Advising
New Students
Welcome to the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies!
Establishing your UW NetID and UW Email | Becoming Familiar with myUW | Getting Your Husky Card | Hall House Registration |
Program Requirements | Finding and Registering for Courses | Tuition and Fees | Housing |
Establishing your UW NetID and @uw.edu Email Address
The UW NetID (Network Identification) is what will allow you to logon to university systems, use campus wi-fi, and register for classes. Your UW NetID is central to many processes at the University of Washington.
To obtain your UW NetID, Find the username and password you used recently to apply online to the UW. You will need them to create your official UW account. You can make sure you have the correct username and password by trying to login again to your online application account. If successful, you will see your online application activity page. Once you have these details, go here and follow the instructions. Frequently asked questions can be found here.
Remember: the UW NetID you choose will become the first half of your @uw.edu email address, and is permanent. Your NetID cannot be changed except under rare circumstances, so choose wisely!
Become Familiar with MyUW
MyUW is the front portal of University of Washington for anybody with a UW NetID. It is a simple and easy-to-use tool for accessing the web resources like registering for classes, checking your schedule, checking your email, and viewing your library accounts and other personal information. Based on your affiliations with the university, it anticipates what you may need by providing you a personalized set of resources. You can further customize it by including or excluding the resources you see listed, rearranging the content boxes, adding your favorite links in your custom boxes on any MyUW page, and choosing the appearance theme.
Below is an example of what a typical MyUW screen looks like:
For full information on what you can do with MyUW, check out our help center topics here.
Get Your Husky Card
Once you have your UW NetID established, you will be ready to pay a visit to the University of Washington Husky Card Account and ID Center, located on the ground floor of Odegaard Undergraduate Library. Your Husky Card acts as your official student ID and also contains your U-Pass for riding the bus and light rail systems. You will need to have your student ID number and a photo ID when you visit the office, and details for where to go can be found here.
For more information on the Husky Card and what it can do for you, see here.
Complete your Hall Health Registration
All matriculated UW Seattle campus students, all students living in UW Seattle campus residence halls, and all students living in single-student apartments are required to provide proof of measles immunity. Students will not be allowed to register for any classes until they have satisfied the UW Measles Requirement. Hall Health Center oversees this program for the Registrar, and instructions on how to fulfill this requirement and register with Hall Health can be found at the center’s website.
Hall Health Center is an on-campus outpatient clinic offering care to UW students, employees, and the general public. Hall Health accepts the International Student Health Insurance Plan (ISHIP) for International Students, as well as the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program for eligible academic student employees. Hall Health offers more information on health insurance coverage requirements at their website. See a campus map of Hall Health Center here.
Understand the Requirements of Your Program
To graduate from the Jackson School, you will need to fulfill the requirements of both your degree program and the University of Washington Graduate School. These requirements include taking and passing certain core courses, taking a minimum number of credits, and more.
Visit the Jackson School Programs section for more information on program requirements
Find and Register for Classes
Each graduate program in the Jackson School produces a handbook with course offerings for each quarter, listing relevant courses offered by both the Jackson School and other departments.
- Handbooks for Jackson School can be found on program websites
- Handbook for Jackon School Ph.D program
- For the Handbook for the Jackson School Master of Arts in Applied International Studies (MAAIS) program, contact the MAAIS program advisor.
The Time Schedule is another important tool for selecting classes. It provides the most up-to-date information about instructors, meeting times, late-added courses, and changes or cancellations. If you find a discrepancy between printed information and the Time Schedule, in general it is a good idea to default to the Time Schedule.
Jackson School course offerings can be found under the College of Arts & Sciences, Jackson School of International Studies. Jackson School courses typically begin with the prefix JSIS.
Typically, students will use the information in their program handbooks and course requirements to see which classes are required, and then fill out their remaining available time (if any) with other courses that count towards the credit total of that program.
Time Schedule offers students the chance to learn more about classes and get real-time updates on how full a certain class is. Some classes will have a “>” symbol next to their designated line number. This symbol means that enrollment into this class is controlled by something called an “add code”, which can usually be obtained by contacting either the faculty member in charge of the class, or by going to the office of academic services. Usually, if a class requires an add code, Time Schedule will provide instructions on how to get it.

You may also use UW MyPlan to help you plan your schedule. MyPlan is the UW’s online academic planning tool, enabling students to make the most of their time at the UW by helping them to develop a comprehensive academic plan. MyPlan allows you to find courses and filter results, search by course code, course title, or keyword and navigate the results to find courses that match your preferences and needs. You can also use MyPlan to build an academic plan for upcoming quarters, bookmark courses of interest, audit your progress, and review your plan with advisers. You can find more information about MyPlan here.
New students register during Period II (Jun 17–Sep 24, 2024). If you do not register for anything during this period, you will have to pay a late registration fee. Once you are registered for something, you can add or drop courses through the end of Period III (September 28-October 4). (You do not have to register for all of your classes at one time.) You are allowed only one course drop each academic year after the end of the second week of any quarter. For more information about the academic calendar and registration periods, please see the University of Washington academic calendar.
