Masters Program Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have achieved a minimum undergraduate nursing degree GPA of 3.0.

For those applicants whose undergraduate nursing degree GPA is less than 3.0, the GRE and/or (12) credits of graduate level coursework is required. The official GRE score and/or graduate coursework must be completed prior to the application deadline.

All applicants are encouraged to submit their application to NursingCAS at least 6 weeks before the deadline listed, as it can take up to 4-6 weeks for NursingCAS to receive and verify applicant transcripts. Please do not wait for transcripts to be received by NursingCAS before submitting your application. This will help to ensure that your application is reviewed on time. The application includes the receipt and verification of all official college transcripts and required letters of reference. This will help to ensure that your application is reviewed promptly.

Your application must be complete, fees must be paid, and supporting documents must be received before the deadline to be considered for admission. View the Application Deadlines page for important dates regarding this program.

The primary application fee is charged by and paid to NursingCAS; have a credit card for payment. A $50.00 Supplemental Application fee paid to the University of Colorado College of Nursing is also required; instructions for payment are included in the NursingCAS application.

All applicants to the College of Nursing must meet the minimum requirements outlined in the Technical Standards.

Within your NursingCAS application, you will be asked to upload an essay which responds to the following prompts. Your completed essay can be uploaded into the “Documents” section of your NursingCAS application.

• Describe your past work in your proposed specialty, including educational and non-course educational experiences, laboratory research, teaching or other relevant employment, publications, theses, research in progress, or other scholarly activities.
• Describe your plans for graduate study and a professional career and how this program will contribute to them.

Applicants must have at least a Bachelor Degree in Nursing from a CCNE or ACEN accredited program and Regionally Accredited Institution.

Both an (undergraduate) nursing research and statistics course are required prior to starting the program. Both courses need to have been completed at an accredited institution and a grade of “C” or higher must have been earned.

All applicants are required to upload a CV/Resume as part of the application process.

Please upload a copy of your current, unencumbered RN license with your application.

All applicants must submit three letters of reference. We recommend that at least one reference be from an academic source. References are submitted as part of the NursingCAS application process.

Official Transcripts (Domestic)

All applicants must request official transcripts from each former/current institution attended. You will need to order all official transcripts to be sent directly to NursingCAS for verification (regardless of the years attended or previous coursework completed). This includes any concurrent/dual enrollment courses you took in high school; you must submit official transcripts for any post-secondary school(s) from which you earned college credit while in high school. For additional information regarding submitting official transcripts, please visit the NursingCAS transcripts help section.

International/Foreign Transcripts

Applicants holding a degree from an international or foreign institution require a course-by-course transcript evaluation. For additional information regarding submitting international transcripts and course-by-course evaluations, please visit the NursingCAS transcripts help section.

All offers of admission are contingent upon students meeting the following criteria. Inability to meet these requirements may result in an offer of admission being rescinded.

Negative drug screens are required of all admitted students.

Students who take legally prescribed medication (see note regarding marijuana below) that may result in a positive drug screen need to contact American Databank/Complio (http://uccollegeofnursingcompliance.com) before completing the drug screen to inquire about necessary steps.

Note that marijuana usage, regardless of type of usage (recreational or medicinal), is strictly prohibited.

Criminal background reports are processed through the American Databank/Complio system.

Any past criminal convictions, regardless of year, must be disclosed during the application process. Convictions are reviewed on an individual basis and must be vetted by the college for admission.

Note that admission is contingent upon the University of Colorado College of Nursing being able to place students in clinical rotations at healthcare agencies. If criminal history or a pending criminal charge prohibits the possibility of clinical placements, admission will be rescinded/denied.

Prospective students who have criminal convictions (or pending criminal activity) are encouraged to contact an Admissions representative prior to submitting an application.

Application for nursing licensure requires all criminal convictions be reported in the application process. The State Board of Nursing approves licensure for individuals with a criminal charge on an individual basis.

Through the American Databank/Complio system, students will upload proof of BLS certification. Note that American Red Cross certification is not acceptable; certification must be through the American Heart Association.

Admitted students must submit documentation of required immunizations by the Clinical Compliance deadline. The list of immunization requirements and compliance deadline are provided to students upon admission to the program.

Due to the clinical nature of the nursing profession, all students must meet the following communication standards, as outlined in the Technical Standards of our Student Handbook:

1. A student must be able to communicate clearly and effectively in English with clients, teachers and all members of the health care team. Written and oral communication must use standard, professional medical terminology.
2. He/she must communicate with clients clearly and effectively in English to elicit information regarding history, emotional status and activity, and to perceive nonverbal communications.
3. Communication includes speech, hearing, reading, writing and computer literacy.
4. A student must be able to clearly and effectively report in English to members of the health care team. Additionally, students must be able to relay appropriate information to clients, as well as teach, explain, direct and counsel a wide variety of individuals.
5. In some instances the student will be required to provide clear, direct communication in English during highly stressful, crisis situations. These skills necessitate a strong command of the English language and prompt, timely interpretation of pertinent patient data.
6. Students must be able to communicate online in a timely, professional manner, e.g., enter an electronic medical record immediately after the patient visit.

If your primary language is not English, or if you are an International Student, you will need to demonstrate required English language proficiency by meeting one of the following criteria:

1. You are a citizen of a country whose official language is English including Australia, Belize, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Commonwealth Caribbean, Ghana, United Kingdom, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
2. You have obtained a total score of at least 560 on the paper-based TOEFL and 50 or above on the Test of Spoken English (TSE); a score of 83 on the Internet-based TOEFL with 26 or above on the spoken English section. For other minimum subscores see internationaladmissions.ucdenver.edu. The College of Nursing TOEFL Exam Code is 3377. Be sure to use this code when registering for the exam to ensure that we will receive the results.
3. You have obtained a total score of 6.5 on IELTS with a minimum speaking subscore of 8. Official IELTS scores must be sent directly to the College of Nursing.
4. You have graduated from the University of Colorado Denver’s ESL Academy.
5. You have graduated from a US/UK accredited school abroad with English as the medium of instruction.
6. You have earned a Bachelor’s degree in the U.S. or you have successfully completed a minimum of 2 semesters of full-time study in a master’s program at an accredited institution in the U.S.

*For non-international applicants whose primary language is not English (i.e. permanent residents), there may also be an opportunity to complete an English language evaluation to demonstrate language proficiency. Candidates may be identified and contacted during the application cycle if proof of English language proficiency is required.