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Fordham Master of Social Work

Fordham University · Graduate School of Social Service · New York City, United States
  • Full time
  • In person
  • Lincoln Center
17 min read · Published on October 10, 2026 · Updated on October 10, 2026
Minimum-plan totalINR 1.75 crore

Degree credits at current rates, 24 months of living, listed fees, insurance, SEVIS and visa; extra prerequisites excluded.

Tuition and feesUSD 70,796

latest 2026-27 rates

Credits62

Fordham graduate credits

Duration24 months

full-time planning route

Deadline1 February 2027 priority Fall admission

official cycle source

TestProgramme rule

GRE not required

EnglishIELTS 7.0

school-specific rule

What is the Fordham Master of Social Work?

Fordham Master of Social Work is a full-time 62-credit Master of Social Work for campus study at Lincoln Center. It centres on clinical and community social work practice. Budget USD 182,063, roughly INR 1.75 crore for the minimum-credit route at the latest published rates. Fordham has not issued a 2027-28 price.

The degree moves through social work practice, human behaviour, policy and research and field education. Its final assessed route follows the programme’s published applied or research option. Readers can compare that structure with your earlier study before treating the Fordham brand as sufficient reason to apply. The name doesn’t settle the comparison. This page is written for Fall 2027, while Fordham has not yet published 2027-28 tuition.

How much does the Fordham Master of Social Work cost for an Indian student?

The minimum-credit current-rate planning case is USD 182,063, about INR 1.75 crore. It combines Fordham’s latest 2026-27 charges, official New York living categories, health insurance, application where published, SEVIS and the F-1 visa fee. It doesn’t include assigned preparatory or foundation courses and is not a 2027-28 quote.

ItemINRLocal currencyWhen it is due
Latest published 2026-27 Graduate School of Social Service tuitionINR 65.35 lakhUSD 68,076Across the programme at current rates
University, technology and international student feesINR 2.61 lakhUSD 2,720Across 4 main terms
Official Fordham law living, books, travel and personal-cost categories prorated to 24 monthsINR 96.20 lakhUSD 100,208Across the study period
Fordham student health insuranceINR 10.05 lakhUSD 10,464Unless an approved waiver applies
Graduate applicationINR 0.06 lakhUSD 60At application
SEVIS I-901 feeINR 0.34 lakhUSD 350Before the visa interview
F-1 visa applicationINR 0.18 lakhUSD 185At visa booking
Minimum-credit planning total at latest published ratesINR 1.75 croreUSD 182,063Before extra prerequisites, flights and a housing deposit

The table treats the SEVIS and visa charges as separate payments. It does not add a second visa-maintenance total because the complete living plan already covers the study period. Converted at USD 1 = INR 96.00 using ECB reference-rate inputs checked on 8 October 2026. Fordham has not published 2027-28 tuition.

Graduate funding may include assistantships, fellowships, grants and scholarships; availability and conditions vary.Fordham graduate financial support

Tuition uses the latest published 2026-27 graduate school of social service tuition and the minimum 62-credit degree plan. Assigned prerequisites sit outside that total. A multi-year route can cost more if Fordham raises later-year rates.

The fee line uses a transparent 4-term planning assumption. The living line prorates Fordham Law’s itemised nine-month New York allowance across 24 months; neither assumption is an individual invoice.

Health insurance is shown separately because a student with approved comparable cover may obtain a waiver. You shouldn’t deduct it until Fordham approves that waiver.

Flights, exchange spreads, a housing deposit and contingency remain outside the table. You can’t reduce the total for scholarships until there is a written award.

Fordham has not published 2027-28 tuition. Refresh every charge against the student account and school fee page before enrolment.

Can an Indian candidate meet Fordham Master of Social Work entry rules?

The review starts with the exact programme requirements. Fordham assesses a recognised prior degree, preparation in a bachelor’s degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits, the school-specific English evidence and every listed document. General university wording can’t replace a higher programme rule. Check gaps explicitly.

