Social Worker Training Certificate - Training License

The SWTC is only for those seeking educational equivalency to obtain a permanent Social Worker license. If you are not seeking the Social Worker Training Certificate (SWTC) to meet the education requirement for a permanent Social Worker license, or if you hold a CSWE accredited degree in Social Work then this license does not apply to you.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, or criminal justice from an accredited institution. Bachelor’s degrees outside these fields require review by a liaison. Please note that only a bachelor’s degree may be submitted for SWTC.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

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Select Apply for a License

Category: Health

License Type: Social Worker – Training Certificate

Application Method: Training License

All applicants must have their school submit an official transcript directly to DSPS. 

If your bachelor’s degree is in psychology, sociology, or criminal justice, you are only required to have your school submit an official transcript. This transcript will be used to determine whether your degree meets the requirements for issuance of a Social Worker Training Certificate (SWTC).

If your bachelor’s degree is not in psychology, sociology, or criminal justice, you must submit form 2998.

• Option 1: Department Pre-Approved Program

  • See the list of Department Pre-Approved Programs

  • Submit form 2998 and official transcripts

• Option 2: Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Human Services Program

  • Must be a bachelor's degree in Human Services

  • Submit form 2998 and official transcripts

• Option 3: Course of Study

  • Education does not meet Option 1 or Option 2

  • Requires board liaison review 

  • Submit form 2998, official transcripts and course descriptions

Please note: Only bachelor's degrees may be considered for obtaining a Social Worker Training Certificate.

Additional education documentation is required to complete the SWTC. Please see the Completing the SWTC section for more information.

After you submit the Social Worker Training Certificate application, your school can upload your Bachelor’s degree official transcript using the 3rd party document upload. Be sure to include your Application Number with the request. If the school is unable to upload the transcript, it may be emailed to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov. Please note that transcripts submitted by the applicant will not be accepted.

If you completed courses from the Approved SWTC Courses list then submit Form 2805 under Option 1. 

An official transcript sent directly from the school is required for all courses listed on Form 2805, unless the courses were completed as part of the bachelor’s degree used to obtain your Social Work Training Certificate (SWTC); in that case, a transcript is already on file.

Courses must consist of at least three (3) semester hours or four (4) quarter hours and be successfully completed with a minimum of a C grade. Courses shall be taught by an instructor who holds a Master's degree or a PhD in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education unless otherwise approved by the Section. The courses shall use a textbook written by a social work educator for the social work courses as a primary text unless approved by the Section. At least three (3) of the courses shall be taken at the same institution. Social worker degree equivalency is demonstrated by completing five (5) courses in each of the following subject areas completed during your Bachelor's degree program or while holding the Social Work Training Certificate:

1. Social welfare policy and services.

2. Social work practice methods with individuals.

3. Social work practice methods with groups and families.

4. Social work practice methods with communities, organizations, and social institutions.

5. Human behavior in the social environment, including human growth and development and social systems theory.

If the 5 courses you completed are not on the preapproved list, then your school must submit that form under Option 2 directly to DSPS and include course descriptions for each class listed on the table. Option 2 will require Board Liaison review. Your school can submit Form 2805 with course descriptions with the LicensE Third Party Document Upload tool. Be sure to include your Application Number with the request. If your school cannot upload to your application, then it may be emailed to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

An official transcript sent directly from the school is required for all courses listed on Form 2805, unless the courses were completed as part of the bachelor’s degree used to obtain your Social Work Training Certificate (SWTC); in that case, a transcript is already on file.

Courses must consist of at least three (3) semester hours or four (4) quarter hours and be successfully completed with a minimum of a C grade. Courses shall be taught by an instructor who holds a Master's degree or a PhD in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education unless otherwise approved by the Section. The courses shall use a textbook written by a social work educator for the social work courses as a primary text unless approved by the Section. At least three (3) of the courses shall be taken at the same institution. Social worker degree equivalency is demonstrated by completing five (5) courses in each of the following subject areas completed during your Bachelor's degree program or while holding the Social Work Training Certificate:

1. Social welfare policy and services.

2. Social work practice methods with individuals.

3. Social work practice methods with groups and families.

4. Social work practice methods with communities, organizations, and social institutions.

5. Human behavior in the social environment, including human growth and development and social systems theory.

Option 1: 

• Pre-Approved Program as part of your Bachelor's degree:

  • If you have an open SWTC application, please upload Form 2805 to your SWTC application.

  • If you do not have an open SWTC application and your SWTC has been issued, please log into your LicensE account, select My Approved Licenses and under the Action menu, select Upload Documents.

  • We already have your transcript on file.

• If you take the five courses after your SWTC is issued:

  • You may submit Form 2805 as noted above.

  • The official transcript must be submitted directly by the school to DSPS at dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

Option 2:

• In most cases, the school must submit the form directly to DSPS. 

  • If you have an open SWTC application, the school must submit Form 2805 directly using the Third-Party Document Upload.

  • If you do not have an open SWTC application and your SWTC has been issued, the school may email it to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

  • The official transcript must be submitted directly  by the school to DSPS at dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

Your supervisor(s) must submit Form 2802 directly to DSPS after you have completed your supervision requirements. Your supervisor can submit Form 2802 using the Third Party Document Upload at license.wi.gov. Be sure to include your Application Number with the request. Please note: Once the SWTC is issued, additional documents cannot be uploaded to the application. If you have an active Social Worker application, please have your supervisor(s) upload Form 2802 there instead. If you have not yet submitted a Social Worker application, your supervisor may email the form to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

The 400-hour Human Services Internship must be either part of the program leading to the Bachelor's degree or completed while holding the training certificate. The internship shall involve direct practice with clients and be supervised by an individual who holds an active, unrestricted Wisconsin social work license (Social Worker, Advanced Practice Social Worker, Independent Social Worker, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker). In addition, your supervisor must have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work (BSW or MSW). A human services internship shall be under the auspices of an accredited college or university.

Your supervisor(s) must submit Form 2802 directly to DSPS after you have completed your supervision requirements. Your supervisor can submit Form 2802 by using the Third Party Document Upload at license.wi.gov. Be sure to include your Application Number with the request. Please note: Once the SWTC is issued, additional documents cannot be uploaded to the application. If you have an active Social Worker application, please have your supervisor(s) upload Form 2802 there instead. If you have not yet submitted a Social Worker application, your supervisor may email the form to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

The one year of social work employment must be completed while holding the Social Worker Training Certificate, which involves at least 400 hours of face-to-face client contact in not less than 12 months. The employment shall be supervised by an individual who holds an active, unrestricted Wisconsin social work license (Social Worker, Advanced Practice Social Worker, Independent Social Worker, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker). In addition, your supervisor must have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work (BSW or MSW).

Once the SWTC is issued, additional documents cannot be uploaded to the application. If you have an active Social Worker application, please have your supervisor(s) upload Form 2802 there instead. If you have not yet submitted a Social Worker application, your supervisor may email the form to dspscredjointbd@wisconsin.gov.

Completing the SWTC does not equate to being issued the Social Worker credential. You must submit a Social Worker application through your LicensE account. Upon initial review of your Social Worker application, you will receive authorization for the Bachelor’s level ASWB exam.

This application can be submitted prior to completing the SWTC, but a Social Worker credential will not be issued until the SWTC is fully completed.

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.