.
• Academic robustness: You have the potential to meet the rigorous demands of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme.

The process is simple and to begin...

Create a new account using the 'Register' button to the right.

Confirm your account and begin your application.

You will receive an e-mail (please check spam/junk box) attached with a link. Please click on the link and you will be directed to the application page.

Step  3

In order to determine if you are eligible and what application routes are available for you, fill out the Eligibility Profile form.

Choose between the application programs available and start your application.

It's that simple!

Please Note:

The 'Eligibility Profile' form will determine if you are eligible to make an application.

If you are eligible and you have chosen the National Committee route, only the application programs for the national committee/s for which you are eligible will appear. 

In the unlikely event that more than one National Committee appears as an option, we recommend that you reach out to each NC and find out more about their application process before making a choice.

If you are unable to locate any applications on your dashboard, please check your National Committee's website to see if applications are open. If they are and it is not displaying on your application dashboard, please check your eligibility profile to ensure you have entered the correct date of birth. You can do this by clicking your name in the top right-hand corner of the page, going to Account Settings, then clicking Eligibility.

If you are unsure how to submit your application, please get in touch with us:

Contact the UWC National Committee of your country if you have chosen the NC route

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United World Colleges (UWC) Application Essay

derri 1 / -   Oct 25, 2015   #1 "Please write a statement of not more than 300 words explaining why you are interested in attending a UWC school or college. Describe both what you might contribute and what you would hope to gain. If desired, you may include a description of your background, family and any experiences you have had in meeting people from other backgrounds than your own." I currently have 440 words and the limit is 300 and I also did not mention the "a description of your background, family and any experiences you have had in meeting people from other backgrounds than your own" part. I fee like I am missing something. TIPS, EDITING?? PLEASE. Let me know if some things just don't make sense or are repeated. Have you ever just read or watched something that connects with you on such a deep level? This precisely how I feel about the UWC movement and mission. Reading the UWC mission and seeing the lifestyle of UWCers I feel it is a place where I need to be, where I need to learn, and where I need to share. When I first heard about UWC through various presentations, short courses and articles; and even further hearing about it from the alumni I have met, I knew this was the place for me. As soon as I discovered UWC I knew it was a remarkable opportunity to challenge myself both academically and personally. I fell in love with UWC and I know it would be an environment I would flourish in. I want to learn from others and share with others and I know UWC will give me the tools to prosper and to create a positive impact on the world. UWC also provides opportunity and encouragement for you to take on projects or ideas I often do not receive in Cayman and I'm not able to live by the UWC mission since I'm not encircled by people who are passionate about making changes. I also don't feel I'm surrounded by as much diversity as I need to contribute to a vibrant education inside and outside the classroom like UWC. What also motivated me to apply is the possibility of receiving two years of an IB education, which doesn't only includes academics but also extracurricular activities and the active environment that I seek. The UWC movement appealed to my dream of using business techniques to find solutions to social problems, working to develop my knowledge of the environment and breaking down misunderstandings and stereotypes held around the world. I have the urge to go somewhere where I can expand my knowledge and contribute to the diverse environment, and when I found out about UWC, it was an impeccable match. I want to learn how to perceive everything from different perspectives, which I'm confident I will learn at UWC. I have a hunger to learn more and hear more of people's stories and the world as I know how much I don't know. I no longer want people to see a little dot on the map when they think about the Cayman Islands, but a face in which they remember from an excellent ambassador of the Cayman Islands, named Derricka. I'm confident that after two years of studying at UWC I will able to use what I have gained to cultivate not only myself and the Cayman Islands, but the world.

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How to Write the University of Washington Essays 2023-2024

The University of Washington has two supplemental essays that are required for all applicants, and one optional, “additional information” prompt. While we typically encourage students to respond to any optional prompt, this one is actually optional, as you should only respond if there truly are unusual circumstances that have impacted your high school career. If you are applying to UW’s Honors Program, you will also have to write an additional essay.

UW is one of the top public universities in the country, with elite STEM programs and a location that offers unparalleled access to Amazon and Microsoft, among other influential companies, so you’ll want to make sure your essays truly shine. In this post, we’ll break down how to brainstorm for and write each one, so you can be sure you’re putting your best foot forward.

Read these University of Washington essay examples to inspire your writing.

University of Washington Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. (650 words)

Prompt 2: Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. (300 words)

Prompt 3 (optional): You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education

Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations, you have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended. (200 words), uw interdisciplinary honors program applicants.

We want to understand your desire to learn new things and to push your education outside of the areas of learning that you are most familiar with. Tell us why this type of learning interests you and which subjects you’re excited to explore in college. (450 words)

All Applicants, Prompt 1

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. (650 words).