RequirementPublished ruleWhat you do
Degree match (India)a bachelor's degree from a recognised institutionMap the transcript to a bachelor's degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits
Academic record (India)Fordham publishes holistic review rather than a universal admission GPA floor for this programmeSubmit the complete marks record and grading scale
English (India)IELTS 7.0 or the current GSS TOEFL scaleFollow the exact school waiver and current-score rule
Entrance test (India)GRE not requiredSubmit a score only when it strengthens or is required for your route
Academic purpose (India)A coherent reason for advancing into clinical and community social work practiceConnect previous proof to the published culminating assessment
International records (India)Original-language records with complete official English translations where neededApplicants should not upload self-translated or incomplete records

The standard route includes 900 practicum hours. Fordham limits international students to the Manhattan or Westchester two-year, fall-entry route and says F-1 students are not eligible to work because of the fieldwork requirements. Several exact-programme student accounts from 2025-26 described placement-office delays and proactive follow-up; that narrow, time-bound anecdotal pattern is not universal.

The first transcript audit should find concrete proof of social work practice. A useful audit records the module title, mark, credit weight and syllabus topic so an assessor does not have to infer readiness from the institution name.

Next, isolate proof for human behaviour. A laboratory, project or substantial assignment is stronger than a list of buzzwords because it shows what was built, measured or decided and what limitations remained.

The statement should explain why policy and research is the next academic step and why Fordham’s field education route serves it. Repeating the master’s webpage does not answer that personal progression question.

Finally, English, recommendations and translations remain independent document checks. A file that clears the academic match can remain incomplete if an accepted score, literal translation or required referee response is missing.

Master of Social Work uses Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum as a 48-credit checkpoint. Readiness for social work practice is visible before Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum, not repaired automatically by enrolment. A transcript item, syllabus topic and assessed result together make that preparation easier to recognise.

Master of Social Work uses Field education across 900 practicum hours as a 14-credit checkpoint. Readiness for human behaviour is visible before Field education across 900 practicum hours, not repaired automatically by enrolment. A transcript item, syllabus topic and assessed result together make that preparation easier to recognise.

Master of Social Work uses Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum as a 48-credit checkpoint. Readiness for policy and research is visible before Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum, not repaired automatically by enrolment. A transcript item, syllabus topic and assessed result together make that preparation easier to recognise.

Master of Social Work uses Field education across 900 practicum hours as a 14-credit checkpoint. Readiness for field education is visible before Field education across 900 practicum hours, not repaired automatically by enrolment. A transcript item, syllabus topic and assessed result together make that preparation easier to recognise.

Master of Social Work uses Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum as a 48-credit checkpoint. Readiness for social work practice is visible before Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum, not repaired automatically by enrolment. A transcript item, syllabus topic and assessed result together make that preparation easier to recognise.

Within Master of Social Work, the relationship between social work practice and policy and research is a readiness test for social worker ambitions. A file showing only human behaviour leaves the field education part of this academic progression unexplained.

A future social policy analyst still needs documented preparation in a bachelor’s degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits. For Master of Social Work, career intent cannot substitute for that academic base, while the academic record remains one part of a broader selection model.

Master of Social Work preparation check 1 connects social work practice with Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. Name assessed work, the method used and the result an admissions reader can verify rather than listing a subject without evidence.

Master of Social Work preparation check 2 connects human behaviour with Field education across 900 practicum hours. Name assessed work, the method used and the result an admissions reader can verify rather than listing a subject without evidence.

Master of Social Work preparation check 3 connects policy and research with Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. Name assessed work, the method used and the result an admissions reader can verify rather than listing a subject without evidence.

Master of Social Work preparation check 4 connects field education with Field education across 900 practicum hours. Name assessed work, the method used and the result an admissions reader can verify rather than listing a subject without evidence.

Master of Social Work preparation check 5 connects social work practice with Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. Name assessed work, the method used and the result an admissions reader can verify rather than listing a subject without evidence.

Three checks that can block a Master of Social Work application

  1. A profile indicator is not an offer promise

    Fordham publishes holistic review rather than a universal admission GPA floor for this programme. Review can still distinguish candidates through subject depth, statement quality, recommendations and the completed file.

