Apr6
Applicants pursuing MEd with Credential(s) only need to submit one application: MEd in Curriculum and Instruction. You will select your credential option(s) within the program details in the online application.
Bilingual Authorization is for fluent Spanish speakers to teach English language learners. The current application for the 2026-27 admission cycle is now available.
Application deadlines
$45 Application Fee
Due to visa regulations, this program is not available to applicants that require a student F-1 visa. Applicants who will need a student visa are encouraged to apply to the MEd in Curriculum and Instruction program, for either the fall or spring terms.
Graduate Application Process
All applicants are considered utilizing a holistic review process, including the following factors:
- Strength of academic history
- Professional and/or extracurricular experiences relevant to the program
- Content of personal statement and its connection to learning outcomes; and
- Letters of recommendation with specific examples of your competencies and aptitudes relevant to the program
Admission decisions are made approximately 30 to 60 days after each deadline.
Application checklist
Online Application
Submit the online portion of your application and pay the application fee.
Official (Degree-Granting) Transcripts
Must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission:
Office of Graduate Admission
University of San Diego
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
grads@sandiego.edu
Official transcripts from the university where you earned your bachelor’s degree are required at the time of application. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average is 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) in all graduate coursework.
Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning the program. Applicants may apply prior to completing their bachelor's degree. In this case, please submit your most up-to-date transcripts, and if admitted, submit a second set of official transcripts after your degree is conferred
If you earned a degree from an institution outside the United States, you are required to submit an official international transcript evaluation (also called a foreign credential evaluation) as part of your application. Please note that the evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation. You must order your official course-by-course evaluation from one of the following evaluation services.
- World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
- SpanTran: The Evaluation Company (SpanTran)
- International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)
- Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS)
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JSA)
Please be sure to carefully read the application checklist for international students found on the University of San Diego's Graduate Admission website.
*The SpanTran link leads to a custom application with discounted rate for USD applicants.
Current Resume OR Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Include all relevant education and employment information to help the Admissions team make an informed decision.
Letters of Recommendation
A minimum of two professional letters of recommendation from a current supervisor or a professor attesting to both academic and personal skills, and if possible, to teaching abilities.
Statement of Purpose
Address each of the following three questions in a maximum of 750 words (250 words per question). When writing your response please remember that this is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your writing skills and academic readiness.
- Read the mission of the Department of Learning and Teaching. What does this mission mean to you? How would you contribute to this mission as a teacher candidate within USD's Department of Learning and Teaching?
- Describe your purpose for becoming a school teacher. How do you hope to impact students and communities?
- Attending a rigorous master’s and credential program while working in classrooms/completing observations and student teaching experiences, passing required assessments, and maintaining relationships can be a delicate balance. What will you do to prepare and support yourself throughout the program?
Interviews
After an initial review of applications to the program, applicants may be invited to interview in-person or via video conference with the program faculty.
Credential Info
- The state of California requires a Certificate of Clearance and a negative TB test before practicum. Fall and Spring applicants will begin practicum during the first semester. We strongly suggest obtaining the necessary clearance before enrollment so there is no delay in starting your classroom observations.
- Applicants are required to meet Subject Matter Competency before student teaching. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing allows candidates to meet this requirement via undergraduate degree, coursework, and/or CSET exam. The Credential Department will conduct an evaluation within the first 60 days of admission and assist you with determining the best path to meet this requirement.
- Applicants must demonstrate Basic Skills in reading, writing, and math prior to student teaching. This requirement is met through the completion of your bachelor’s degree. Applicants will no longer be required to pass the CBEST exam. Teaching experience is helpful, particularly for applicants to the 12-month program of study but is not required for admission.
Special information for International Applicants
Student teaching is a mandatory component of our credential programs and is required in order to complete the required coursework and obtain a teaching credential.
For an application to be considered for review, international applicants must complete a Certificate of Clearance through the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) prior to enrolling in the program.
The Certificate of Clearance application requires a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), or an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN). Applicants who are ineligible to obtain a SSN or ITIN should not apply to this program. For information on obtaining an SSN or ITIN, visit the IRS website.
If a student is not able to begin student teaching, he/she will need to withdraw from the program. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.
English Proficiency Exam (EPEX) score for International Applicants
An official score report for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all international applicants. Official score reports must be two years old or less from the time you submit your online application in order to be considered.
Official scores can be sent to the Office of Graduate Admission, school code: 4849.
TOEFL minimum scores:- Internet-based test: 83
- Computer-based test: 237
- Paper-based test: 580
OR
IELTS minimum score:
- Band score 7
OR
An official score report from the Duolingo English Test:
- the traditional online test
- minimum total score of 120
Note: The University of San Diego does not accept scores from the TOEFL Essentials or the IELTS Indicator exams for graduate admission.
The English Language Exam requirement may only be waived if you have earned a 4-year bachelor's degree or 2-year master's degree, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, from an institution where English is the official language of instruction. Waiver requests based on living or working in an English-language context, or based on educational pursuits that resulted in less than the conferral of a 4-year bachelor's or 2-year master's degree, will not be accepted.
Waivers are not automatically applied; all waivers must be requested. Waivers are granted on a one-by-one basis for a specific program and term. Obtaining a waiver is not guaranteed under any circumstances.
To request a waiver of the English Language Exam requirement:
- Submit the Online Application (see Step 1 above); your waiver request will not be considered until we receive your Online Application.
- Submit your official transcript or official course-by-course international transcript evaluation showing proof of your bachelor's and/or master's degree having been earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction. Please be aware that if you attended a foreign institution, that institution must clearly state on their website that English is the language of instruction. If no such statement is posted, you will need to obtain an official verification letter from that institution confirming English as the language of instruction, and submit it as part of your application for admission.
- Once you have submitted both your Online Application and your official transcript(s)/evidence of degree earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction, please email the program you are applying to in order to request the waiver. Your waiver request must be supported by the program you are applying to before it can be reviewed.
Contact the SOLES Admissions and Outreach Office to learn if you are eligible for an EPEX waiver. Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Questions?
Connect with the Office of Admissions and Outreach team to learn more information about SOLES master's and doctoral programs. Additional information for international applicants is also available.