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Undergraduate Admissions


Admission into the Math Major is competitive. Completion of minimum requirements described below does not guarantee admission. Each application is evaluated by a subcommittee of the Undergraduate Program Committee. As a public institution, the UW is dedicated to first-time degree-seeking students. Coupled with high demand for Math degrees among Undergraduates, unfortunately means math degrees are not available for post-baccalaureate students through the UW Seattle.


Admission Requirements & Criteria

MATH 124, 125, 126, and MATH 300 (or MATH 134, 135, 136) with a minimum numerical grade of 2.0 in each course and an overall 2.50 in all MATH courses.  MATH 126 and 300 (or MATH 136) must be completed at the time of application; cannot be in-progress.

AP/IB Exams: Course equivalencies earned with AP / IB exams can be used to meet the course requirements.

WA CTC Transfers
: If you're transferring from a Washington state community or technical college, use the WA CC Equivalency Guide (https://admit.washington.edu/apply/transfer/equivalency-guide/) to see what CTC courses are transferable and equivalent to UW coursework.

  

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Performance in all mathematics courses as measured by GPA ; typically more recent MATH coursework will be weighted heavier
  • Difficulty of math courses completed
  • Frequency of incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated courses
  • Demonstrated interest in mathematics

Applicants can show demonstrated interest in mathematics by consistently taking math courses; ideally one math course per quarter up until the time of application, including the application quarter.  In addition to the criteria listed above, a personal statement about your interest in mathematics will also help us evaluate your application. 


Degrees & Major Options

We offer two types of degrees: a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts, with a total of 4 math options. Applicants will need to indicate which option they would like to be considered for; only one option can be selected per application quarter.

Major Option Comparisons*

B.A. Philosophy B.A. Teacher Prep B.A. Standard Bachelor of Science
45 MATH credits 49-50 MATH credits 51 MATH credits 69 MATH credits
two 400-level MATH two 400-level MATH three 400-level MATH six 400-level MATH
16-20 credits in PHIL additional credits in MATH, AMATH or STAT five additional upper
division MATH
six additional upper
division MATH

*Refer to the Requirements & Graduation Planning Sheets for option descriptions, specific course requirements and restrictions.

When & How To Apply

There are two admission pathways for the Math Major: 1) Currently Enrolled UW Students and 2) Entering Transfers.

1. Currently Enrolled & Returning UW Students: A portion of each year's class is admitted after matriculating to UW Seattle.

Quarter of  Admission to Major Application Opens Application Deadline Admission Decisions   
WINTER SEPTEMBER 1 8am PST SEPTEMBER 15  5pm PT EARLY/MID - OCTOBER
SPRING JANUARY 1 8am PST JANUARY 15   5pm PT EARLY/MID - FEBRUARY

Math Major Application for Currently Enrolled UW Students

1. Online form
2. Unofficial UW transcript (PDF attachment)*
3. Personal Statement

* Transfer coursework completed at the time of application must be posted to your unofficial UW transcript with final grades before your application is submitted, in order for it to be reviewed during the application process. We are unable to edit/update applications once they are submitted.

SUBMIT ADMISSIONS APPLICATION HERE (opens on September 1st at 8am pacific time)
View this document if you have trouble with the form.

2. Entering Transfers: If applying to UW for autumn or winter quarter, transfer applicants must submit a separate departmental application for the same quarter. For more information about the University of Washington Transfer Application, visit https://admit.washington.edu/apply/.

What if I'm not certain if I've completed minimum course requirements, MATH 126 and MATH 300, at the time of application for the math major?  
We would encourage you to apply as long as you have completed calculus through multivariable calculus and a mathematical proof course.  The faculty can decide during the admissions review if you're eligible for admission to the Math major.  If admitted to the Math Department and the University of Washington, we would complete a formal transfer course review. If it is decided that coursework is not equivalent to Math 300, you would remain a Math major and take Math 300 in their first quarter at UW.

What if MATH 126, MATH 300 or an equivalent course, needed to apply to the Math Major, is not completed before the Transfer Application deadline, but in-progress or projected for a future quarter? 
You can still apply as a Transfer Applicant to the University of Washington for the quarter you would like to begin your enrollment.  If admitted to UW as declared major in another program or as a premajor, plan to take at least one MATH course per quarter at UW and once minimum requirements have been met, apply during the next Math major application cycle. Because MATH is a competitive major, premajor students should be prepared to apply to their backup major.