This prompt is the first of the five options on the Coalition Application and is purposefully phrased nebulously to allow for a wide range of responses. You can relay any experience that reflects or shaped who you are. 

To start, examine your many identities, and choose one that you want to highlight. All experiences are valid, whether they are traditional or unconventional. Focus on the things that make you different from others, and reflect on how they shaped you as a person. Remember that this is your main college essay, so be sure to pick an experience that was integral to your growth throughout high school. 

This is a good chance to tell the story behind any major extracurriculars on your activity list. For example, you might write “debate team captain” as an extracurricular, but this essay is where you can recount the grit and dedication it took for you to reach that position, as you once were extremely shy. You can also use this space to explore identities that don’t appear elsewhere on your application, such as your role within your family. For example, you can write about how you tutor your younger brother in math, and how watching his face light up after understanding a new concept sparked your love of teaching. 

A common theme across all college essays is “show, don’t tell.” This phrase is thrown around frequently, but is easier said than done. A few things to keep in mind when showing rather than telling are vividness and authenticity, which can be created by invoking imagery and specific details. For example, rather than saying “I like tennis and the game has always fascinated me,” try conjuring an image in the reader’s mind such as “At the start of my first official match, I gripped my trusted red racquet tightly, swaying ever so slightly from foot to foot in the ‘ready’ stance that I had practiced for years.” While the first response may be true, it is generic and can apply to any tennis aficionado. The latter response better authenticates your experiences than the former, and demonstrates your sincerity to readers. 

All Applicants, Prompt 2

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the uw. (300 words).

This question serves two purposes: it gives UW an opportunity to learn more about how you developed your values, and it allows them to consider how you might interact with others on campus. It is easy to get mired in focusing on describing your community, but remember, UW wants to learn about you through seeing how your community impacted you. Use a description of your community to frame your essay, but always remind yourself to connect the story back to how it changed you. Once you have framed the essay with a description of who you have become as a result of your community’s impact, be sure to extend this thread to your potential future influence on UW.

There are several ways to interpret community. You could interpret it in the literal sense by explaining how your hometown and family have guided your ambitions. For example, maybe growing up on your family’s farm inspired your appreciation for agriculture and working with your hands. You hope to share this appreciation with other students by working on the UW farm and organizing workshops where students can learn how to plant their own flowers or herbs.

Or, perhaps the community you want to highlight is less conventional, such as the coffeeshop you work at. You could discuss how your coworkers are from all walks of life, and how you’ve befriended a retired older couple that picks up weekend shifts. They offer you advice based on their many life experiences, showing you the importance of having an older mentor. This makes you want to join the Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter at UW.

Regardless of what your community is, be sure to highlight how you’ll contribute to UW’s diversity, whether that’s through your perspective, actions, ideas, cultural traditions, etc.

All Applicants, Prompt 3 (optional)

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. for example, you may use this space if:.

This portion of the application is optional, and while we recommend that you fill out most “optional” essays, this space is truly optional. If you don’t have any unusual circumstances, you can leave it blank without penalty. If feel that the parameters apply to you, you should fill this section out. This is your chance to explain anything that hasn’t been addressed in other parts of your application. Since the maximum is 200 words and the prompt is straightforward, you can (and should) also be totally straightforward in your response, rather than painting a picture with vivid imagery. 

For the first prompt, an example of a response could be:

“In the sophomore year of high school, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and it profoundly affected multiple areas of my life, including my academic performance. For that reason, there is a significant dip in my grades in the spring semester of that year.”

For the second:

“Because my parents own a small restaurant, it is often my responsibility to watch my younger siblings while they are working, and even help out by doing the dishes or bussing tables in my free time. For that reason, I was unable to join as many extracurriculars as my after school time went towards helping ensure the family restaurant was running smoothly.” 

For the last prompt, you can briefly state school-related limitations or opportunities, like if your school did not have an AP or IB program, or if it did have a special internship program that you participated in. Keep in mind that some universities designate admissions officers to research your region and know what programs your school has or doesn’t have – this might be something you want to look into before filling out this section. However, you might want to fill out this section if the school you’re applying to does not have regional admissions officers.

If there is a specific school program or opportunity that you wish to mention, we recommend doing so via your activity list or one of your essays, rather than in this short, 200-word window. If you find that you don’t have space in the rest of your application, then this section is fine.

Please reflect and respond to the following question, and in doing so explain your interest in the UW Interdisciplinary Honors Program. What is interdisciplinary learning and why is it important to you? (300 words)

While you might be tempted to approach this prompt in the way you would approach a traditional “Why This Major?” essay, hold on for a second and reread the prompt. Rather than being asked why you are pursuing a particular major or area of study, you’re being asked about why learning new things interests you and which “subjects you’re excited to explore in college”. 

