Masters Program FAQs

Graduate nursing school is much different than an undergraduate in nursing. Graduate programs require you to be highly self-motivated and self-directed. Our faculty and staff are here to provide you with a world-class education from one of the finest nursing programs in the United States. Please realize you may need to make some changes in your professional and personal life to be successful, and we can provide various resources, such as academic success coaching, along the way.

All APRN specialties have clinical requirements. If you are in the Denver metro area, we arrange clinicals for you. You're required to find your own clinical placements if you're outside of the metro (including rural areas) or if you're living out of state.

There are no 'direct' patient clinicals for Veteran & Military Health Care, i-LEAD, and Health Care Informatics programs, however, each has practicum hours to complete.

Most students complete our master's, BS to DNP, post-grad certificate, or DNP in 4 to 5 years. If you need more time, that’s okay, but you need to complete the program within five years.

Most of our students are working in some capacity, but the feasibility depends on several factors, including the specialty, course load, and individual circumstances.

Our indirect care programs – Veteran and Military Health Care, i-LEAD in Nursing and Health Care Systems, and Health Care Informatics – provide the greatest flexibility as they are 100% online.

Our direct care APRN programs are designed to be full-time (2-3 classes per term), and there is limited ability to do them part-time. We suggest you do not plan to work full-time until you get a sense of the rigor and pace of our programs.

We offer two different pathways for the nurse who wishes to become an APRN or enhance their skills and knowledge via one of our three indirect care programs. Our direct care MS pathways are ideal for the BS-educated nurse who wishes to become an APRN in any of our specialties.

The BS-DNP is offered to allow BS-educated nurses the opportunity to not only obtain their MS but also continue to complete their DNP. We offer both APRN options as well as indirect options for those wishing to pursue further education in leadership or informatics. Or you can pause for up to one year before starting the DNP portion of the program.

Starting in Fall 2026, the BS-DNP pathway will be an integrated model where students will take MS and DNP courses concurrently. This means a student will receive an MS and a DNP at the conclusion of the program, and there is no ability to exit one or the other pathway once started. For students uncertain about the DNP, you may choose to complete an MS and then apply for a post-MS DNP program at another time.

Our indirect care programs are 100% online, so there are no on-campus requirements. Our APRN programs usually have some on-campus requirements for didactic coursework. This could range from 3-10 days, depending on the program and pathway. Otherwise, didactic courses are delivered online and usually have synchronous and asynchronous components.

A current schedule of tuition and fees is available on the Bursar's Office page.

Yes. Numerous Scholarships are awarded to new and continuing students by the College of Nursing and outside organizations. You need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Contact the Financial Aid Office on the Anschutz Medical Campus at 303-724-8039 located in Education 2 North, 3rd Floor.

Students must live in Colorado 1 year to receive in-state tuition. Please see the registrar’s residency page for more information.

There are two required courses needed for admission: a research course and a statistics course. The statistics course does not have to be nursing or healthcare related. The research course is often a type of evidence-based practice course taken in the BS Nursing program. Both must be completed with a grade of C or better at a regionally accredited institution.

Yes. You will be asked to submit your RN license when you apply. If you do not have your license, you may be conditionally accepted pending receipt of your license before the program starts. Depending on the specialty option, once you are accepted, a Colorado RN license will be required for clinical purposes.

CU Nursing employs a holistic admissions process, evaluating all aspects of your application, not solely your GPA. Our goal is to identify students who are prepared for our rigorous nursing curriculum and possess the qualities of a compassionate and skilled nurse. We encourage all qualified students to apply, regardless of their academic background. Our admitted students come from diverse backgrounds and offer unique perspectives to the nursing profession.

Please check the NursingCAS website for transcript requirements and details. Please note that transcripts sent to the College of Nursing will not be considered. The College of Nursing is not responsible for missing or lost transcripts.

An academic reference refers to someone (professor, instructor, advisor, mentor) who can speak to your academic readiness, preparation, and achievements. He or she does not need to be in the nursing field.

If you are applying for fall term, you should receive an admission decision in April. If you are applying for spring term, you should receive your admission decision in September.

Master of Science, Master of Science-Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-Graduate Certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice applicants

You will submit requests for references to be uploaded electronically on your behalf by your reference writers in the "Supporting Information" section of the NursingCAS application.

For Doctor of Philosophy applicants

Please visit the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Admissions.

Applicants can check the status of their application through their NursingCAS Application Portal.

The admissions process depends on the degree. Please visit Admissions for your desired degree and information about the admissions process.