  2. The degree title cannot prove prerequisites

    A broad Indian degree name may hide whether a bachelor’s degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits was studied. Add syllabi or official descriptions when course titles do not make the preparation clear.

  3. English rules can be master's-specific

    The working reference is IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each band, or another published equivalent. Fordham says individual programmes may set higher rules or restrict test formats, so the exact degree page controls.

How should an Indian applicant apply for Fordham Master of Social Work?

Apply through Fordham’s school-specific graduate route. 1 February 2027 priority Fall admission deadline. Submit earlier for credential evaluation, funding evidence, I-20 production and visa preparation. Indian records can also need transcript clarification, so leave enough time to answer a school request before the published cut-off.

Select the exact campus programme, upload academic and programme documents, pay the application fee, monitor the applicant portal, clear offer conditions, document funding, and complete the I-20 and F-1 process.

Start byTaskTakesWhy this date
03 Sep 2026Complete English evidence75 daysMeet IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each band, or another published equivalent with time for one retake.
06 Oct 2026Audit the course match14 daysMatch prior study to a bachelor's degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits and the published GPA rule.
20 Oct 2026Prepare programme documents28 daysCollect official records, translations, statement, CV and any required recommendations or test.
17 Nov 2026Submit the Fordham application1 dayApplicants can use the exact campus-immersion plan and keep the receipt.
18 Nov 2026Clear conditions and prepare F-175 daysFund the offer, obtain the I-20, pay SEVIS and book the visa process.

The allowances are Nbyula planning estimates, not processing times published by Fordham University.

Build the file around Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum and Field education across 900 practicum hours, not around a generic Fordham statement. Applicants can use earlier coursework or employment to show readiness, then identify the gap that the published curriculum is meant to close.

The programme reports 1 february 2027 priority fall admission deadline. A priority date can be followed by space-available review, while a final date closes the published window. Neither should be confused with the separate international I-20 timing needed to reach campus.

After admission, read the offer and my.fordham task list line by line. Financial guarantee, final transcripts, immunisation records and I-20 processing can each continue after the academic decision and can each delay enrolment if ignored.

For F-1 planning, check the SEVIS I-901 step and the US visa fee page directly. Fee payment does not guarantee a visa, and a programme offer does not replace consular review.

Applicants can use the in-person plan

This page covers full-time campus study. Where Fordham also lists Online, select the campus-immersion plan because the visa and STEM-OPT discussion does not apply to Fordham Online in the same way.

What jobs can follow Fordham Master of Social Work?

The curriculum supports directions such as social worker, clinical social work associate, community master’s specialist and social policy analyst. Fordham does not publish a STEM designation for this exact programme in the sources checked. The OPT framework is work authorisation rather than a placement or sponsorship guarantee. Each direction still needs role-specific, inspectable work samples.

MeasureFigureBasis
Social Work PracticeSocial WorkerProof from Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum
Human BehaviourClinical Social Work AssociateProof from Field education across 900 practicum hours
Policy And ResearchCommunity Master's SpecialistRole direction inferred from the curriculum
Guaranteed placement or sponsorshipNone publishedNo exact-master's guarantee located

These are curriculum-linked directions for Master of Social Work, not a measured probability of employment, salary, visa sponsorship or promotion.

For a social worker application, preserve the brief, inputs, method, decisions and limitations from Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. That record gives a recruiter something more reliable than a transcript line or a claim that the degree was practical.

A candidate aiming at community master’s specialist should use the culminating assessment to join both samples around one problem. A coherent portfolio can then show progression across the degree without asking the Fordham name to stand in for capability.

F-1 graduates can normally seek up to 12 months of OPT, and an eligible STEM degree may support a further 24-month extension if every rule is met. The USCIS STEM-OPT guidance controls that process and does not require any employer to hire the graduate.

A possible social worker direction needs inspectable work from this requirement: Field education across 900 practicum hours. Course credit is not a hiring promise; retain an artefact that shows the question, method, result and limitation.

A possible clinical social work associate direction needs inspectable work from this requirement: Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. Course credit is not a hiring promise; retain an artefact that shows the question, method, result and limitation.

