PhD admissions requirements and application process

You need to hold a master’s degree in nursing — from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) — with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Applicants with a graduate GPA below 3.0 may still apply by submitting official GRE scores and/or documentation of at least 12 graduate-level credit hours. GRE scores may be entered in the NursingCAS Academic History section, and a copy of the score report may be uploaded as an "Other" document in the Documents section or mailed to the College of Nursing. All required documentation must be received by the application deadline.

Applicants must complete a graduate-level statistics course and nursing theory course and have earned at least a B in each course.

If either the graduate-level nursing theory course or the inferential statistics is not reflected in the course title on the transcript, include a course description, course outline or other supporting evidence that this requirement has been met.

Prerequisite coursework will be entered into the “Prerequisites” section of your NursingCAS application.

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. A student 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. A student 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 of daily use and language of instruction is English.
2. You have obtained at least a total minimum score on one of the following tests:
   

Test	Minimum Required Score	CU Anschutz Nursing Exam Code
Internet Based TOEFL, if taken AFTER January 1, 2026	Overall score of 4, speaking sub-score of 5	3377
Internet Based TOEFL, if taken PRIOR to January 1, 2026 *scores are valid for 2 years after the test	Overall score of 83, speaking sub-score of 26	3377
IELTS	Total score of 6.5 minimum speaking sub-score of 8	Send directly to CU Anschutz College of Nursing

3. For other minimum sub-scores see CU Denver Internal Admissions.
4. You have graduated from the University of Colorado Denver’s ESL Academy or comparable post-secondary program earned at a regionally accredited institution.
5. You have graduated from a USA or 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.
7. Successfully completed English Composition and English Literature at a regionally accredited institution.

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 if adequately trained staffing is available. Candidates may be identified and contacted during the application cycle if proof of English language proficiency is required.

Our university participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), a national initiative overseen by the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. This allows our college to offer online education and out-of-state learning opportunities, promoting equitable education for all students. However, individual state's board of nursing, educational, and licensure requirements may differ from the College of Nursing's requirements. This may impact whether or not you can be admitted to one of our programs.

If you live in a state other than Colorado, please check the State Authorization and Professional Licensure material before applying.

Applicants requiring an F-1 visa should contact the CU International Student and Scholars Office prior to applying.

Applicants are responsible for understanding the immigration and visa process, obtaining the required documentation, and completing all necessary forms in a timely manner. An F-1 applicant requiring an F-1 visa should contact the CU International Student and Scholars Office prior to applying.

Applicants are responsible for understanding the immigration and visa process, obtaining the required documentation, and completing all necessary forms in a timely manner. An F-1visa is required for any on-campus components, including required campus visits and clinical coursework.

Please note that CU nursing graduate programs are primarily delivered online; therefore, student visas cannot be issued for individuals seeking full-time study in the United States.

Primary application fee ($85) paid directly to NursingCAS and supplemental application fee ($50) paid to CU Anschutz Nursing directly. Please have a method of payment ready when you submit your application. Instructions for payment are included in the NursingCAS application.

Applicants must upload a current CV/resume into their NursingCAS application.

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.

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.

Applicants must submit a previously written scholarly paper focused on nursing. Examples of previous work include: journal articles and course papers. This documentation can be uploaded in the “Documents” section of your NursingCAS application.

Applications usually open one year before the start of a program. A priority deadline occurs approximately 6 months after they open. Give yourself time to fill in your application details and upload documents. If you submit your application by the posted deadline, we provide a 10-day grace period to allow any outstanding materials to arrive.

Application tip: You can submit your application before your recommendations and transcripts are posted to your NursingCAS account. If the application is received by the deadline, and materials are posted within the 10-day grace period, your file will be reviewed. Please note the specific application deadline to calculate the grace period timeframe and end date.

Apply by the priority deadline for your chosen program. This increases your chances of admission and scholarships. We may extend the deadline if space is available. Check the application deadlines and your email regularly for updates.

After the priority deadline, things work a bit differently. Some programs might still have space available, and we'll list these openings on our website. If spots remain, these programs will review applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

Admitted applicants must complete a background check prior to enrollment.

Admission may be revoked if a criminal history or pending charge prevents participation in required clinical placements.