Although you will likely be most excited to study the topics relevant to your major, this prompt specifically requests that you “push…outside of the areas of learning that you are most familiar with.” UW admissions officers are hoping to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of your intellectual potential, so your response should focus on a topic other than your intended major.

However, be sure to discuss an area of interest that has some alignment with the rest of your application, so that it doesn’t feel totally out-of-the-blue. If you’ve never been a part of any music-related classes or activities, writing about your passion for songwriting may feel a little disjointed. 

Of course, our identities are complicated, but remember that the people reading your applications don’t know you outside of what you tell them, which means it’s crucial that the various pieces of your application come together to form a cohesive unit. Otherwise, your readers may not understand who exactly you are.

To give an example of something you could write about, maybe your intended major is biology, but you’ve also studied Latin throughout high school. You could focus your essay on how you hope to read ancient and medieval scientific texts, to learn more about how human understanding of the world around us has evolved.

Another approach to this essay could be identifying a topic that has nothing to do with biology but ties into some aspect(s) of your identity. Perhaps growing up in a multilingual, bi-racial household, with parents from South America and East Asia, meant you were constantly participating in family gatherings and celebrating holidays with very different cultural contexts. In college, you hope to study anthropology and sociology, even though you have no direct experience with either of those subjects, so that you can not only understand your own identity better, but also be better prepared to engage with those who have their own complicated stories.

Note that the prompt asks you to not only describe one of your academic interests, but also explain “why this type of learning interests you,” with regards to interdisciplinary learning. To answer this part of the prompt, you’ll want to identify one or two of your goals for college, and how you see interdisciplinary learning in particular helping you reach them.

The second example given above already does this, as the student explains that they want to be able to better communicate with people from cultural backgrounds that differ from their own, and they clearly connect that goal to the subjects they are focusing on. 

The student in the first example is starting to get to this component of their essay, but needs a little more personal connection. They could get that by, for example, writing about how they’re not sure how they can best utilize their skills within the vast field of biology–as a doctor, researcher, educator, or something else–and throughout college, hopefully exploring the history of the subject will give them a clearer idea of the right path ahead.

Here are some finals tips for you to consider when responding to this essay: 

• 450 words is on the long side for a supplemental essay, so take the time to share an anecdote that integrates your interest in a specific topic with your background, personal values, and overall love of learning, rather than just stating your points in a direct, factual way
• Explain why the University of Washington specifically can help you reach your goals, by referencing a few course offerings, campus organizations, research opportunities, and so on that align with your interests
• Not to sound cheesy, but have fun! As we noted at the beginning of this breakdown, you have more freedom here than in a “Why Major?” essay, so highlight your curiosity, excitement, and any quirky connection you have to your topic, rather than worrying about whether or not you’ve taken enough APs or done enough extracurriculars related to your topic

Where to Get Your University of Washington Essays Edited 

Do you want feedback on your UW essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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College Essays

The University of Washington is often ranked among public Ivy Leagues —that is, public schools with the academic clout and selectivity to elevate their reputations. So if you want to be a Husky, it's not just about good grades and test scores. You'll also need to prove yourself with a good University of Washington essay, combining your technical skill with your knowledge of the school and your reasons for wanting to attend to attract attention from admissions officers.

But to do that, you need to know how to write great UW essays. The University of Washington uses the Common Application , which can be submitted to multiple schools and includes an essay section with several different prompts. The supplemental UW essay prompts are pretty standard, but we have all the helpful tips you need to make sure your application is set to impress.

Feature Image: Cody Logan/ Wikimedia

What's Included in the University of Washington Essay Section?

There are two required essays you need to write for the University of Washington, along with an optional third essay. These essays are:

• Common App essay (650 words)
• Short response (300 words)
• Additional information (optional, 200 words)

Part of the Common App includes answering an essay prompt in 650 words or less. While there are seven Common App essay prompts, the University of Washington doesn't allow you to choose which prompt to answer; all applicants must answer the same prompt and submit them as part of their Common Application .  

The University of Washington application also includes a required short response question of 300 words and an optional short essay of 200 words.

Additional space is available, but it's recommended that you don't take it unless you absolutely need it. Show restraint when responding to UW essay prompts; it shows that you can be concise and follow directions , and you won't run the risk of volunteering too much information or making yourself memorable for the wrong reasons. That said, we'll cover some exceptions below!

What Is the Common Application Essay Prompt?

Although there are seven Common App essay prompts , the University of Washington requires you to answer a specific prompt; you don't get to choose. The maximum length of this essay is 650 words, but the University of Washington recommends the essay be closer to 300-400 words.

