U.S. Graduate Students

The steps below apply to new graduate students.

If you’re not a new graduate student, see the steps to enrollment that apply to you.

As you go through the enrollment process we are here for you every step of the way. You can contact the Office of Enrollment with questions any time at (800) 541-8900.

Graduate Student Enrollment Checklist

1. Steps to Acceptance Review 

For questions about the graduate application process call (509) 527-2421 or email grad.studies@wallawalla.edu.


Go to apply.wallawalla.edu to create your application account. Pay the $50 application fee* and submit your application.

*MSW and DSW students pay a $75 application fee to cover costs associated with required background check for admission and field placement.

After we receive your application, you will receive an email that acknowledges your submission. You can view your additional documents needed by accessing your applicant portal.

Three professional references are required*. These individuals should be a recent volunteer supervisor, employer, professor or advisor. Members of your own family or personal friends are NOT appropriate references.

Your recommendation requests will be entered during the application process, and you will indicate if you wish to waive your right to review the references. It is important for the person writing the reference and for the Admissions Committee to know the decision you have made regarding this right to review.

Reference forms will be automatically uploaded to your applicant portal when the person(s) completing the reference submits their form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that references complete their forms in a timely manner.

*Please note the following programs have specific reference requirements: DSW, MSW A/S, MSW R/S. These requirements can be found in the graduate bulletin.

All graduate program applicants must complete the Graduate Studies Admission Essay. Program specific instructions are available on your applicant portal.

Please send your official bachelor's degree granting college, university and any graduate level transcripts in their original sealed envelope to this address:

Office of Graduate Studies
Walla Walla University
204 S. College Ave
College Place, WA 99324

Or

Electronically to grad.studies@wallawalla.edu 

Submit a current resume with employment and volunteer experiences to your applicant portal. Please be sure to explain any large gaps in employment history on your resume or within the admission essay.

It is Walla Walla University’s Wilma Hepker School of Social Work and Sociology responsibility to ensure the highest level of integrity and safety to our clients, students and community. Therefore, all MSW and DSW applicants to WWU are required to submit a criminal background screening prior to matriculation. A background screening is a review of any past activities that might signify a potential risk for clients or others, including criminal behavior, that otherwise may exclude a student from eligibility for field placement or licensure after the conclusion of their academic career. This policy is an effort to ensure the safety of MSW and DSW students and the vulnerable clients they will serve during their practicum experience. Your background check will be ordered by submission of a form via your applicant portal. WWU will handle payment for your background check.

For questions about financial aid call (800) 656-2315 or email financial.aid@wallawalla.edu


Submit a FAFSA form

The Free Application for Federal Student aid, or FAFSA, is a federal aid form for grants and loans. Use the school code for Walla Walla University: 003799. To sign the form electronically, set up your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID). This step is open to all U.S. citizens, permanent residents and residents of U.S. territories.


Complete the verification process (if required)

The government selects about 30 percent of FAFSA applications for verification. You will be required to submit documentation (such as signed tax papers, W2 forms, and a verification worksheet).


Submit a WWU Financial Aid Application

Complete the WWU financial aid application. Your myWWU account and password will be required.

WWU offers financial aid separate from federal programs. Canadian students are welcome to submit this application as well; WWU offers some financial aid to Canadian students.


Review your financial aid award packet from WWU

Once you have completed the above, you will receive a financial aid packet from WWU which shows your complete aid (loans, grants, work study, etc.) and your payment plan. Review your plan with a financial aid counselor. If there are extenuating circumstances in your family finances that are not reflected on the FAFSA, please call a financial aid counselor.

You must be accepted to WWU before a financial aid award packet can be sent to you.


Complete the paperwork to accept your student loans

You will be notified to complete the promissory notes and entrance interviews for your student loans.


2. After You Have Been Accepted

You will be notified via email when a decision has been reached and can be viewed via your applicant portal. If you have been accepted, your applicant portal will include a Grad-Acceptance Reply Form after viewing your status update. We recommend that you submit this form as soon as possible, so that you may continue the process of enrollment.

We ask that all Biology applicants submit this form within two weeks of being accepted or your teaching assistantship may be offered to a different candidate. If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from submitting this form within the allotted timeframe, please contact the Graduate Program Director to request an extension.

