Admissions Information, PhD Program, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota

General Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the School of Nursing Ph.D. Program, you must have the following background:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and an exceptionally strong background in a major field of study such as nursing or the physical or behavioral sciences. The School of Nursing uses the degree-granting institution GPA as one measure of an applicant's academic potential.

AND/OR

• A master's degree from an accredited institution, a strong academic record in a major field of study and background in graduate-level physical and/or behavioral sciences.

Over the past five years, successful applicants typically have had a GPA of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale).

Application Process

To be admitted, you must meet the general requirements of the University of Minnesota Graduate School as well as those of the School of Nursing. To complete the application process, applicants must apply to both the University of Minnesota Graduate School and the School of Nursing Ph.D. Program.

The holistic review process includes test scores, cumulative grade point average (GPA), goals and research interest, and a match of interest with available faculty expertise.

Once the completed applications have been reviewed, selected potential candidates are invited for interviews. The interviews focus on the research potential of the applicant and the match between the applicant's research interests and available faculty expertise. Face-to-face interviews are preferred; telephone interviews may be arranged. The Graduate Faculty make recommendations to the Graduate School regarding admission.

Application Materials

The application process to the Ph.D. program consists of two parts. All applicants must fulfill the application requirements and apply to both of the following entities:

• U of M School of Nursing
• U of M Graduate School

All applicants must meet the requirements of both the School of Nursing and the Graduate School.

Part 1: School of Nursing Application Materials and Requirements

The application and complete instructions can be found here.

In addition, you must have the following documentation:

• Photocopy of the Graduate School Application (see link in Part 2) or  Change of Status form (if you have a degree from the University of Minnesota)
• Two completed School of Nursing reference forms (contained in the Application Packet)
• School of Nursing application, which includes your statement of goals and research interest
• GRE scores

Do not send your official transcripts to the School of Nursing - send them directly to the Graduate School. Please send the School of Nursing application materials to the following address:

OSCAS - PhD Program
University of Minnesota
5-160 Weaver-Densford Hall
308 Harvard Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

If you have questions, please contact the School of Nursing:

Phone: 612-625-7980
E-mail: SoNStudent Info@umn.edu

Part 2: Graduate School Application Materials and Requirements

The Graduate School requires the following application components:

• Graduate School Application
• $55 application fee ($75 for international applicants)
• Official transcripts from all institutions

Please send the Graduate School application materials to the following address:

University of Minnesota Graduate School
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-625-3014

Additional Requirements for International Students

All international students must meet all admission requirements as listed above. In addition, the following requirements must also be met:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): If your native language is not English, you must take the TOEFL and score at least 586 (written) or 240 (computerized), or 95 (IBT).
• If the TOEFL is not available in your country, you must take the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) with a score of 85.
• You are exempt from taking the test if, within the past 24 months, you have completed 24 quarter credits or 16 semester credits in residence as a full-time student at a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States.
• The School of Nursing will accept TOEFL or MELAB exams taken within three years of the time of application.

School of Nursing Application Forms

Application and instructions are available here.