Bilingual Endorsement
What you can earn
Duration
Credits earned
Format
Time commitment
An Endorsement for Current UW Students and In-Service Teachers
The Bilingual Endorsement is an intensive, quarter-long program for current UW students or in-service teachers who want to better support multilingual learners or teach in dual-language classrooms. Participants develop competencies in bilingualism and biliteracy, sociocultural competence, dual-language instructional practices, authentic assessment, advocacy, and program design through focused coursework and supervised fieldwork.
The program includes a required practicum seminar and an asynchronous summer practicum, all completed within
a cohort model. After finishing the coursework and field experience, candidates qualify to teach in a target language such as Spanish, Mandarin, or Japanese and must pass the WEST-E 050 exam to complete the endorsement requirements.
Curriculum
Overview
The Bilingual Endorsement is an intensive, quarter-long program. Your cohort will follow a sequence together.
Our summer coursework is typically offered in a hybrid format, combining online learning with required in-person
class sessions at the University of Washington.
Because individual instructors determine the final course modality, specific schedules and formats are confirmed a few weeks before the program begins.
Students should plan to attend classes on the UW campus, as most summer sessions include required in-person meetings. Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate participants who are unable or unwilling to commute to campus.
Courses
Cohorts take the same course sequence together. The following is a sample schedule and is subject to change.
- EDC&I 540: Foundations of Immigrant Schooling (3 credits)
- EDC&I 542: Approaches to Assessing Second Language Students in K-12 Schools (3 credits)
- EDC&I 545: Multilingual Socialization and Development (3 credits)
- EDC&I 549: Practicum (3 credits)
- EDC&I 554: Bilingual Teaching Methods and Assessment (4 credits)
Fieldwork
There is a required practicum seminar where teachers continue to develop their practice teaching bilingual learners through peer support and reflection.
The summer practicum experience consists of an online asynchronous course. Candidates meet all assignments, participation expectations, and deadlines as articulated in the syllabus and other course materials in the course learning management system. The course may offer learners optional, ungraded opportunities to meet in real time, such as through virtual office hours.
Completion
Upon completion of coursework and fieldwork, you must take the West-E exam 050 to complete the endorsement requirements. You can register for the exam online at http://www.west.nesinc.com/
Advising
For more information please contact uwteach@uw.edu or rashank@uw.edu
Admission requirements and process
Overview
Application are open for our Summer 2026 cohort! Applications are due by May 18, 2026.
Prompts:
- Please provide a brief statement of 300-500 words about why you wish to pursue the ELL or Bilingual endorsement. This can include the kinds of knowledge and skills you'd like to have by the end of the program as well as the ways in which you think the ELL or Bilingual endorsement will be useful and important for you in your teaching practice. If applicable, briefly share your prior experiences with teaching or learning English.
- Please describe your teaching experience during your teacher education program and/or recent years. Be sure to include the school(s) where you have you worked or completed your practicum/residency and the grade levels that you have taught
Costs and funding
Estimated Costs
Estimated Costs and Funding
For current UW graduate students, the estimated cost of completing the spring or summer coursework is $6,528 for Washington state residents, plus any applicable registration, practicum, and technology fees. Current UW TEP students register for classes just as they have in previous quarters. If you plan to extend your program, please contact Michael Nielsen (mnielsen@uw.edu) for guidance.
For non-matriculated students, the estimated tuition is approximately $7,062 plus additional fees (see the Graduate and Professional Tuition Dashboard for details).
Registration for In-Service Teachers
STEP 1: Apply for Non-Matriculated (NM) Status
If you're not requesting tuition exemption, follow the correct registration link depending on the quarter:
- Fall–Spring: Register as an NM student (or GNM with the College of Education if you want your credits to count toward a future graduate degree). Note that the College of Education has its own process, which is not the same as for other UW graduate programs. For more information see: https://education.uw.edu/admissions/non-matriculated-and-graduate-non-matriculated-students)
Summer: Use the Summer Session non-UW registration process.
- WA State Employees who intend to apply as a first-time or returning non-matriculated (not seeking a degree) students under the tuition exemption program must complete the online non-matriculated application. Submit the online NM application (includes an $80 fee). For more information visit: https://www.summer.uw.edu/registration-costs/how-to-register/non-uw-students
STEP 2: Submit Your Tuition Exemption Form
WA State Employees must complete the Washington State Tuition Exemption Request Form before registering. For more information visit: https://registrar.washington.edu/staff-faculty/tuition-exemption-program/
STEP 3: Register for Your Classes
Once your NM status is active and your tuition exemption form is submitted, log into my.uw.edu to register.
You will need edcodes—email Renee Shank (rashank@uw.edu) if you haven’t received them.
Registration timing:
Newly admitted & returning students register April 20–June 22.
Continuing students can register anytime during this period.
WA State Employees using tuition exemption register on the 4th day of the quarter.
