Getting ready for the exam
As with any exam, knowing what to expect will help you be successful.
What to do before the exam
- Download the Candidate Handbook
- Apply to your state or provincial board
- Register with ASWB
- Wait for Authorization to Test email
- Schedule your testing appointment
- Review the Candidate Rules Agreement
- Review the Confidentiality Statement
You must apply for a social work license and be preapproved in order to take the licensing exam.
Once you are approved by your state or provincial social work board, you are eligible to register with ASWB to take the exam.
Registration fees:
Associate, Bachelors, or Masters Exams: US$230
Advanced Generalist or Clinical Exams: US$260
The social work licensing exams are administered at Pearson Professional Centers worldwide. Once you receive your Authorization to Test email from ASWB, you may schedule your exam with Pearson VUE.
Taking time to prepare for your testing experience will reduce stress and help prevent delays, unexcused absences, and other problems.
The content outlines for the social work licensing exams were developed using the 2017 Analysis of the Practice of Social Work, a survey of licensed social workers selected to reflect diversity in demographics, geography, and practice areas.
With software that simulates the test center experience and questions previously used on the licensing exams, the online practice test is a valuable tool for preparing to take your exam.
Purchase the only guide published by ASWB, available as a print book or an e-book.
The social work licensing exams are high-stakes tests that can affect a person’s ability to practice social work. ASWB has exam security and confidentiality rules in place to protect exam integrity.
If you have a disability or other health condition or if English is not your primary language, you may be eligible to receive nonstandard testing arrangements.
- Resources for social work educators
- Exam materials for faculty
- Group Review Practice Test
- School pass/fail reports
