Admissions and Aid

Admission Procedures and Additional Information

• Check Your Application Status

  Log into your Applicant Portal using the same email and password you used to apply for admission.

• Personal Statement

  Central Washington University recognizes that many factors can affect your grades and academic history. CWU utilizes a Comprehensive Admissions Review Process so that we can get to know you and your unique experiences better. The process was created to best determine your potential success as a student at CWU.

  With that in mind, we may ask you to submit a personal statement during the application process. All information provided will only be used as part of the admissions process and will be kept confidential.

• Home Schooled & GED Students

  Home Schooled Students

  A Home-school student is any applicant who will complete their high school coursework at home and will not receive a diploma from an accredited high school. An applicant is qualified for First-Year admission if they:

  • Present evidence of their completion of the academic CADR courses by submitting an official home-school transcript. Transcripts must be signed by a parent or legal guardian in order to be official.
  • Provide GED test scores as proof of high school completion. A GED is not required but may be submitted to participate in varsity athletics.
  • Submit any official college transcripts (if applicable). Regardless of the number of college credits completed, students earning college credit in high school will be considered freshmen for admissions purposes as long as they do not take coursework after graduation from high school (excluding summer).

  All home-schooled students will be reviewed by the Admissions Review Process.

  GED Students

  Any applicant who submits GED scores in lieu of a high school transcript/graduation for First-Year admission will be considered and reviewed on an individual bases. If the student has any course work/transcript from a high school they must submit those transcripts. GED recipients will be reviewed through the Admissions Review Program.

• Advanced Placement

  The University will grant at a minimum elective credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams completed with a score of three (3) or higher. Students may receive credit for advanced placement with a grade of S, depending upon the scores achieved on the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Test (AP). Students must request that their AP test scores be sent to the Office of the Registrar at Central. To learn more, please see the Office of the Registrar's website. To learn more about Advanced Placement Tests, visit our online undergraduate catalog and search for “Advanced Placement.”

• Admission Appeal

  Would you like the CWU Admissions Office to reconsider your application for admission? The Admission Appeal Committee meets regularly to consider additional information from students regarding their admission decision. 

  Information need for an appeal is:

  1. Any additional academic work
  2. Two to Three letters of recommendation.  These should come from a teacher, counselor, or employer.
  3. A new personal statement.  Please discuss your academics, any extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to your academic performance, and how you plan to be successful at CWU.

  Submit all information to the Office of Admissions to admissions@cwu.edu and make sure you indicate you intend to appeal.

• Early Transfer Admissions Plus

  Save Time and Money with Early Transfer Admissions Plus (ETA+)

  Are you thinking about attending CWU after earning your two year degree at a community college? You may be eligible for CWU's new ETA+ program, designed to streamline your degree path from community college to CWU. After being admitted to one of the participating community colleges, ETA+ gives you conditional admittance to CWU with access to key university resources including academic major advising, financial aid workshops, and career counseling to help in your degree planning process.

  Designed to streamline your bachelor’s degree path to CWU, ETA+ provides you confidence about next steps in your higher education journey with access to CWU faculty and staff to guide you along your way. Get valuable guidance on what classes to take to get you the degree you want.

  Additionally, ETA+ students receive free application (a $60 dollar value) and fun CWU gear to get you excited about being part of our Wildcat family.

  At the time of transfer, fully admitted students can choose between most CWU locations including main campus in Ellensburg or online, CWU-Lynnwood, CWU-Des Moines, CWU-Pierce County, CWU-Yakima, CWU-Moses Lake, or CWU-Wenatchee.

  ETA+ Eligibility

  • Be currently enrolled at one of our partner colleges (Edmonds College, Highline College, Pierce College, Yakima Valley College, Wenatchee Valley College, or Big Bend Community College) in a Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) associate degree program,
  • Have between 0-60 credits (40 semester credits) at the time of ETA+ application
  • Complete the appropriate transfer degree at your participating community college within two years of acceptance into the ETA+ program.

  Next Steps

  Apply to ETA+ at CWU. You’ll want to have your unofficial transcripts ready to upload at this time.