Graduate Admission Requirements
Master of Science in Nursing
Admission Requirements
- Official transcripts representing all college course work. Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must be from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program. Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If applicable, recommended cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential.
- Within the Nursing CAS application, be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Describe your reasons for applying to the selected program, including your short and long-term professional goals.
- What is your motivation for choosing your selected specialty?
- Explain your professional growth and development that has specifically prepared you for the specialty for which you have applied.
- Professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- Unencumbered RN license from a U.S. state board of nursing. (Prior to clinicals a RN license in the state of Kentucky or a compact state is required)
- Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency
- In addition to the NursingCAS application fee, you will be required to pay a supplemental application fee directly to UofL Graduate Admissions in order to be considered for admission. Once you submit your Nursing CAS application, you will receive an email from UofL Graduate Admissions with instructions on how to pay the $40 fee. You should receive the email within 48 hours of submitting your Nursing CAS application.
- Official transcripts representing all college coursework with a recommended cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing must be earned from an accredited institution and an accredited nursing program (NLN, CCNE, or ACEN).
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Please note that transcript evaluations can sometimes take several weeks.
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential. Recommendations should be requested from former faculty, current or immediate past employers, or other nursing/health professionals. Recommendations must be completed within the last year.
- Verification of unencumbered RN license from a US state board of nursing.
- Goal statement, 500 words or less, explaining your reasons for seeking the program, including short- and long-term professional goals. Describe how past educational, work, and/or life experiences have prepared you for this next step in the career.
- Resume
- Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency.
- In addition to the NursingCAS application fee, you will be required to pay a supplemental application fee directly to UofL Graduate Admissions in order to be considered for admission. Once you submit your Nursing CAS application, you will receive an email from UofL Graduate Admissions with instructions on how to pay the $40 fee. You should receive the email within 48 hours of submitting your Nursing CAS application.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Admission Requirements
- Official transcripts representing all college course work. Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must be from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program. Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If applicable, recommended cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential.
- Within the Nursing CAS application, be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Describe your reasons for applying to the selected program, including your short and long-term professional goals.
- What is your motivation for choosing your selected specialty?
- Explain your professional growth and development that has specifically prepared you for the specialty for which you have applied.
- Identify and discuss a system or population health problem that could benefit from an evidence-based change.
- Professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- Unencumbered RN license from a U.S. state board of nursing. (Prior to clinicals a RN license in the state of Kentucky or a compact state is required)
- Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency
- In addition to the NursingCAS application fee, you will be required to pay a supplemental application fee directly to UofL Graduate Admissions in order to be considered for admission. Once you submit your Nursing CAS application, you will receive an email from UofL Graduate Admissions with instructions on how to pay the $40 fee. You should receive the email within 48 hours of submitting your Nursing CAS application.
- Official Transcripts representing all college course work with a recommended overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program.
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE
- Minimum science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Prerequisite courses at the undergraduate level with preference given to those who earned a B or better in all required courses.
- Human Anatomy
- Physiology
- Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Unencumbered Registered Nursing License
- Acute/Critical Care Nursing Certification (CCRN) or equivalent nursing specialty certification.
- Current certifications in BLS and either ACLS or PALS.
- Minimum one year of recent (within 2-years preferred) full-time critical care experience or the part-time equivalent with Employment Verification.
- Preference is given to applicants who have high acuity critical care experience where hemodynamic monitoring, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive drug administration is routinely managed.
- Preference is given to applicants with experience in shared governance leadership.
- Completion of Graduate Record Examination (GRE), official scores must be within 5 years prior to application.
- Minimum of 24 hours of shadow experience with a CRNA.
- Meet the Program Technical Standards.
- English Proficiency exam as applicable: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Admission Requirements
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate college coursework. An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is recommended for BSN-PhD and a graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale is recommended for MSN-PhD and DNP-PhD.
- For applicants with a degree conferred in the United States the degree must be from a regionally-accredited institution and an NLN CNEA- or CCNE- accredited nursing program.