This is the Common App essay prompt you must answer:

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

This essay prompt is pretty broad; it allows you to focus on any significant experience in your life. To answer it effectively, you'll want to relate a specific anecdote or event that had a strong impact on you as a person and how you define yourself today.

When answering this prompt, you'll want to choose a particularly significant experience. It doesn't need to be super rare, but the experience should hold deep meaning for you. Ask yourself: what defines you? What do you find important? Can you connect a key part of your personality or a goal you have to a specific event in your life?

You should also focus on only one experience. Don't try to cram in as many stories as possible—concentrate on the one incident that's most important to you, and use this essay as a chance to really delve into the specifics of it. How did the experience make you feel at the time? Why did it have such an impact on you?

If you decide to write about a negative experience, try to put a positive spin on it. You don't need to stick with a happy-go-lucky story—maybe you lost a friend because of a heated argument, or forgot to pick up your little brother from school one day. Regardless of the incident, keep the focus on how this situation ultimately taught you something important about life, such as the value of responsibility or the meaning of maturity.

Tips For Brainstorming Topics for Your University of Washington Essay

If you're struggling to come up with an experience to write about, try these brainstorming ideas:

• A time you helped someone in need, such as a friend, a classmate, or a sibling, and how your assistance revealed to you the value of cooperation or compassion. For example, did you tutor a peer in math? Help your sibling recover from a bullying incident?
• A time you made a mistake or acted against your true character and what this taught you about morality and being true to yourself. Perhaps you lied about a grade you got to your parents or said something out of anger to a friend and later regretted it.
• An incident that emphasizes a particular skill or ability you have. For example, you could write about the time you organized a winter holiday food drive at your high school and how it highlights your leadership skills and passion for social work.
• A time you faced a challenge and how you ultimately overcame it. Maybe you struggled severely with geometry and were about to fail your math class, but because of a great friend who encouraged you to keep trying, you eventually raised your grade from a D- to a B.

When writing this essay, make sure to avoid pretending something is more important or unique than it actually is. Don't tell a story the admissions committee has likely heard hundreds of times. Choose an event that speaks to your life and has had a large impact on how you see yourself. Basically, don't write about what you think the admissions committee wants to read. For example, instead of discussing how you've been in Honor Society since 9th grade, it'll be a lot more interesting if you wrote about somebody you met through Honor Society or why you decided to drop out of it.

Also, don't focus too much on the negative part of the story. While it's OK to write about a time when you made a mistake, did something wrong, or faced a challenge, try to avoid writing only about the bad parts. Your story should overall be optimistic and reveal something positive about yourself.

What Is the Short Answer Prompt?

Once you've finished the Common Application essay, the University of Washington has an additional requirement for you—a short response question with a 300 word limit.

The University of Washington suggests that concise writing is particularly valuable, and recommends that the Common App essay be between 300 and 400 words rather than 650. Though they don't offer word count recommendations for the other prompts, it's best to assume they're looking for short answers. Cutting out 100 words might feel excessive, but do try to leave some breathing room within your essay rather than squeaking in right under the allotted 300 words .

Additionally, the University of Washington states that students tend to answer this essay more informally than the longer essay. However, they expect formal, polished essays for both prompts, so don't slack off on proofreading or editing this essay.

For the UW short response essay, here is the required prompt:

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

UW offers a helpful tip right below the prompt: "Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints." What this means is that UW wants to see students who are going to be right at home in that diverse student body. When answering this question, consider specifically what you might add to the community. What perspective do you bring? What traits make you a good fit?

Some students might struggle with this, because it's easy to assume that UW means they're only looking for students from diverse backgrounds, such as students of color, LGBTQ+ students, or students of other marginalized identities. But the prompt doesn't at all mean that you have no chance if you don't belong to one of those communities. Students who fit into those groups may have an easier time of identifying what diversity they bring to the school, but belonging to a marginalized group doesn't in any way guarantee admission.

The University of Washington is looking for students who foster and embrace diversity, so be sure to think on those terms. Consider, for example, how your rambunctious family Thanksgiving taught you to embrace chaos, and how your ability to stop Great Aunt Kathy from throwing mashed potatoes at your cousin for bringing up a sensitive political issue translates to a college campus. Think about how having several different friend groups in high school—nerds and jocks, for example—taught you to move between spaces while always being your authentic self.

For students who are of marginalized backgrounds, the same advice still applies. You likely have different lived experiences than other students, but UW wants to know exactly what you're going to bring to the student community . You can discuss advocacy work, for example, or how your less advantageous upbringing taught you to work hard for everything you want. Always come back to that request to "Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW."

Embracing diversity isn't just about being a member of a marginalized community; think about how you participate in your social groups and how your experiences before college will help you have and, more importantly, create a good experience for others. Again, it's not about what identity you do or do not have, but rather about how you build communities and support others. UW is a big school, but you'll still be interacting with people from all walks of life on a daily basis—how will you navigate difference and fit into a student body made up of so many different people?