A possible community programme specialist direction needs inspectable work from this requirement: Field education across 900 practicum hours. Course credit is not a hiring promise; retain an artefact that shows the question, method, result and limitation.

A possible social policy analyst direction needs inspectable work from this requirement: Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum. Course credit is not a hiring promise; retain an artefact that shows the question, method, result and limitation.

A possible social worker direction needs inspectable work from this requirement: Field education across 900 practicum hours. Course credit is not a hiring promise; retain an artefact that shows the question, method, result and limitation.

Who is Fordham Master of Social Work for, and who should avoid it?

A strong fit wants assessed progression in social work practice and policy and research, accepts full-time study at Lincoln Center and can fund the plan without guaranteed US earnings. A weak fit needs extensive prerequisite repair, another delivery mode or a placement promise Fordham does not make.

VerdictYour backgroundWhy
Strong fitPrepared for social work practiceEarlier study supports progression into Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum.
Strong fitNeeds proof in field educationThe published culminating route can produce inspectable work.
Needs evidenceStill choosing between social worker and clinical social work associateElectives must turn that uncertainty into one coherent capability map.
Needs evidenceFunding is close to the ceilingThe INR 1.75 crore case excludes flights and a housing deposit.
Do not shortlistNeeds basic preparation before human behaviourGraduate credits are too expensive to use mainly for prerequisite repair.
Do not shortlistNeeds a guaranteed US placementNo course-level job or sponsorship guarantee supports that assumption.

The professional test is whether a social worker hiring manager can inspect output from policy and research. A useful artefact states the problem, data or constraints, the chosen method, the result and the limits of that result.

Someone pursuing clinical social work associate work must also value field education. If that part of the degree consumes substantial assessed time but has little use in the intended role, a differently structured master’s may be the better buy.

The final academic trade-off sits in the choice among project, thesis, portfolio or examination where Fordham lists them. A thesis serves research depth, an applied project serves delivery proof, and a portfolio serves synthesis. Only routes actually published for this master’s belong in the decision.

Affordability is separate from academic fit. The estimate uses USD 1 at INR 96.00, so exchange movement changes the rupee amount even when Fordham leaves a dollar charge unchanged.

The campus choice also matters. This page uses Lincoln Center and in-person study. An candidate selecting an online version would face different attendance, visa and work-authorisation consequences and should not reuse this page’s F-1 assumptions.

Applicants can ask current Master of Social Work students about access to preferred electives, team formation, faculty supervision and the weekly load. The research pass did not locate three independent exact-master’s accounts, so those lived details remain questions rather than reported facts.

For a future clinical social work associate, fit check 1 asks what new decision human behaviour makes possible. Master of Social Work adds value only when that result changes the evidence already in the application file.

For a future community programme specialist, fit check 2 asks what new decision policy and research makes possible. Master of Social Work adds value only when that result changes the evidence already in the application file.

For a future social policy analyst, fit check 3 asks what new decision field education makes possible. Master of Social Work adds value only when that result changes the evidence already in the application file.

For a future social worker, fit check 4 asks what new decision social work practice makes possible. Master of Social Work adds value only when that result changes the evidence already in the application file.

For a future clinical social work associate, fit check 5 asks what new decision human behaviour makes possible. Master of Social Work adds value only when that result changes the evidence already in the application file.

What does the Fordham Master of Social Work curriculum contain?

The official Fordham programme page sets the 62-credit degree and its named requirement blocks. The table preserves those published components and alternatives; it does not claim that every student completes every listed option. Applicants can use it to test sequence, prerequisites and elective room against the capability you still need.

ComponentFordham graduate creditsWhere it sits
Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum48Published degree-plan component
Field education across 900 practicum hours14Published degree-plan component
Total62
  • Complete 62 approved graduate credit hours.
  • Follow the published choice among 48 classroom credits and 900 hours of field education.
  • Confirm approved electives, prerequisites and the plan of study with the academic unit.

Applicants can use the required sequence to establish readiness for Generalist and specialist classroom curriculum, then choose electives that deepen policy and research instead of creating several disconnected introductions. The official plan of study remains the authority for what can count together.

