If you have a passion for social justice and social change then earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree would be a step toward achieving your goals. A BSW provides graduates with foundational social work skills required to become a social worker in Canada. Whether you want to become a social worker in healthcare, private practice, or policy development, you’re first step is to find BSW programs in Canada, and then gain admission.
This article shares key information about 40 BSW programs in Canada, including application routes and upcoming deadlines. Whether you’re just beginning your search or ready to apply, this article will set you on the right path.
BSW Programs in Canada
Memorial University of Newfoundland (Newfoundland & Labrador)
Application Routes
- BSW as a First Degree – 4 Years
- BSW as a Second Degree – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- Online
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (For September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- The Online BSW program is only available for Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Canada.
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Cape Breton University (Nova Scotia)
Application Routes
- Accelerated BSW Program – 16 Months
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Must have completed an undergraduate degree for admission consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
University of New Brunswick (New Brunswick)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- January (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
University Information
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- April (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
McGill University (Quebec)
Application Routes
- BSW – 3 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- Quebec CEGEP applicants: March (for September enrollment)
- Other Canadian applicants: May (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Université de Montréal (Quebec)
Application Routes
- BSW – 3 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- April (for August enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Prorgam offered in French only
University Information
University of Ottawa (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (Honours) – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Program offered in French only
University Information
Carleton University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement / essay question as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Nipissing University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW as a First Degree – 4 Years
- BSW as a Second Degree – 3 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement / statement of interest as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Lakehead University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (Honours) as a First Degree – 4 Years
- BSW (Honours) as a Second Degree – 1 Year
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- December (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations
- Requires a social work personal statement exam as a part of the admission package. This exam has a limited timeframe for completion as designated by the institution.
University Information
Laurentian University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (Honours) as a First Degree – 4 Years
- BSW (Honours) as a Second Degree – 1 Year
- Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work Honours (BISW Honours) – 4 Years
- Combined BSW and B.Ed Degrees – 5 Years
Program Offering
- On campus
- Online (BISW)
- Full-time
- Part-time (BISW)
Application Due Dates
- BSW: January (for September enrollment)
- BISW: March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special Considerations:
- Requires a social work personal statement / statement of interest as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Algoma University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW Honours – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (on Brampton, Sault Ste. Marie & Timmins campuses)
- Full-time
University Information
Trent University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (on both Peterborough and Durham Campuses)
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Part-time applicants require a SWRK-3000Y transfer credit to be eligible to apply for admission.
University Information
McMaster University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW Honours – 4 Years
- BSW (Post-Degree) – 2 Years
- Combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Work (BA/BSW)
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- McMaster Students: February (for September enrollment)
- Non-McMaster Students: January (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
University of Waterloo (Ontario)
Application Routes
- Accelerated BSW Honours – 10 months
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Blended learning (Online with in-person elements)
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- Part-time applicants: May (for January enrollment)
- Full-time applicants: December (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- A bachelor’s degree (BA or equivalent) is an entrance requirement to the BSW program.
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Wilfrid Laurier University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
- BSW Advanced Standing (Social Service Worker graduate pathway) – 2 Years
- BSW Advanced Standing (Child and Youth Care graduate pathway) – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- April (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
University Information
Toronto Metropolitan University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
- BSW Advanced Standing (Social Service Worker or Human Service(s) Counsellor Diploma) – 3 Years
- BSW Advanced Standing (Baccalaureate degree in humanities or social sciences or graduate from eligible diploma programs) – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time (Advance Standing)
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / statement of interest as a part of the admission package.
University Information
York University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (from high school) – 4 Years
- BSW (with a college diploma or university credits) – 3 Years
- BSW (completed undergraduate degree) – 2 Years
- BSW(changing major to social work) – 2 or 3 Years (Depending on completed credits)
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social justice statement as a part of the admission package (for some routes).
University Information
King's University College at Western University (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (Honours) – 4 Years
- Alternate pathways available for specific university and college program graduates
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
University Information
King’s University College at Western University BSW Information
University of Windsor (Ontario)
Application Routes
- BSW (Honours) – 4 Years
- Combined BSW (Honours) with Women’s Studies – 4 Years
- Combined BSW (Honours) with Disability Studies – 4 Years
- BSW (Honours) (for University Graduates) – 2 Years
- BSW (Honours) (for Ontario Child and Youth Worker Program Graduates) – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
University Information
University of Manitoba (Manitoba)
Application Routes
- BSW – 3-4 Years
- BSW (Concentrated)- 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Online
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
University Information
Booth University College (Manitoba)
Application Routes
- BSW as a First Degree – 4 Years
- BSW as a Second Degree – 2 Years
Program Offering
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- April (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Canadian Mennonite University (Manitoba)
Application Routes
- BSW as a First Degree – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / Reflection Essay as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Université de Saint-Boniface (Manitoba)
Application Routes
- BSW- 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Program is offered primarily in French
University Information
First Nations University (Saskatchewan)
Application Routes
- BISW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (at Regina Campus, Saskatoon Campus, or Northern Campus)
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- May (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Collaboration with and applications are made through the University of Regina
University Information
University of Regina (Saskatchewan)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Online (But there are on-campus requirements)
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- January (for May enrollment, but an option to start in September)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
North West College (Saskatchewan)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (Meadow Lake & Battlefords Campus)
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- There’s no deadline for applications as applicants are decided on a first qualified, first admission-basis.