My institution doesn't offer a mathematical proof writing course.  What should I do?  Math 300 is a foundational course in introductory proof writing that can help students decide if the Math major is a good fit for their academic interests and goals.  The courses required for the Math degree are less computational than calculus and require proof-writing.  If your institution doesn't have a Math 300 equivalent, we would encourage you to take a linear/matrix algebra course that might introduce small proofs (equivalent to UW Math 208).

Transfer Quarter of Admission Departmental Application Opens Departmental Application Deadline Admission Decisions 
AUTUMN DECEMBER 15 APRIL 5  5pm PT MAY - JUNE
WINTER AUGUST 1 OCTOBER 5  5pm PT NOVEMBER - DECEMBER

Math Major Application for Entering Transfers

1. Online form
2. Personal Statement
3. Unofficial transcripts (up to 5 PDFs)

MATH ADMISSIONS APPL. FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS / Closes april 5 AT 5pM (PT)


If admitted to the Math major, current UW and entering transfer students must be enrolled at UW Seattle during the first quarter of enrollment to the major. Students who are not enrolled for the quarter following the application decision will forfeit their admissions offer and will need to reapply in a future application cycle.

Personal Statement

All applicants must include a personal statement with their application.  The personal statement should tell us about your interest in the UW Undergraduate Mathematics Program that will help us evaluate your application and get a deeper picture of you beyond your grades. There is also an optional short paragraph. This paragraph is an opportunity for students to explain any extenuating circumstances or experiences that might misrepresent their potential as a math major.

  • We would like to know about your educational and/or career goals, and how you expect to further them by studying mathematics.

  • The Undergraduate Program in Mathematics actively seeks and welcomes students with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. You may describe how your personal history (family, educational, cultural, and economic background) has influenced your intellectual development, interests, career plans, and goals. This can also include  mathematical experiences outside the classroom or memorable classroom experiences at the UW, in a math course or not.  

  •  You may also use this statement to address elements of your record that might misrepresent your potential as a math major.

  • The statement is approximately half a page in length (typed), and no more than 2,000 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

FAQs

What's the admit rate and GPA of those admitted?

The admit rate for the winter 2024 application cycle was 75% and the MATH GPA (MATH courses only) of those admitted was 3.5. Students with a MATH GPA of 3.2 or higher were typically admitted.

What are my chances of being admitted?

We cannot predict a student's chance of being admitted because there are several factors that affect the admission decision, such as the number of applicants applying and the number of students graduating.

Our advice to students who are applying to a competitive major -- do the best you can, and also apply to your back-up major.  Students will have the opportunity to share any extenuating circumstances that negatively impacted their academic performance in the application.

What does a competitive applicant* look like?

  • Demonstrated interest in the major by consistently enrolling in a math course each academic quarter, including the quarter of application.
  • Successfully completed math courses beyond first-year calculus and MATH 300; such as 208, 224, and 318.  
  • Good academic performance in most recent MATH courses; period of sustained success in math courses.

*The Math Program cannot assure admission to all competitive applicants.

Should I repeat a math course?

We typically advise students not to repeat a math course. Instead, we recommend that students move onto the next advanced-level course and focus on getting a better grade. Only if a student didn’t understand the majority of the course content, should they consider retaking a MATH course, and we strongly advise students to speak with a math advisor first.  Repeating a UW MATH Course

Can students reapply?

Yes.  Before a student reapplies, we suggest they speak with a Math advisor to discuss what they can possibly do to become a more competitive applicant.

Admission Decisions

ADMISSION DECISIONS FOR WINTER 2023 WERE EMAILED TO UW emails on Wednesday, February 1st, at approximately 11:30. If you have not received your decision, check your Spam folder. If you still can't find it by Friday, February 3, email advising@math.washington.edu. Be sure to include your student number.

If admitted, follow the directions in the email. If admitted and you do not accept the offer by the deadline stated in the email, you will not be admitted to the major and will need to reapply.

All applicants have the right to petition and appeal the department’s admission decision. If you are denied admission to the Math department, there is an appeals procedure if you feel that important facts were overlooked by the committee. Please come to drop-in advising to discuss next steps and receive an appeal form. Only relevant information that was not submitted with your original application will be considered in your case for an appeal.  Appeals are due two weeks after decisions are communicated to students. Students who appeal will be notified one week after the appeal deadline.

The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with University policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process contact the department at 206-543-6830 or the Disability Services Office at least ten days in advance at: 206.543.6450/V, 206.543.6452/TTY, 206.685.7264 (FAX), or e-mail at dso@u.washington.edu.

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