Washington University in St. Louis Paper Format & Writing Requirements
An elite private university famous for medicine, the Olin Business School and social-work (Brown School) programs. This page documents what the campus actually requires: citation styles (Chicago, APA 7, MLA 9), the composition sequence, the writing quirks that catch new students, and the assignment genres its programs grade most.
James Parker, MLS
Citation & Formatting Reviewer · Master of Library Science; 9 years as a reference librarian coaching APA, MLA and Chicago styles
Quick answer
Washington University in St. Louis requires Chicago or APA 7 or MLA 9 across most courses. First-year writing seminar (College Writing 1) plus writing-intensive courses across divisions. Top programs: Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Business (Olin), Social Work (Brown). The three quirks that surprise new students are listed below — all checkable before your first deadline.
On this page · 5 sections
- 1Washington University in St. Louis at a glance
- 2Citation styles Washington University in St. Louis actually requires
- 3The writing requirement, decoded
- 4Three things about Washington University in St. Louis papers that surprise new students
- 5Assignments Washington University in St. Louis students face most
Washington University in St. Louis at a glance
An elite private university famous for medicine, the Olin Business School and social-work (Brown School) programs.
The campus sits in St. Louis, Missouri, operates as a private institution, and enrolls about 15,000 students — a scale that directly shapes how writing support works. Founded in 1853 with an acceptance rate around 12%, WashU pairs selective admissions with the large-course writing loads typical of its category.
Citation styles Washington University in St. Louis actually requires
WashU courses predominantly require Chicago or APA 7 or MLA 9. That is not a trivial preference: it decides your title page, heading levels, in-text punctuation and reference format on every graded document.
- Chicago: used across history, fine arts and some social science seminars
- APA 7: used across social science, nursing and business courses
- MLA 9: used across humanities and writing-sequence courses
Verify against the specific course syllabus anyway — instructors can override departmental defaults, and the first paper is where they enforce it.
The writing requirement, decoded
First-year writing seminar (College Writing 1) plus writing-intensive courses across divisions.
Plan the sequence early: composition requirements compound, and students who defer them discover the advanced seminars — where the writing-intensity lives — conflict with major courses later. The registrar's degree audit shows exactly which flags remain; check it each semester.
Three things about Washington University in St. Louis papers that surprise new students
- The Writing Center's peer-tutor program is a semester-long training course itself.
- Architecture students write design theses reviewed by visiting St. Louis practitioners.
- The Brown School grades policy briefs against a published public-audience rubric.
None of these appear in the course description. All of them appear in the rubric. Students who learn them in week one report smoother first-semesters than students who meet them at the deadline.
Assignments Washington University in St. Louis students face most
- Essay — most frequently assigned across WashU's programs
- Research Paper — most frequently assigned across WashU's programs
- Case Study — most frequently assigned across WashU's programs
- Thesis (Senior/Honors) — most frequently assigned across WashU's programs
Popular programs at WashU include medicine & biomedical sciences, business (olin), social work (brown) — each pairs the assignment list above with its own capstone or practicum expectations, detailed on our subject pages.
What's your next step?
Two taps to the exact page that unblocks this paper.
Citation Generator
BIBLIOGRAPHYSmith, Jane (2024). The effect of spaced practice on essay quality. Journal of Writing Research, 16(2), 245–268. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2024.16.02.03
Verify before submitting (APA 7):
- Author names inverted (Surname, Initials.) with an ampersand before the last author
- Article titles in sentence case; journal names in Title Case italics
- DOI shown as a live https://doi.org/ link (no 'DOI:' prefix)
- Edition and publisher location rules: editions in parentheses, no city since APA 7
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GPA Calculator
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WashU essentials
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WashU format check
1 / 3Which citation style is safest as a default at WashU?
Frequently asked questions
4 answered1What citation style does Washington University in St. Louis use?
Chicago and APA 7 and MLA 9 — the mix depends on the course's department. Social science and health courses lean Chicago; check the specific syllabus before formatting, and use the citation generator on this page to switch styles without re-learning punctuation rules.
2Does Washington University in St. Louis have a first-year writing requirement?
Yes — First-year writing seminar (College Writing 1) plus writing-intensive courses across divisions. Plan it in your first year: the requirement chains into writing-intensive courses later, and deferring it creates scheduling conflicts with major requirements in junior year.
3What assignments are most common at WashU?
Essay, Research Paper, Case Study, Thesis (Senior/Honors). Each has a full format guide on EssayAtlas — the links below adapt them to your specific courses and programs.
4How competitive is Washington University in St. Louis?
Around 12% acceptance, enrolling about 15,000 students since 1853. Admissions selectivity matters for writing because graded curves and writing-center capacity scale with class size — use the GPA calculator below to see what your current grades project.
James Parker, MLS
Citation & Formatting Reviewer · Master of Library Science; 9 years as a reference librarian coaching APA, MLA and Chicago styles
Formats for WashU assignments
Nearby campuses with format guides
Same-state and same-region schools whose writing requirements differ more than you would expect — transfer students and cross-registration students get caught by these every term.