Fordham can revise course availability and approved lists. Recheck every code, credit value, campus offering and culminating route before accepting an offer, especially where the catalogue publishes an area rather than a closed list of named electives.

Should an Indian candidate shortlist the Fordham Master of Social Work?

Shortlist the Fordham Master of Social Work when its full-time 62-credit structure and work in social work practice close a documented capability gap. Keep it off the list when the budget depends on uncertain income or the degree would mostly repeat prior study.

The decision turns on whether policy and research and the final assessment can create work relevant to a social worker or clinical social work associate conversation. Fordham's name is not a substitute for that match.

You shouldn't choose Master of Social Work for the Fordham name or work-authorisation assumptions alone. The 62-credit curriculum must justify the INR 1.75 crore planning case, and Fordham publishes no guaranteed job, salary or sponsorship outcome for this exact degree. That promise won't come from the course page.

Key takeaways
  • Fordham Master of Social Work is a 62-credit, full-time in-person master's at Lincoln Center.
  • Fordham publishes holistic review rather than a universal admission GPA floor for this programme.
  • The working English reference is IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each band, or another published equivalent.
  • The working Fall 2027 point is 1 february 2027 priority fall admission deadline.
  • The conservative full-programme planning case is USD 182,063, about INR 1.75 crore.
  • The standard OPT route is not a placement, salary or sponsorship guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Fordham Master of Social Work for an Indian student?

The current-rate planning total is USD 182,063, about INR 1.75 crore. It includes the latest published 2026-27 tuition, university fees, 24 months of living categories, health insurance, SEVIS and the F-1 visa fee. It excludes flights, exchange spreads, a housing deposit and any later tuition increase.

What GPA is required for Fordham Master of Social Work?

Fordham does not publish one universal guaranteed-admission GPA for this exact programme in the sources checked. The school can assess the complete transcript, subject preparation, statements, recommendations and any programme-specific evidence. Submit the grading scale and full marks record rather than converting your result into an unofficial U.S. GPA.

Is Fordham Master of Social Work available full time on campus?

Yes. Fordham lists an in-person option at Lincoln Center, and this page covers full-time campus study only. Some selected Fordham degrees also advertise an Online modality. Applicants should not transfer the F-1 visa, campus-cost or STEM-OPT assumptions here to an online enrolment without checking the university and immigration rules.

What is the Fall 2027 deadline for Fordham Master of Social Work?

The working programme point is 1 february 2027 priority fall admission deadline. Priority review and final closure are different, and rolling review can end when capacity is filled. International applicants should also leave time for a financial guarantee, I-20 production, SEVIS payment, the visa process and travel after the academic decision.

Is Fordham Master of Social Work STEM-OPT eligible?

Fordham does not publish a STEM designation for this exact programme in the sources checked. An eligible F-1 graduate may still seek standard post-completion OPT under the applicable rules, but should not assume a STEM extension. Work authorisation is not a job or sponsorship guarantee.

What should an Indian applicant prepare for Fordham Master of Social Work?

Prepare complete academic records, official English translations where needed, accepted English evidence and every programme-specific item on the degree page. Map previous study to a bachelor's degree and at least 18 undergraduate liberal-arts credits. Add the statement, CV, recommendations or test scores the programme requests, then keep funding proof ready for the post-admission financial guarantee.

Sources

These sources support the programme, admission, cost and immigration information used on this page.

Sources checked on October 8, 2026. Current intake information follows. Fall 2027 full-time campus route.

No.SourceEvidence role
01Fordham University, Master of Social Work official programme pageCore programme evidence
02Fordham 2026-27 school tuition and feesCore programme evidence
03Fordham school-specific admission requirementsCore programme evidence
04Fordham international student financial documentsSupporting external evidence
05ICE SEVIS I-901 feeCore programme evidence
06US Department of State visa feesCore programme evidence
07ICE Optional Practical TrainingCore programme evidence
08DHS STEM OPT requirementsCore programme evidence
09Research Organization Registry, Fordham UniversityCore programme evidence
10European Central Bank reference ratesCore programme evidence

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