Social Work
Pathway to Licensure for Internationally Trained Applicant
Pathway to Utah Licensure for Internationally Trained Social Service Workers (SSW)
Information for internationally trained applicants seeking a Social Service Workers (SSW) license in Utah! This document outlines the requirements and steps you must take to apply through this pathway. Please read carefully and ensure you understand each requirement.
Education Requirements for Licensure
You must meet one of the following two pathways:
Pathway 1: Social Work Degree Equivalent
You must obtain an official course-by-course evaluation of your international educational credentials from a member institution of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
- This evaluation must deem your education equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Social Work in the U.S.
- The evaluation report must be sent directly from the NACES member institution to the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).
Pathway 2: General Degree Equivalent, Specific Coursework and Experience
You must obtain an official course-by-course evaluation of your international educational credentials from a member institution of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) that deems your education equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in any field, AND you must provide documentation of specific coursework and professional experience:
- Required Coursework -ย Your evaluated transcripts must show you have successfully completed the following three courses:
- Social welfare policy
- Human growth and development
- Social work practice methods
- Required Experience - You must provide documentation confirming that you have completed at least 2,000 hours of qualifying experience under the supervision of a licensed mental health therapist.
Please send us your Credential Evaluation report in one of the following ways:
By Mail: Division Of Professional Licensing (DOPL) Attention: ITAC Team/Bureau 8 Heber M. Wells Building, 4th Floor 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
By Email: The evaluator can send your report to our email: [email protected] and [email protected].
Submit Your SSW Application to DOPL
Once you are deemed eligible and have ideally completed all the requirements, submit your official Social Service Worker (SSW) application to the DOPL webpage at https://dopl.utah.gov/social-work/apply-for-a-license/social-service-worker/. Ensure all required documentation and fees are included as per the application instructions.
Important Considerations:
- Timeline: Processing times for international applications vary. Credential evaluation and DOPL review can take several weeks.
- Translated documents: Any document that is not originally in English must have translated versions.
Pathway to Utah Licensure for Internationally Trained Certified Social Workers (CSW)
Information for internationally trained applicants seeking a Certified Social Workers (CSW) license in Utah! This document outlines the requirements and steps you must take to apply through this pathway. Please read carefully and ensure you understand each requirement.
Educational Requirements for Licensure
Social Work Degree Equivalent
You must obtain an education evaluation of your international educational credentials from the Council on Social Work Education OR by the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work. This evaluation must deem your education equivalent to a Master's degree in Social Work in the U.S.
- The evaluation report must be sent directly from the institution to the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).
Please send us your Credential Evaluation report in one of the following ways:
- By Mail: Division Of Professional Licensing (DOPL) Attention: ITAC Team/Bureau 8 Heber M. Wells Building, 4th Floor 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
- By Email: The evaluator can send your report to our email: [email protected] and [email protected].
Submit Your CSW Application to DOPL
Once you are deemed eligible and have ideally completed all the requirements, submit your official Certified Social Worker (CSW) application to the DOPL webpage at https://dopl.utah.gov/social-work/apply-for-a-license/certified-social-worker/. Ensure all required documentation and fees are included as per the application instructions.
Important Considerations:
- Timeline: Processing times for international applications vary. Credential evaluation and DOPL review can take several weeks.
- Translated documents: Any document that is not originally in English must have translated versions.
- Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensure: After obtaining a CSW license, you may qualify for an LCSW license by completing 3,000 hours of supervised experience, taking the required courses, and passing the ASWB Clinical exam.
Do you have questions?
- Read and understand the scopes of practice to learn if the license fits your experience.
- Access our training resources at the Internationally-Trained Applicant Credentialing Program website.
- Fill out our contact formย and provide all necessary documents.
- You can also email us at [email protected].