Let UW know exactly how they're going to help you make a slam dunk.

What Should You Add in the Additional Information Section?

The University of Washington essay prompt offers an additional 200 words for you to talk about yourself and your unique circumstances. This section is optional, and UW advises that the following types of students may benefit from taking the opportunity to expand on their application:

• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

Even if you don't fall into one of these groups, it's wise to take advantage of this additional space. Everyone has a goal that's important to them, after all, which is explicitly included in the second bullet point. However, you only have 200 words, so you'll need to make them count .

Again, UW mentions earlier in their guidelines for the writing section that they value brevity. Don't try to hit that 200 word mark just because it's there—use only the space that you need. Be succinct and clear about any obstacles you've overcome, what draws you to your major, and what makes you want to attend UW specifically.

For example, say you, like many prospective UW students, are interested in becoming a doctor. The University of Washington is highly ranked among medical schools , so saying you want to go there because it's a good medical program isn't doing any legwork in setting you apart from other students . Instead, use this space to talk about why your major is important to you, and why placement at UW is going to help you achieve more.

Following the medical school example, maybe your primary care doctor was a UW grad, and the depth of care they gave you convinced you it wasn't just what you know as a doctor that matters, but also how you deploy that knowledge. Because you want to make the same difference in somebody's life, you're applying to UW to have access to the same information and instruction that your doctor did. In essence, use this space to explain something you didn't have space to explain elsewhere, but make it count .

Be careful not to retread the same ground! This is an opportunity to flesh out your application, not to hammer something home. If you haven't had a chance to discuss that your grades slipped sophomore year because of a family illness or that your local library has a special box for you because of all the engineering books you keep checking out, now's the time to mention it. Keep it short, direct, and original—the admissions office is reading this supplemental section in the context of your application, so you don't need to revisit anything.

Careful not to fall into the trap of using more space than you need.

Should You Use the Additional Space? How?

It can be tempting to use UW's provided additional space to squeeze a few more words into your application, but resist it . Those word counts are there for a reason, and you should aim to get under, not exceed them.

That said, there are legitimate reasons to use this additional space. The University of Washington mentions clarifying answers from elsewhere on the application or providing extra information to the admissions office.

If you have special considerations as a student that you want to be sure the office is aware of, but that you didn't discuss in the previous additional information section, you could include that here. You could also include relevant awards or distinguishing recognition you've received. If your high school had an unusual grading system, it might be useful to explain how to interpret your grades.

But don't take the lack of a word requirement to mean that you can talk about whatever you want, or that you should use this space to expand on one of your earlier essays . Use only what you need, no more. Try to keep it under 200 words. Brevity is important!

Tips and Advice for the University of Washington Essays

Specific advice for each prompt will help you craft a better essay, but there are some general things to keep in mind, too !

Proofread Your UW Essays

It's a small space, so there should be fewer mistakes, right? Nope . You still need to proofread . Consider writing your essays by hand and then transcribing the drafts—it feels like more work, but turning written words into typed words is a great way to spot mistakes. Go through multiple drafts, and read your essay out loud before you submit it.

Don't let typos get through; no matter how good the rest of your essay is, a typo will make it look as though you didn't edit it at all, suggesting you didn't take your time. Do everything you can to avoid the perception that you wrote it up without thinking! On the UW admission website they are very specific that you should “write like it matters, not like you’re texting. This is an application for college, not a message to your friend.”

Get Editing Help

Seek feedback from those you trust, not just those who are going to tell you your essays are great . You want your essays to be as good as possible, so let people who are going to be truthful with you make suggestions. They'll help you write a better essay, and a fresh pair of eyes can spot holes in your logic and errors you might miss after repeated revisions.

Think about going to teachers or counselors rather than friends or family. Though they undoubtedly want to help you, they might also be worried about hurting your feelings. Someone who's a little more objective but still wants to see you succeed is the kind of editor you want.

Be Specific

Always remember that you're applying to the University of Washington. Don't just write an essay that could impress any college (that's what the Common Application essay is for!); write one that ties into UW's core values . Their vision includes an emphasis on discovery, research, community, optimism, and even celebrating the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. All of these are angles ripe for exploration in your essays . If one of your answers is lacking, try folding a little of this vision into it by finding parts of your essay that match the mission and making them stand out more.

Read Essays That Got Students Into UW

It can be tricky finding essays that got applicants into UW, but it can also be a great indicator of what the school values in an application. Take these essays by Issa Rice . Though written for a different set of prompts, it's not hard to see why Rice was accepted.