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Collaboration with and applications are made through the University of Regina
University Information
Northlands College (Saskatchewan)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (Buffalo Narrows, Creighton, Ile-a-la-Crosse, La Loche and La Ronge Campuses)
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- July (for September enrollment)
- November (for January enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Collaboration with the University of Regina
University Information
University of Calgary (Alberta)
Application Routes
- Blended BSW – 20 Months
- Online BSW – 24 Months
Program Offering
- Blended Learning (On-Campus on Calgary, Edmonton or Lethbridge Campus and Online Options)
- Online
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / program-specific questions as a part of the admission package.
University Information
MacEwan University (Alberta)
Application Routes
- BSW University Credit Transfer – 2 Years
- BSW Post Diploma – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- March (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
University Information
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (Vancouver Campus)
- Hybrid (Merritt Campus)
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Joint BSW Degree with Thompson Rivers University
- Requires a social work personal statement / admission statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Thompson Rivers University (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW (University Transfer Pathway) – 2 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- January (for September enrollment). However, if seats are still available applications may be still accepted until March.
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / admission statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Vancouver Island University (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- Online
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Offers a child welfare specialization
- Requires a social work personal statement / personal profile as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Douglas College (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-Campus
- Full-time
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / letter of intent as a part of the admission package.
University Information
University of Northern British Columbia (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (on Peace River-Liard, Northwest, and South-Central Campuses)
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- February (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Requires a social work personal statement / statement of intent as a part of the admission package.
University Information
University of Fraser Valley (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus (on Abbotsford Campus)
- Full-time
Application Due Dates
- January (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Option for a Child Welfare Specialization
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
University of Victoria (British Columbia)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- Online
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- January (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Offers child welfare, indigenous, and indigenous child welfare specializations.
- Primarily online with the potential for one mandatory synchronous and/or on-campus component.
- Requires a social work personal statement / statement of intent as a part of the admission package.
University Information
Nunavut Arctic College (Nunavut)
Application Routes
- BSW (NAC Social Services Worker Diploma Graduates)
Program Offering
- On-campus (NAC and Cambridge Bay Campuses)
- Full-time
Special consideration
- Collaboration with and applications submitted through Memorial University of Newfoundland
University Information
Nunavut Arctic College BSW Information
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Nunavut Cohort BSW Information
Yukon University (Yukon)
Application Routes
- BSW – 4 Years
Program Offering
- On-campus
- Full-time
- Part-time
Application Due Dates
- April (for September enrollment)
Please note application due dates may change year-to-year. Check out the institution’s website for real-time information.
Special consideration
- Collaboration with the University of Regina
- 50% of seats are reserved for and priority is given to qualified Indigenous applicants
- Requires a social work personal statement as a part of the admission package.
University Information
CASWE Accreditation
A consideration when applying for BSW programs in Canada is whether the program is accredited with the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE). It’s important to note that the accreditation (or the lack thereof) may impact your ability to register with social work regulatory bodies upon graduation.
In saying that, although, some BSW programs in Canada may not be fully accredited by CASWE, some institutions do partner or collaborate with accredited institutions so that they can provide accredited BSW degrees upon graduation. So, it’s wise to do your research on any BSW programs in Canada that you’re considering so that you’re informed.
To learn more about which BSW programs in Canada and/or their partners are accredited with the CASWE click here.
Conclusion
As you consider applying for any of the 40 BSW programs in Canada, it’s important to note that many institutions require a social work personal statement as part of the application process. Although, different institutions may refer to this statement as a statement of interest, admission statement, personal profile, social justice statement, letter of intent, etc. The social work personal statement can significantly influence your chances of admission, as its purpose is to demonstrate your interest, motivation and suitability for BSW programs in Canada (and the profession). A strong personal statement can make all the difference between an acceptance letter – or a rejection.
Fortunately, there are professional services through MSW Helper to help you improve your chances for acceptance.
Despite its name, MSW Helper helps BSW and MSW applicants with their social work degree applications from writing a compelling social work personal statement to developing a professional resume or CV that can helps you stand out among other applicants.
MSW Helper offers an array of services including:
- Social Work Personal Statement Editing that can help you refine your personal statement or statement of interest.
- Resume and CV Editing that can help you present your professional experience in a way that stands out to admissions committees.
- One-on-One Application Consultations that provide personalized support to address your unique application concerns.
- A comprehensive self-paced Writing Workshop designed to guide participants in crafting a standout personal statement.
- A Full Package that offers an all-in-one support for your BSW application journey.
MSW Helper Discount Code
Also, as a special bonus for reading this article you get access to an exclusive MSW Helper discount code for any of MSW Helper’s services.
When you sign up for any of MSW Helper’s services with the coupon code KAYLADAS, you’ll receive $10 off any of their services.
With MSW Helper’s expertise, you can be confident that your application will reflect the best version of yourself, increasing your chances of securing a spot in one of the 40 BSW programs in Canada.
Pursuing a career in social work is a rewarding journey – and I can speak from experience as a BSW and MSW graduate myself. But you don’t have to go it alone!
Connect with MSW Helper as you take the next step toward achieving your social work dreams.
Disclaimer #1
Evaspare Inc. is an affiliate of MSW Helper where we may receive monetary compensation, at no extra cost you, when you sign up for MSW Helper’s programs or services.
Disclaimer #2
Please be advised that this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be professional advice. Please note that information in this article is only relevant up to the date it was written and is subject to change. As each institution may change their program year-to-year, it’s advised to check the individual websites of the BSW programs in Canada to determine real-time admission requirements and deadlines.