Admission Requirements

Applications for graduate study in Nutritional Sciences are reviewed and evaluated by a faculty committee. The committee bases decisions on each applicant’s academic record, applicable test scores, relevant professional work and/or volunteer experience, and motivation and interest in Nutritional Sciences. Admission to the Nutritional Sciences Program is competitive. To be considered for admission, the following requirements and prerequisites must be satisfied.

Minimum Requirements for All Applicants

• Degree: Bachelor's degree, preferably with a science emphasis. We do not require that you have a degree in Nutrition or Dietetics, however, you must complete the prerequisite courses listed below.
• Prerequisite coursework: You must have completed the following courses before entering to the program:
  • Basic Human Nutrition (must be complete at the time of application)
  • General Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Biochemistry (two quarters or one semester)
  • Human Physiology
  • Applicants to the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics (GCPD) must also complete the GCPD prerequisites.
  • If prerequisite courses were completed more than 10 years before entering the program, human nutrition, biochemistry, and human physiology should be retaken.
  • Please see the transcript evaluation section below for examples of prerequisite courses at UW and identify acceptable courses at other institutions.
• GPA: 3.00 GPA or greater for the final 90 quarter credit hours or 60 semester credit hours completed
• GRE (general exam) Score: Scores should be at or above the 50th percentile for both the verbal and quantitative sections. Scores over 5 years old will not be accepted.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants:

In addition to the requirements for admission listed above, international applicants are required to submit:

• TOEFL Scores (or other required English Proficiency Exam Score): International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official scores from one of the exams listed below. Test scores are valid for two years and must be valid on the date the application is submitted. The minimum required scores are:
  • 7.0 on the IELTS
  • 92 on the TOEFLiBT
  • 237 on the TOEFLC
  • 580 on the TOEFL
  • 90 on the MLT
  • 65 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic
• Evidence of Financial Ability International students can visit The Graduate School International Admissions website for more information on the financial ability requirement.

To apply, see the Application Instructions.

Transcript Evaluations

Due to the high number of inquiries we receive we are not able to do transcript evaluations for prospective applicants. With some exceptions, it should not be difficult for you to determine yourself which courses you have satisfied or need to take at another school. Here are some tips.

The following table lists prerequisites available at the University of Washington. Please note that these are GUIDELINES to assist you in identifying comparable courses at other institutions. Many students fulfill their prerequisites at other colleges, including community colleges.

You may use the UW Equivalency guide to check which classes at local community colleges will fulfill prerequisite requirements.

Updated May 13, 2013