Notice how his essays could only come from him; they're so tied to personal experience that it's unlikely anyone else would have the same essay. That's the kind of personalization you want to strive for. Your essay should speak about your own unique experience and leave the admissions office with a clearer picture of who you are as a person, not just as a collection of grades and test scores.

What's Next?

Crafting a perfect essay is just one part of the admissions process to the University of Washington. Because UW is a moderately selective school, you need to be aware of all admissions requirements before applying to be sure that your application is up to snuff .

As you're writing and rewriting your UW essay, be sure that it meets all the guidelines of a good college essay in addition to the UW requirements. A little extra polish will go a long way to cementing your application in the admission office's memory!

If you're struggling to understand why UW uses the Coalition App and what that means, never fear! We have all the information on what distinguishes one application system from another , helping you plan your college applications with less stress.

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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• How to Apply
• Apply for the IBDP or IBCP at UWC

UWC Global Selection Programme (GSP)

If you’re interested in studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or Career-related Programme (IBCP)* at a UWC school, you can apply via the Global Selection Programme (GSP). This route is available at 15 of our 18 UWC schools worldwide (it is currently not available at UWC Adriatic, UWC Robert Bosch College and UWC South East Asia).

*While all UWC schools and colleges teach the IBDP, students can also take the IBCP at Pearson College UWC and UWC Maastricht .

Is the GSP route for me?

The GSP route is ideal if you’ve fallen in love with one or more specific UWC schools. However, you will not receive scholarships or financial assistance (if you would like to be considered for financial support, you should apply to UWC via the national committee route ). Please be aware that you can submit only one application to UWC per academic year , either through one national committee or through the GSP.

Learn about school fees for specific schools on our Fees and Scholarships page. 

Applications to UWC via the GSP for entry in August 2024 (January 2025 for Waterford Kamhlaba UWC of Southern Africa) are now open until 5 May!

Applying via the GSP

No matter which school you select, you’ll receive a challenging and exciting education. But each of our schools has its own distinct character and identity. So before starting your application, make sure you learn about our schools, and pick the destination – or destinations – that suit you most. We also encourage you to contact them directly to find out more about the campus, curriculum, extracurricular activities or available support. 

Ready to start your application journey via the GSP? Read on! 

Step 1: Registration and access to your account on the application portal  

To complete an online application to a UWC college through the Global Selection Programme (GSP) you will need to go to  apply.uwc.org/prog/global_selection_programme_entry_2024  and create an account.

On the registration page, you will need to provide your personal e-mail address, first name and surname (in English), and a password that you will use to access your account in the application system. Please make sure you do not lose this information to avoid creating multiple accounts. After you provide all the required information, please click the “Create Account” button.

Within 10 minutes, you will be sent a verification link to your email that will provide you with access to your account in the system. Please make sure to click this link so you can access your account.

Important : Automatically generated messages are sometimes blocked by spam filters. Therefore, if you do not receive a notification with the link within 10 minutes, please check your spam/junk folder. If you have not received an invitation within 24 hours, please contact us via [email protected] . Please also make sure that emails from Survey Monkey Apply and the Global Selections Programme email address do not end up in your spam/junk folder.

If you are applying through the Global Selection Programme route, you should be able to pay the full fees of the school(s) that you are interested in applying to. You can find more information on school fees here .

Once you have completed the rest of the Eligibility questions, you will need to click the “Programs” tab at the top of the page to access the Global Selections Programme application.

IMPORTANT: If you are a citizen of China AND are currently residing in China, you will have to apply through the Chinese National Committee, regardless of whether you want to apply through the national committee route or the Global Selection Programme route. You can locate the application form and more information here .

* Please note that you can only submit one application to UWC per academic year, either through one national committee or through the Global Selection Programme . You cannot submit two applications as you will risk having them being disqualified. If you have started two different applications, you will have to make a decision and delete one. If you have already applied through a national committee and your application was not successful, you will not be able to apply through the GSP until the next application cycle for the following academic year.

Step 2: Begin your application  

Below is an overview of the tasks that you are required to complete in order to submit an application to UWC via the GSP, as well as who is required to complete each task.

• Information and Conditions Form (candidates and parents/guardians)
• Two Parent/Guardian Consent Forms (parents/guardians only)
• GSP Personal Information (candidates only)
• Application Fee (applicants or parents/guardians)
• Application Form – this consists of 10 short essay-type questions (applicants only)
• Health Declaration Form (applicants only)
• Short Video – this is a two-minute video you have to film based on a prompt (applicants only)
• Academic Reference (applicants only)
• Non-Academic Reference (applicants only)
• Current or Most Recent Academic Year School Report  (applicants only)
• Previous Academic Year School Report  (applicants only)
• Candidate Terms and Conditions  (applicants only)
• Parent/Guardian Terms and Conditions  (parents/guardians only)

Please keep the above tasks in mind when timing the completion of your application. Some of these tasks require you to add your parents/guardians as a collaborator to the application form so they can complete the forms. To add your parents/guardians as collaborators, click the "Add collaborator" button under your name on the left-hand side of your application form. You will need to give them editing and viewing access to complete the relevant sections.

