Step 1: All applicants must:
- Complete the online application process(Application – Full Class).
- Pay the non-refundable application fee
- Arrange to have an official copy of their social work degree transcript sent to the College
- Degrees must be from schools accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and approved by the College.
- Undergo the following criminal record checks:
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- Consent to a Criminal Record Check. This appears as a section on the application form and is a requirement pursuant to the BC Criminal Records Review Act. Please note that your response to the sex question on the application form is required by the Criminal Records Review Program (CRRP) of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General for them to conduct your criminal record check.
- Obtain an FBI Identity History Summary Check and mail the original copy of the check to the College. The FBI Identity History Summary Check must be dated within 60 days prior to the application submission date. The original copy of the result of the check must be mailed to the College by the applicant if the issuing agency will not send it directly to the College.
- Criminal record checks are required from any country in which an applicant was a resident or worked as an adult. If citizenship or permanent residency in Canada has been granted and the applicant has not resided outside Canada since the date of issue, the College may accept proof of a Permanent Resident Card or Canadian Citizenship or Canadian work permit information in lieu of international criminal record checks.
- A criminal record does not automatically disqualify an applicant from registration; however, it is necessary to provide details of the incident that gave rise to the criminal record.
- Provide a copy of two (2) pieces of identification notarized and verified in-person by a lawyer or notary public in their original. Virtually notarized documents are not accepted. One must be government issued photo identification. These copies can be sent to the College by email, or mail.
- An up-to-date resume with complete work history. Applicants may be required to provide additional information. This can be sent to the College by email.
- Provide details of two character references through the application portal.
- Applicants, who are currently or have been in the past registered with another regulatory body, are required to have a verification of registration submitted by each regulatory body.
*Please note: The College may contact applicants to request additional information if necessary.
Step 2: Once all of the required documents have been received, the College will review the application in its entirety. If it is determined that the application meets the registration requirements, the applicant will receive an email from the College notifying that they have been approved to take the licensure exam by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Please be advised that the ASWB charges a fee for writing the exam.
- Exemption from writing the exam will be granted to the applicants who have already completed the ASWB examination and are currently registered/licensed with another social work regulator
- Applicants to arrange for their official score report to be sent to the College by ASWB
Step 3: After receiving the exam approval email from the College, the applicant can register for the exam through the ASWB. Please visit the ASWB’s website (www.aswb.org) and read the Candidate Handbook (PDF) under the Exam Candidates section.
Step 4: Once registration for the exam is complete, ASWB will send the applicant an Authorization to Test. When the applicant receives this authorization, they can schedule an appointment for the exam through the test centre designated by ASWB.
Step 5: Within 1-2 weeks after the exam has been taken, the College will receive an official score report from the ASWB. If the applicant has passed the exam, the College will send them an application approval email with an invoice for a registration fee. Payment of the registration fee will complete the registration process.
