How to Get Your Social Work License in Alaska
Getting your social work license in Alaska begins with a unique advantage. Alaska has one of the highest concentrations of social work jobs in the country, despite its small population. This makes it a great state to build your social work career.
The Alaska social work board recognizes three distinct levels of licensure. These include Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW). The board also makes it easier for professionals licensed in other states through licensure by endorsement, also known as reciprocity. Your license needs renewal every two years during even-numbered years. You must also complete 45 hours of continuing education within five years to keep your license active. This includes specific training in substance abuse education and ethics.
This page guides you through everything you need to know about becoming a licensed social worker in Alaska. You’ll learn about education requirements, exams, supervised experience, application steps, and continuing education needed to get and keep your license.
Education Requirements
Your path to a social work license in Alaska starts with the right education. Alaska requires degrees from programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or from the University of Alaska system for all social work licenses.
Alaska’s University system offers three CSWE-accredited social work programs. Two programs let you study online, making education available throughout this big state.
Your license level determines the degree you’ll need:
For the Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) credential:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW) from a CSWE-accredited program
- Your BSW program needs 120 semester credits at minimum
- Has a mandatory field education segment of at least 400 hours
- Sets you up for entry-level professional social work careers
For the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential:
- Master of Social Work (MSW) or Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited program
- The degree itself meets all requirements
- MSW programs need at least 30 semester credits
- Field education takes up 900 hours minimum
For the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential:
- Master of Social Work (MSW) or Doctorate (DSW) from a CSWE-accredited program
- You’ll need supervised clinical experience too (we’ll cover this later)
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) has taught social work since 1978. Their BSW program builds on liberal arts education to prepare graduates for professional practice. About 90% of UAA School of Social Work graduates find jobs or join MSW programs right after graduation.
UAA’s program lets you study full-time or part-time on the Anchorage campus. Students learn generalist practice skills and work in various social work fields during their practicum.
Students in UAA’s Master of Social Work program can learn from anywhere with its advanced generalist concentration. This approach meets Alaska’s unique workforce needs. The program combines generalist and advanced generalist components through five course sequences: social work practice, policy, human behavior in social environment, research, and practicum education.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) offers a social work bachelor’s program that blends liberal arts with behavioral sciences, social policy, practice methods, and field education. Students learn to work with rural and Alaska Native populations. Every student must complete a 400-hour senior practicum.
These programs meet Alaska’s license requirements but might not work for other states. Students planning to practice elsewhere should check that state’s licensing board requirements first.
MSW program applicants need prerequisite courses in human biology and statistics with C grades or better. Admissions teams look at your academic record, leadership roles, community involvement, understanding of social work values, and critical thinking abilities.
After finishing your education, you can start the licensing process with the Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners by taking your license level’s exam.
Exam Requirements
Your next big step after finishing your education is to pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam to get your social work license in Alaska. The exam will give a clear picture of your knowledge and skills to work as a social worker.
Exam Requirements
The Alaska Board of Social Work needs you to pass specific ASWB exams based on your license level:
- For Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW): ASWB Baccalaureate Exam
- For Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW): ASWB Masters Exam
- For Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): ASWB Clinical Exam
The Alaska social work board gives you one year to pass the right exam after they approve your application. You can ask for more time by sending a written request to the board through mail or email if you need it. The board votes on these requests through their online system.
Exam Registration Process
ASWB will email you instructions and an approval code to register for the exam once the board approves your application. You’ll need this code to create your account with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/aswb/auth/register. The board must approve you before you can schedule any exam.
Examination Fees
ASWB charges different fees for each exam level:
- Associate, Bachelors, or Masters Exams: $230
- Advanced Generalist or Clinical Exams: $260
You’ll pay these fees directly to ASWB when you register, separate from your application and licensing fees.
Testing Locations and Scheduling
ASWB works with Pearson VUE to give exams at testing centers across the country. You can schedule your test with Pearson VUE after you get your Authorization to Test email from ASWB. During registration, you’ll find the closest testing center.
PSI might make special arrangements if you live in remote Alaska areas without nearby testing centers.
Retaking the Exam
If you don’t pass the first time, you can take the exam again. Here’s what you need to know:
- Wait 90 days between tests
- Pay the full exam fee each time
- Pass within your one-year window or ask for more time
Exam Structure and Scoring
Each ASWB exam has 170 multiple-choice questions. Different license levels need different passing scores:
- Bachelors Exam: 96-105 passing score
- Masters Exam: 98-107 passing score
- Clinical Exam: 102-111 passing score
Your score shows how well you meet set standards, not how you compare to other test-takers.
Exam Preparation
ASWB sells full-scale online practice tests for Associate, Bachelors, Masters, or Clinical examinations. You can buy these practice tests after you register and get your authorization number.
Moving to Alaska? You can transfer your exam score through ASWB’s website. This helps if you passed the exam somewhere else within two years of applying for your Alaska license.
Passing your ASWB exam is a major step in your journey to become a licensed social worker in Alaska.
Supervised Experience
Your path to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Alaska starts with supervised professional experience. This valuable experience connects your academic knowledge to real-life applications.
The Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners requires candidates to complete two years of continuous full-time employment or 3,000 hours of part-time employment in postgraduate clinical social work. You must complete this experience 10 years before you apply for licensure.
Your supervised period requires a minimum of 100 hours of direct supervision. These hours should be spread evenly throughout your supervision period. Group supervision can account for no more than 50 hours. Face-to-face supervision is mandatory unless the board approves other methods based on good cause.
You need supervision from one of these professionals:
- Licensed clinical social worker
- Licensed psychologist
- Licensed psychiatrist
Documentation plays a key role in this process. You must track your total employment hours and both individual and group supervision hours. The Postgraduate Clinical Social Work Supervision form (#08-4870c) serves as your official documentation.
Your supervised experience must cover these foundations:
- Clinical skills
- Practice management skills
- Skills required for continuing competence
- Professional identity development
- Ethical practice
- Legal and regulatory requirements
The hours of supervision and employment period count toward licensure even if your supervisor doesn’t recommend you. You can combine supervision hours from different jobs and supervisors to meet the requirements.
New regulations will take effect after June 30, 2026. Clinical supervisors will need:
- At least three years of experience as a licensed professional
- An unrestricted license during the supervision period
- Six hours of continuing education in supervision or supervisory practices
- Completion of an additional six hours of continuing education in supervision during each biennial licensing period
The board might approve supervision from a licensed marital and family therapist (LMFT) or licensed professional counselor (LPC) in special cases. This requires pre-approval through the Alternate Supervision form (#08-4944) with justification. Remember that hours completed before approval won’t count toward licensure.
The final step involves submitting your completed supervision documentation to the Alaska social work board as part of your LCSW application process.
Application Process
Getting your social work license in Alaska starts with a complete application package. The Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners has clear steps that match your specific situation.
Your first step is to pick the right application type. You should apply “by Credentials” if you already have an equivalent social work license in another state and have passed the appropriate ASWB exam. If not, you’ll need to apply “by Examination”. Each license level comes with its own requirements, whether it’s Baccalaureate, Masters, or Clinical.
The board makes it easier to submit your application through two methods:
- Online applications through MyAlaska account that sends you email updates about your status
- Downloadable paper applications you can mail to the licensing office
Whatever method you choose, your application needs these key components:
- A completed, signed application form
- Required fees (nonrefundable application fee plus initial license fee)
- For LBSW: $100 application fee + $225 initial license fee = $325 total
- For LCSW: $100 application fee + $325 initial license fee = $425 total
- Official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
- Three professional references from specified sources
- Verification of any previous social work licenses held
Your professional references should come from specific sources. You’ll need one from your current social work employer supervisor and another from a previous supervisor. The third reference should be from a qualified professional like a licensed social worker, psychologist, physician, nurse practitioner, marriage/family therapist, or professional counselor. Qualified professionals can provide all three references if you don’t have work experience.
The process takes at least six weeks after you submit your application. This timeline changes based on how complete and complex your application is. A licensing examiner reviews your materials before sending them to the board. Applications with professional fitness items need an investigative review before they’re complete.
Your application will be denied without prejudice if there’s no contact for 12 months. Licenses last two years and expire on June 30 of even-numbered years, whatever the issue date. The only exception applies to licenses issued within 90 days of expiration.
Baccalaureate and Masters level applicants ended up getting temporary licenses while waiting for exam results. These licenses last one year with no renewal option. Once your application gets approved, you’ll get instructions to register for the right ASWB examination.
Continuing Education
You need to complete ongoing professional development through continuing education (CE) to keep your social work license active in Alaska. The Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners’ requirements ensure you stay current in your practice.
Your license renewal needs 45 contact hours of continuing education during each biennial licensing period. The requirement drops to 21 contact hours if you’ve held your license for less than 12 months in your first renewal period.
Your required hours must include these mandatory subjects:
- 6 hours in substance abuse education
- 6 hours in cross-cultural education
- 3 hours in professional ethics
- 3 hours in teletherapy practice
- 3 hours in suicide education
Your first renewal demands all six cross-cultural hours to cover Alaska Native issues. Later renewals require only three hours focused on Alaska Native topics.
Live training plays a crucial role in your education. You must complete at least 10 contact hours through live, live online, or synchronous training courses. You can fulfill the remaining hours through correspondence programs, pre-recorded content, asynchronous programs, or individual study. The board limits you to 12 contact hours per day.
The board accepts various activities that boost your professional competency as a social worker. These include postgraduate courses, ASWB or NASW certified courses, professional seminars, and workshops from related fields. Your first-time preparation of social work courses or publication of relevant articles can earn you up to 10 hours.
Academic credits convert differently to contact hours. A semester credit equals 15 contact hours, while a quarter credit gives you 10 contact hours. The board also rewards participation – you can earn 3 hours of ethics credit by attending one 150-minute board meeting during each licensing period.
A “contact hour” represents 50-60 minutes of classroom instruction between an instructor and participant. This means you should track actual teaching time rather than total program length.