Step 3: Parent(s) / Guardian(s) Consent Forms   

This task is completed by the Applicant’s parents(s) or guardian(s). The section must be completed in English.

The first two tasks listed on the task list are the First and Second Parent/Guardian Information and Authorization forms. To complete these tasks, you will need to click “Request a Recommendation” and input the first name, last name, and email address of your parent/guardian, then click “Send Request”. Once you have done this, you need to let your parent(s)/guardian(s) know that they should have received an email containing an invitation link to complete the Parent/Guardian Information and Authorization form. You will not be able to start the rest of your application until the first form is completed.

Both of your parent(s)/guardian(s) need to complete the Information and Authorization forms. If you only have one parent/guardian who can complete the consent form, you can skip the second Information and Authorization form. Please note that whoever completes the forms needs to have legal custody over you; you cannot apply to UWC without approval from a legal guardian.

Once the forms have been submitted and received by the system, you will have to mark the tasks as complete to move on to the next task.

Important : Please alert your parent/guardian to the fact that they will be receiving an email requesting them to complete a form. Automatically generated messages are sometimes blocked by spam filters. Therefore, if your parent or guardian has not received an invitation containing a link giving access to the personal account within 10 minutes, they should check their spam/junk mail folder. If the invitation is not received within 24 hours, select Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Information and Authorization from the Task list in your account and press Resend request. Alternatively, you can contact us at [email protected] .

Step 4: Completing GSP Personal Information form and application fee  

When you start your application, you will only be able to see the Information and Conditions Form, the Parent/Guardian Consent Forms and the GSP Personal Information form. You have to make sure your first Parent/Guardian Information and Authorization form has been submitted before you can access the GSP Personal Information form.

In the GSP Personal Information form, you will need to provide the following information:

• Personal information;
• Contact information;
• Current address;
• 2 ID documents;
• School choices – you may select up to five schools. If a school is not appearing on your list, it means that your date of birth is not within the school’s age range. Please note that UWC Adriatic, UWC Robert Bosch College, and UWC South East Asia are not participating in the GSP.

Each of our schools and colleges have different subjects and activities. UWC Maastricht and Pearson College UWC provide the IB Career-related Programme along with the IB Diploma Programme. Please research each school carefully to decide which would suit you best. Each of them also have different school fees, which you can locate here .

You will also be asked to select multiple dates for your availability to attend an Online Selection Day, if your application is successful. Y ou will need to submit your application at least three weeks before your latest selected date as our volunteers need sufficient time to review your application .

Please make sure to double-check the information you have provided in this section as once you hit submit, you will not be able to make any changes.

After submitting your GSP Personal Information form, you will need to pay an application fee through the PayPal link provided on the application. The application fee is determined by the number of schools you have selected, i.e. GBP 180 for one school, GBP 210 for two schools, GBP 240 for three schools, GBP 270 for four schools, and GBP 300 for five schools. If your application fee does not match the number of schools you have selected, please email us at [email protected] .

If you cannot make your payment through PayPal, please contact us at the email address listed above to discuss other payment options.

After paying the application fee, you should be able to access the rest of the application.

Step 5: Completing Application Form  

This section is completed by the Applicant in English.

The Application Form section consists of 10 essay-type questions which will help us learn more about your authentic self. We want to hear about your experiences, hobbies, interests, and passions. For tips on how to best express yourself and make your application shine, you can check out this blog post . We also want to know what your values and vision for the world are. If you have not familiarised yourself with UWC’s mission and values, you can do so here .

Step 6: Completing Health Declaration Form  

The Health Declaration Form is for internal UWC purposes only. This includes the UWC committee making the selection, the UWC school or college making the admissions decision and UWC International for monitoring purposes only. The content will be shared with individuals or organisations only to the extent necessary to provide appropriate medical assessments, care and treatment. 

The information provided will be held in confidence as part of the student’s health record and will only be shared between UWC entities as needed to appropriately review a particular situation concerning the student. Information may be shared in the form of anonymised data with a UWC entity or an outside entity monitoring health concerns across UWC on behalf of a UWC entity.

Please fill this section out as accurately as possible so we can help you with choosing a UWC that would best suit your needs.

Step 7: Completing Short Video  

This section needs to be completed in English.

