How to Apply for a Master of Science in Nursing

• Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale *
• Baccalaureate degree in nursing from a CCNE or NLN accredited program
• Three references attesting to the applicant's expertise in nursing or health care. Faculty prefer professional references from a former nursing faculty member or advisor if available, one or two from a manager/director/leader from their work setting, and no more than one from a peer.
• Personal interview(s)
• Current, active, unencumbered and unrestricted RN license in each US state where practice or clinical experiences occur.  The RN license cannot have any restrictions on licensure which would preclude meeting the requirements of the degree program and required clinical rotations.
• Please write a one to two double spaced essay describing what you would bring to our educational community, the advanced practice nursing profession and the community you seek to serve.
• Include your short- and long-term professional goals. Identify and discuss a health system or organizational issue/problem you wish to expand your knowledge on during your MSN program.
• Scholarly written work:  An example of scholarly written work, completed within three years of application, related to nursing that demonstrates excellent writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly and logically.  Samples of scholarly work: formal research paper written in your BSN program; published article on a nursing issue; or paper written on a nursing issue of interest to you
• Current curriculum vitae/resume

* In instances where exemplary practice has been established and/or the applicant has successfully completed post-graduate work, a provisional admission may be considered for applicants with a GPA below 3.0. This will be evaluated case-by-case based on the number of qualified applicants for each admission cycle. Students admitted provisionally must complete the first (9) hours of MSN course requirements with a grade of B or better in each course to remain in the program.

Exemplary practice is defined as a comprehensive understanding of the role of nursing, the application of that role with patients/families/communities/interdisciplinary team and the application of new knowledge and evidence to continuously drive practice forward which will be evaluated by application material and interview results. (American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2019)

Qualified, complete applicants will be contacted after the application deadline to schedule interviews with graduate nursing faculty. Upon submission of all required application materials/credentials and completion of interviews, the MSN/DNP Program/Admissions Committee will review the applicant file and make an official recommendation regarding admission to the MSN program in nursing at the University of Kentucky. Following interviews, applications will be reviewed and decision letters mailed to all applicants.

Admission is competitive based on the number of qualified applications received and the space available.  We do not admit students from all states.

The MSN application opens September 15 and closes February 15 for Fall (August) enrollment. The MSN program does not admit a spring or summer class. 

Additional Information

For more information about the MSN Health Care Leadership program, please click this link. 

Application Instructions

The Graduate School Application

ALL applicants are required to complete the Graduate School online application.

The University of Kentucky Graduate School is part of the ApplyYourself Application Network, a system used by more than 700 colleges and universities that provides the opportunity to submit all application requirements via an online system. This includes an electronic process for letters of recommendation and uploading copies of unofficial transcripts. The system allows candidates to monitor their application status and view receipt of supplemental materials.

A non-refundable fee is required for each application to the University of Kentucky Graduate School. The application cannot be submitted without payment of this fee.

ApplyYourself Application Process

Through the ApplyYourself Application Network: First you must set up a new account and establish a user name and password. Do not lose this information; you will need it if you wish to return to continue an unfinished application or review a completed application. Please be sure to add support@hobsons.com to your list of approved contacts to ensure receipt of e-mails regarding your application.

Read this entire page regarding the process and requirements before you establish your new application.

This process is to be used ONLY by MSN applicants. Applicants to the DNP (clinical doctorate) program DO NOT apply through ApplyYourself.

To complete the ApplyYourself application, you will first need to gather several pieces of information, including the following:

A. Unofficial Transcripts
The ApplyYourself application requires all applicants to upload unofficial transcripts of ALL previous colleges and universities they have attended; this includes the University of Kentucky. Failure to upload unofficial transcripts will result in an inability to complete and submit the online application.

To obtain a University of Kentucky transcript (unofficial or official) go to the registrar’s website for instructions: http://www.uky.edu/registrar/transcripts scroll all the way down for instructions on “unofficial transcripts.”)

B. Official Transcripts
If you are offered admission and subsequently enroll in graduate school at the University of Kentucky, you will then be required to submit official transcripts to the Graduate School. Transcripts uploaded as part of the online process are NOT considered to be official. Official transcripts must be received by the University of Kentucky in a sealed envelope.

C. Test Scores
TOEFL or IELTS Scores: All applicants whose native language is not English will be asked to self-report one of these scores as part of the online application.

TOEFL scores should be sent directly to us from Educational Testing Service (ETS); the Institution Code for the TOEFL for UK Graduate School is R1837.

IELTS scores should be sent directly to us from the International English Language Testing Service specifying the University of Kentucky Graduate School, Lexington, Kentucky, as the recipient institution.

For the Graduate School and the College of Nursing, the minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 550 (paper-based) 213 (computer-based), or 79 (internet-based). The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. Submitted scores must be no more than two years old.

D. Letters of Recommendation
You will be asked to supply contact information for the three recommendations required by the College of Nursing Three references attesting to the applicant's expertise in nursing or health care. Faculty prefer professional references from a former nursing faculty member or advisor if available, one or two from a manager/director/leader from their work setting, and no more than one from a peer.

E. College Specific Application Requirements for the MSN in Health Care Leadership

Other materials to be uploaded as part of the complete online application process:

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV): CV should include education, licensure, certifications, work experience, honors and awards, and any publications or presentations of which you were author or coauthor.
2. Personal Statement/Goal Statement:  

• Please write a one to two double-spaced page essay describing what you as a person would bring to our educational community, the advanced practice nursing profession and the community you seek to serve.
• Include your short- and long-term professional goals. Identify and discuss a health system or organizational issue/problem you wish to expand your knowledge on during your MSN program.

3. An example of scholarly written work, completed within three years of application, related to nursing that demonstrates excellent writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly and logically.  Samples of scholarly work: formal research paper written in your BSN program; published article on a nursing issue; or paper written on a nursing issue of interest to you.
4. RN licensure verification.  Unencumbered RN licensure in state where clinicals will occur.

Out-of-State Students

The University of Kentucky works to provide distance learning courses and programs to students across the state of Kentucky, the country and abroad, but location matters when it comes to the availability of some courses and programs. Each state and territory have different requirements for distance learning. Out-of-state students who are interested in distance learning should read each section below and confirm that their program of interest can be offered and/or lead to licensure or certification in their state or territory.

• State Authorization is a type of consumer protection regulated by states and territories. Institutions are required to obtain state authorization when they offer online courses or programs outside of their home state. Visit the State Authorization by Program section to learn which programs are authorized in each state.
• States may have additional requirements for programs that lead to professional licensure or certification. Learn which programs can lead to licensure and certification in each state.
• Contact Distance Learning with questions or for more information.