New Application

Please read through the information below before you begin the application process. You will need to obtain a pass (75% mark) in the Online Ethics Quiz before the start of application.   

To be accredited within the respective categories, Social Workers i.e. practitioners with recognised Social Work qualifications acceptable to the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB) must meet the following criteria:

New Graduate/Entrant  

[to qualify to be accredited as Registered Social Worker-Provisional (RSW-P)]

Entry Requirements

• Possess at least a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Diploma in Social Work recognised by the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB) 
• Have an offer of Social Work employment or employed as a Social Worker in a social service agency, government agency, hospital, Institutes of Higher Learning, registered charity or society engaged in Social Work practices in Singapore 
• Less than one year of post-qualification full-time Social Work experience locally 
• Obtain a pass (75% mark) in the Online Ethics Quiz at point of application
• Provide two character references from peers and/or employers (known for no less than 3 years) 

Practising Social Worker
[to qualify to be accredited as Registered Social Worker (RSW)]

Entry Requirements

• Possess a recognised Social Work qualification in accordance to the university’s programme requirement 
• Have at least one year of post-qualification full-time Social Work experience locally 
• Obtain a pass (75% mark) in the Online Ethics Quiz at point of application 
• 80 hours of relevant in-employment training^[1]; 
• 1,000 hours of supervised practice^[2] obtained from employment after completing Social Work qualification.
• Provide two character references from peers and/or employers (known for no less than 3 years) 

^[1] “Relevant in-employment training” refers to all in-house and externally conducted training in a Social Work or Social Work related area which would enhance the professional delivery of services by the Social Worker in his/her area of work; documents showing proof of courses / workshops / conferences attended or in-house training endorsed by the Social Worker’s employer would be acceptable as proof of having received the relevant training hours stipulated.

^[2] Fulfillment of “1,000 Supervised Practice hours”:  

• Must be obtained within two years for RSW-P to apply for Conversion to RSW 
• Include at least 50 hours of clinical supervision of which 30 hours must be one-to-one sessions with a Social Work Supervisor 
• Must align with the Social Work competencies at entry level with the Skills Framework for Social Service 
• Must complete and submit the new Supervised Practice Declaration Form for the 1,000 hours of supervised practice 
• Social Work Supervisor must be a RSW with at least four years of Social Work experience post-qualification, of which one year must be in Singapore 

• Applications can be submitted electronically through the online application form here. Please upload Social Work certificate(s) and relevant supporting documents. Endorsement and declaration forms requiring original signatures are to be uploaded and sent on-line together with the application form. 
• Please retain the original signed copies of endorsements as you may be asked to produce them at any time during the application process

• Personal Particulars 
• 1 recent passport-sized photograph 
• Details of the Degree or Graduate Diploma in Social Work including institution name, country of institution and date of qualification 
• Details of relevant work experience 
• Current and/or Past Employer’s Declaration Forms to show that you have been practising as a Social Worker after you have obtained the Social Work Qualification 
• Relevant In-employment Training 
• Supervised Practice Hours during Employment to be endorsed by Employer 
• Personal Declaration 
• Information needed for your Character Reference includes:
  • Name, Designation, Place of Work and Contact Phone Number of Character Referees
  • Type and Number of Years (no less than three years) of Relationship between Referees and Applicant

The following must be submitted on-line (to be uploaded during the application process): 

• Copies of Social Work certificates / transcript  
• 1 recent passport-sized photograph (Please ensure that the photograph is in JPEG format with file size not exceeding 2MB.) 
• Current and/or Past Employer’s Declaration Forms to show that you have been practising as a Social Worker after you have obtained your Social Work Qualification. If you have been employed in more than one organisation within the one year, please submit separate endorsement forms of each employer. 
• Supervised Practice Declaration Form during Employment to be endorsed by Employer 
• Character References Forms 

The Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board has established a set of criteria and standards for the recognition of a Social Work qualification for accreditation. The guidelines are available here.  The Social Work qualifications that can be obtained for accreditation as a Registered Social Worker-Provisional (RSW-P) or a Registered Social Worker (RSW) are: 

Singapore

• Social Work Degree/Graduate Diploma/Master conferred by National University of Singapore
• Social Work Degree/Graduate Diploma/Master conferred by Singapore University of Social Sciences

Overseas

Social Work qualifications that are obtained from overseas must be accredited by a recognised accrediting body in the country and year in which the qualifications were awarded. 

Accrediting bodies which are recognised by SWAAB are as follows: 

• Australian Association of Social Workers 
• Canadian Association for Social Work Education 
• Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board 
• Malaysian Association of Social Workers 
• Social Workers Registration Board, New Zealand 
• Professional Regulation Commission, Philippines 
• Social Work, England  
• Social Care Wales 
• Northern Ireland Social Care Council 
• Scottish Social Services Council 
• Council on Social Work Education, United States of America 

Applicants who possess a Social Work qualification which is not available in the above universities or accredited by the above bodies will have to complete an Application for Recognition of Foreign Social Work Qualification Form in order for us to assess whether it meets the guidelines set by SWAAB. The form may be downloaded here. 

• The Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board reserves the right to verify the information submitted on your application form with the academic bodies, referee(s) or the employer(s) listed by you. 
• It is your responsibility to ensure that the information and documents submitted are accurate and complete. Any false or misleading information in or in connection with your application may be cause for your application being rejected. 
• The decision of the Board is final and binding. 
• If accredited, you will have to abide by the Code of Professional Ethics of Social Workers adopted from the Singapore Association of Social Workers by the Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board
• Your application will be processed within 6 weeks provided that the application submitted is complete and in order. Any missing or misleading information and/or documents will result in a delay and may cause your application to be rejected. You are advised to keep a copy of your application form for reference. 

• If you have further queries, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.
  Alternatively, you may send an email to accreditation@sasw.org.sg or contact the Secretariat at 6778 7922.