You will be asked to film and upload a short video answering a prompt. The video can last a maximum of two minutes. Please make sure that the video and audio quality is acceptable before uploading it. If you are uploading a video, please ensure the file size is no more than 80MB. If the file is larger than that, you will need to compress it. The following file types are accepted: .avi, .mp4, .mov, YouTube, and Vimeo.

Step 8: Submitting Most Recent and Previous Year School Reports  

You will need to submit a copy of your current or most recent academic year school report and a previous year school report. Every country has different education pathways for high school, so you will be asked to explain your current education system in the Most Recent School Report task to help us assess your school reports and your readiness to study the IBDP or IBCP at one of our schools. In both tasks, you will be asked to type in your subjects, grades, and any relevant comments in English so that our selection panel can review your reports. You will also be asked to provide the maximum and passing grade in your school system, so we can better understand your academic performance under your local context.

Step 9: Submitting Academic and Non-academic References  

This section should be completed by the Applicant’s Referees in English. If your referees do not speak English, they can use translation tools, such as Google Translate or DeepL, to help them complete their reference in English.

Academic Reference This section should be completed by a teacher at your current school who knows you well. This is your academic reference. Click here for more tips on who you can ask to be your academic referee.

References from your academic referee need to be ​​written or typed on paper with your school’s letterhead, signed, dated and scanned. They should then upload the file as a pdf. If there are any issues with uploading references, please ask your referee to email us at [email protected] so we can assist.

Non-Academic Reference This section should be completed by someone who can give a non-academic reference for the Applicant. This section must not be completed by a school teacher, family member or friend . The person who completes it must be aged over 18 and must know you well. This person might for example be your sports coach, or, if you work or volunteer, your supervisor. Click here for more tips on who you can ask to be your non-academic referee.

The information contained in the references are confidential – no one except the UWC International Office will be able to see the references once they have been submitted on the system. The references are needed for our selection panel to review applications, so these need to be requested and submitted on the system before you can submit your application.

For your referees to complete a reference for you, you will need to click the “Request a Recommendation” button on both tasks. Here, you will provide the first name, last name, and email address of the Referee who will provide your reference. After you have completed the form and pressed “Send Request”, an invitation containing a link should be sent to the email address provided within a few minutes. By following this link and entering a password, your Referee will be able to access and complete the form. Please make sure that you have asked your referee to write a reference for you before submitting the recommendation request.

Important: Please alert your Referee to the fact that they will be receiving an email requesting them to complete a reference form. Automatically generated messages are sometimes blocked by spam filters. Therefore, if your Referee has not received an invitation containing a link giving access to the personal account within 10 minutes, they should check their spam/junk mail folder. If the invitation is not received within 24 hours, press “Resend Request” in the task where the issue is occurring. Alternatively, you can contact us at [email protected] .

Step 10: Completing Terms and Conditions  

You and your parents/guardians will not be able to complete the Terms and Conditions section until all the other tasks are completed. Please use this task to double-check that everything you have provided in the application is accurate and that documents have been uploaded correctly. It is also important to double-check that the schools you have decided to apply to are still available. If not, you will need to contact us to update your school choices.

Once you have double-checked your full application, please read through the Terms and Conditions carefully. If you have any questions regarding any of the information on the form, please email us at [email protected] . 

If you accept the terms and conditions, please tick the box at the bottom of the form and submit your application.

  What happens after I submit my application?

Your application will be reviewed by our volunteer selection committee, and can take some time depending on how many applications we receive at the time and the availability of our volunteers, so please be patient. We will get in touch with you once your application review has been completed. You can also check the current stage of your application through the application portal. During this time, you and your parent(s) or guardian(s) may be invited for a conversation with an admissions officer at one or more of the schools you have selected in your application. We also encourage you to contact the school(s) you have selected, to ask any questions you may have and to learn about the subject choices and facilities they offer.

If your application passes the review stage, you will receive an email from us with an invitation to attend an Online Selection Day. Please note that attending the Online Selection Day is part of the process and is not optional. The selection day will feature group activities, a project presentation, an interview, and an emotional wellbeing questionnaire. We use Zoom to conduct our Online Selection Day, so please ensure that you have access to a stable Internet connection and a device with a camera that allows you to use Zoom. The event will also be held fully in English, but you do not need to be a native English speaker to participate.

If you pass the online selection day process, you will receive an email informing you of your nomination to UWC and a request for you to complete our UWC General Medical Form, which we will need before we share your application with the school or college you have been nominated to. Please note that you will be nominated to only one of the schools on your list. You may be invited to have a follow-up interview with the Admissions Director or other faculty members of the UWC school you have been nominated to. After this, the Admissions Director of the school you have been nominated to will then decide to make offers to accepted candidates. 

Any questions?

If you have any further queries, please contact us at [email protected] . 

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