Tuition & Fees
For tuition purposes, most graduate programs at the Jackson school are classified as Tier I. Most JSIS graduate students take 12-16 credits per quarter (3 classes+ a one- or 2-credit colloquium). Tuition is the same for any number of credits from 7-18. Learn more about projected costs for graduate students at the University of Washington here.
If you take fewer than 7 credits a quarter, your tuition rate will be reduced, but any credits taken above the 18 credit limit will result in additional tuition fees being charged. Additionally, if you receive any form of financial aid (loans, fellowships, assistantships), you must register as a full-time student (a minimum of 10 credits). International students must generally also be registered for a minimum of 10 credits. For more information on requirements for international students, please see the Office of International Student Services website.
Your tuition payment is usually due by the third Friday of the quarter – Student Fiscal Services has full information on tuition at the UW.
Other helpful resources for JSIS students:
- JSIS Office of Careers & Professional Development
- UW Office of Student Financial Aid
- UW Housing
- Off Campus Housing Affairs
- The Graduate & Professional Student Senate
- The Graduate Funding Information Service
- The Office of Merit Scholarships & Awards
- Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP)
Housing
The University of Washington has housing available on or near campus; many graduate students live off-campus in apartments or shared-rent houses in one of the neighborhoods listed below. As Autumn draws nearer, the number of vacancies will decline significantly, especially by mid-September.
Most students live off campus in one of the neighborhoods listed below. By September, especially mid-month, there is less choice available, although it is still possible to find housing within a reasonable distance from the UW. Check the Metro Bus Trip Planner for bus routes and schedules unless the accommodations are close enough to walk.
Neighborhoods:
- U-District, Wallingford, Laurelhurst, Sandpoint, Montlake, Broadway (Capitol Hill), Northgate, Lake City, Maple Leaf, Fremont, Phinney, Greenlake, Ballard, Eastlake, Ravenna, Viewridge, and Wedgewood. (Seattle Area Maps)
- Walking/Biking Distance: U-District, Eastlake, Ravenna, Laurelhurst, Wallingford are within walking or easy biking distance of the UW.Finding Housing:
ON-CAMPUS:
On-campus housing options for graduate students are plentiful and varied. Singles and families are encouraged to contact Housing & Food Services for information. Contact information for HFS is below.
hfsinfo@uw.edu
206-543-4059
301 Schmitz Hall
OFF-CAMPUS:
Off Campus Housing Affairs Office (OCHA): The student-run Off Campus Housing Affairs is a valuable resource for students looking for private housing in the Seattle area. OCHA’s website includes a searchable database of rental postings, details of Washington State laws for landlords and tenants, and information on Seattle living locations, although this site is currently under construction. (Note: The Jackson School has no connection to any external Website listed here and does not endorse or promote any services they may offer.) Of particular interest to international students:
FIUTS Off-campus Housing webpage
Other Housing Links
- ASUW Off-Campus Housing Affairs You must have set up a UW NetID to access the ASUW housing list.
- UW Daily Classifieds for Rental/Roommate Housing (The Daily is the student newspaper).
- Community-Based Apartment Ratings
- Seattle Times Classified Ads for Apartments
- Backpage Rentals
- The Seattle Weekly
- Seattle Craig’s List Links
NEIGHBORHOODS
Before checking housing listings, you may want to tour some of the neighborhoods. Popular areas outside the University District include Wallingford, Fremont, Ballard, Greenlake, Phinney Ridge, Roosevelt and Broadway/Capitol Hill.
Some students, particularly those with families, find housing in Seattle’s outlying areas more affordable. Areas you might consider are: Shoreline, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace (north); Bothell (north), Kirkland and Redmond (east); and Kent, Federal Way and Renton (south). Rates are lower in areas north and south of Seattle and vacancy rates may be higher. In those cities to the east, rents tend to be above the Seattle average. Commuting from these distances can be time-consuming; it helps if you can avoid rush hour.
TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING
Seattle-area traffic can be heavy during peak hours, and because parking on campus is limited and expensive, you should consider access to public transportation when deciding where to live. There is ample housing within walking distance of the UW.
U-PASS for Metro buses: You will automatically receive a bus pass (U-PASS) with your registration confirmation. Bus transportation is reliable and efficient, especially for daily commuting. With your U-Pass and one or more friends, you can also carpool at reduced rate in the Montlake Parking Lot.
Park & Ride: By utilizing the Park & Ride system, you can drive part of the way, leave your car and take the bus. Parking lots in designated locations near principal bus routes allow for a less stressful commute.
Biking: Many students bike to campus, or combine biking with taking the bus – Metro buses are equipped with bike racks. Bike lockers and racks for securing bicycles are available across campus.
For more information see UW Transportation Services.