For questions about getting access to myWWU contact the IT Help Desk by phone at (509) 527-2317 or by email at helpdesk@wallawalla.edu.

MyWWU is the online entry portal for the apps you will use at WWU. Once you are admitted we will send you an email with details on how to activate your university email address and myWWU account.

Two commonly used apps at WWU are PeopleSoft and HighPoint. PeopleSoft has the most capabilities for managing your student information. It is designed for use on desktop computers.

HighPoint has fewer features, but is designed to use on mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones. Financial Clearance and Registration Finalization can only be done in HighPoint.

  • Follow the instructions in the email you received to access myWWU.
  • Remember your myWWU account name and password. You will use this throughout your academic career at WWU or via your applicant portal.

For questions about university housing options call (509) 527-2109 or email village@wallawalla.edu.


University Housing

If you wish to rent housing from WWU, submit an Application for WWU Owned Housing.


Non-University Housing

If you are planning to live in a house or apartment not owned by the university, please send an email to housing@wallawalla.edu and indicate your housing plans.

Beginning in May, you can start enrolling in classes by booking an appointment with your faculty advisor. You will receive your faculty advisor’s contact information via email. This information is also listed in your student center in HighPoint. During your advisement meeting, you will have the opportunity to review your program requirements and plan your schedule.

Questions?

For questions regarding your academic advisor, contact the office of graduate studies (509) 527-2421 | grad.studies@wallawalla.edu


3. After July 1

For questions about health information, call the Student Life office at (509) 527-2511 or email cphc@cchd-wa.org.


Review your health insurance

All graduate students taking more than 6 credits on the College Place or Billings Campuses must be covered by a health insurance plan. Please make sure that you have coverage throughout your entire education at Walla Walla University.


4. After Mid-August

Finish your holds and to-do items

The secret for getting through registration smoothly is to get your holds and to-do items done. Review your holds and to-do items in either myWWU > Student Center or myWWU > HighPoint. Use HighPoint if you are using a tablet or smartphone.

For questions about financial clearance call (800) 656-2815 or email student.financials@wallawalla.edu.


Complete your financial clearance to-do items

If you want to sail smoothly through financial clearance, get your holds and to-do items done before starting financial clearance.

Complete any remaining items such as loan promissory notes, loan entrance interview or other financial aid forms.


Financial clearance

Financial clearance for fall quarter normally opens in mid-August. For other quarters, financial clearance normally opens a few weeks before the start of the quarter. Watch for an email notification about the date for an opening of financial clearance.

Financial clearance can be done online through myWWU > HighPoint after you have completed your financial clearance holds. Use the Financial Clearance menu option in myWWU.

Finalize your registration

In myWWU > HighPoint select Registration Finalization in the Enrollment menu to start the registration finalization process.


See Jumping Einstein

You know you are finished with registration when you see the graphic of Jumping Einstein™. Once you have seen Jumping Einstein, it takes about 60 minutes for your ID card to be activated for charging at The Express and the University Bookstore.


5. After Arriving on Campus

Get your ID card

Get your ID card at Information Technology Help Desk located in Rigby Hall 014. Your ID card will be activated for charging when you complete Registration Finalization — also known as Jumping Einstein.


Make final housing arrangements

If you are living in university housing, make your final housing arrangements with Village Housing.


Register your vehicle

After you are on campus and have received registration finalization for the term, register your vehicle with Campus Security.


Purchase your books

After you have seen Jumping Einstein, purchase your books at the University Bookstore. Use the View quarter Textbooks link in myWWU > Student Center; the system will automatically populate the page with the textbooks that you need for the classes in which you are enrolled.

New students have a special time reserved for them to purchase textbooks from the University Bookstore during the week before fall quarter starts. Watch for announcements of the particular date.


Review the syllabus for each of your classes

Before the first day of classes, review the course syllabus for each of your classes. The course syllabus and homework information is available on Desire2Learn (D2L).


Attend the Welcome Back Bash

The Welcome Back Bash occurs on the Sunday evening before fall quarter classes start. You may check out all the various clubs and sign up online. You must have seen Jumping Einstein before you can sign up for clubs.

Graduate students can receive up to a $25 credit on their account per term when they sign up for one or more clubs. Watch for an email at the beginning of each term from the Graduate Studies Office.