University of Washington, Seattle · First-year application
UW Major Choice Evaluator
Check the first- and second-choice majors on your UW application against UW's published admission rules, and see which alternatives give you a realistic backup.
How UW admits students to majors
Most UW students enter their major after they enroll, not at admission. What that takes depends on the major's type:
- Direct admission
- A short list of programs admit students directly as first-year applicants, and only through the first choice. For most of them it's the main way in.
- Capacity-constrained
- Apply after enrolling. Meeting the requirements doesn't guarantee admission.
- Minimum requirements
- Complete the prerequisites with the required GPA and you're admitted.
- Open
- Declare any time after enrolling, as long as you're in good academic standing.
Your second choice is never used for direct-admission placement, so it should be a major you can realistically enter after you enroll.
Genuinely undecided? A pre-major option on the application, such as Pre-sciences or Pre-humanities, is an acceptable first choice. This tool never suggests pre-major options as alternatives, since they aren't majors.