Admission Requirements and Application Procedures for the Master's Program
Application materials available through Admissions page.
The minimum requirements for admission to the MSN for RNs are a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and graduation from a school of nursing (approved by the licensing board of the state in which it is located). Professional nursing experience is considered desirable but is not required for admission. Additionally, a course in statistics and research methods is recommended.
Applicants must be licensed to practice nursing in at least one US state. If the applicant is a new graduate, licensure steps must be in process. International nurses may be required to have their nursing credentials evaluated and approved by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) before they are eligible to be licensed as a registered nurse in the US.
The following materials are required
- Application form
- Non-refundable $65 application fee
- Personal statement (outline available through the online application)
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Official transcripts from all previous colleges, universities, and professional schools *
- Three letters of recommendation (forms available through the online application)
- Official Graduate Record Examination General Test scores (GRE)
- Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores (Required for applicants whose first language is other than English and who have not graduated with a bachelor's or Master's degree from college or university in the US)
*International degree transcripts must be evaluated by an educational credentialing agency such as www.wes.org or www.ece.org. Additionally, non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an officialEnglish translation.
Written credentials are submitted and reviewed prior to the fall of anticipated enrollment according to the deadlines and time frames noted below.
Following the initial review of written credentials, qualified applicants are required to come to the School for a mandatory interview. When distance presents a hardship, candidates are encouraged to work through the Office of Admissions to make alternate arrangements.
MSN for RNs Application Deadline: Rolling November 1 - March 1
The primary application deadline is November 1. Rolling admissions is available through March 1, but it is to the applicant's advantage to complete the application process by the November 1deadline. Admission to any specialty may close for subsequent cycles once available positions are filled; however, the Admissions Committee continues to develop an alternate pool in the event places become available at a later time. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted in a timely fashion.
Mandatory interviews are held late January through early March, depending on the date of application.
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
All applicants for admission are required to take the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations, www.gre.org. Those who have already taken the test must submit transcripts of their scores with their applications. Scores that are more than five years old are not acceptable. Those who have not taken the test should arrange to do so before the November 1 deadline.
Computer-based testing has replaced paper-based examinations in most countries and can be scheduled year-round. It typically takes two weeks from the date of administration for the official transcript of GRE scores to reach YSN. Paper-based examination score reports typically take two months to reach YSN. Prompt arrangements for taking this examination should be made in order to meet the application deadlines.
English as a Second/Foreign Language
Applicants to the GEPN program whose first language is not English must have their English language skills evaluated. The following examinations are accepted by YSN:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): www.toefl.org
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): www.ielts.org
It typically takes a month from the date of administration for the official transcript of scores to reach YSN. Prompt arrangements for taking an English examination should be made in order to meet the application deadlines.
Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Examination
Prior to enrolling in the School, graduates of foreign schools of nursing must pass the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools examination, www.cgfns.org, as well as the NCLEX-RN examination in order to become a registered nurse (RN) in the United States. Several states, however, do not require successful completion of the CGFNS examination in order to sit the NCLEX-RN. Information on the CGFNS examination can be obtained from either the United States Embassy or the nurses' association in the foreign country of residence.
Graduates of foreign schools of nursing admitted to the program must pass the NCLEX-RN by November 1 of their first year. Students who have not passed the NCLEX-RN by this time may be required to withdraw or take a leave of absence and will be required to make individual arrangements for completion of the Specialty requirements after receiving a passing grade on the NCLEX-RN. Please allow several months to complete the CGFNS & NCLEX-RN process. |