- Applicants with transcripts that are not in English must submit three items: official native-language transcripts; a notarized, verbatim translation of the transcript in English prepared by an appropriate university or government official; and, a course-by-course transcript evaluation prepared by World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), or some other NACES-approved evaluator.
- International students for whom English is not their primary language must show English language proficiency via the TOEFL examination, IELTS examination or, Duolingo examination. For Duolingo, only scores with sub scores will be accepted, and tests must have been taken after January 1, 2020. Minimum acceptable scores are: 105 for Duolingo; 80 for TOEFL; 6.5 for IELTS. Scores should be sent to directly NursingCAS by the testing agency. International students who have earned a bachelor’s degree, or higher, from a regionally-accredited institution in the United States are exempt from the testing requirement.
- Three professional letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential for a scholarly career. Recommendations should be from: former faculty members, current or immediate past employer, or other nursing/health professionals. At least two references must be from nurses. Recommendations must have been written within the last year.
- A current curriculum vitae or resume. Please include a list of publications, if applicable.
- An unencumbered nursing license. International students need to be licensed as registered nurses in their country of origin, if licensure is available. If direct patient care activities are provided, Kentucky RN licensure must be obtained prior to December in the first year of study.
- A personal statement describing career goals, area(s) of expertise, research interest(s), and reasons for pursuing doctoral studies. Maximum three pages in 12-point font.
- An interview with School of Nursing faculty is required.
- A pre-admission Certified Background Check For international applicants the pre-admission background check requirement is satisfied during the visa application process.
- Payment of a supplemental UofL Graduate School application fee in the amount of $40.00. No additional documents are required. Once you submit your NursingCAS application you will receive an email from UofL Graduate Admissions with instructions on how to pay the fee. You should receive the email within 48 hours of submitting your NursingCAS application. Payment of this fee is required in order to be considered for admission.
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate
Admission Requirements
- Completed Graduate Admission Application including application fee. Please select non-degree.
- Official transcripts representing all college course work. Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees must be from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program. Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Recommended minimum cumulative graduate GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential.
- Upload a goal statement answering the following questions:
- Describe your reasons for applying to the selected program, including your short and long-term professional goals.
- What is your motivation for choosing your selected specialty?
- Explain your professional growth and development that has specifically prepared you for the specialty for which you have applied.
- Professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- Unencumbered RN license verification from a U.S. state board of nursing.
- Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency
The following are prerequisite graduate level courses to be completed prior to or as part of the certificate program of study:
- Advanced Pathophysiology (offered spring and summer)
- Advanced Pharmacology* (offered summer and fall. Prerequisite Pathophysiology)
- Advanced Physical Assessment* (offered during the fall term only)
*Not required for the Neonatal specialty
APRNs who have completed the above prerequisites may be admitted directly into a specialty. Upon receipt of your official college transcript and gap analysis review, your program of study will be created based on your previous academic coursework and professional credentials.
- Completed Graduate Admission Application including application fee. Please select non-degree.
- Official transcripts representing all college course work. Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees must be from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program. Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Recommended minimum cumulative graduate GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential.
- Upload a goal statement answering the following questions:
- Describe your reasons for applying to the selected program, including your short and long-term professional goals.
- What is your motivation for choosing your selected specialty?
- Explain your professional growth and development that has specifically prepared you for the specialty for which you have applied.
- Professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- Unencumbered RN license verification from a U.S. state board of nursing.
- Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency
Non-degree Nursing
Admission Requirements
Applicants who do not seek an advanced degree but wish to take graduate course work may be permitted to enroll in non-degree status. Application credentials must include a completed application for admission, application fee and an official transcript showing the award of a baccalaureate nursing degree. Non-degree nursing students may take no more than nine (9) credit hours of course work taken in a non-degree status.
- Complete Graduate Admission Application and select non-degree nursing.
- Official transcripts representing all college course work. Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must be from a regionally accredited institution and a NLN, CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program.
- Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If applicable, recommended cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
