DNP Admissions Criteria

Applicants to the DNP program must have

  • Bachelor's degree in nursing1 or master's degree in advanced practice nursing2 that is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
  • Minimum overall 3.000 GPA on a 4.000 point scale
  • Completion of an undergraduate- or graduate-level statistics course with a minimum C grade
  • Active, unrestricted registered nurse license in the state in which the student's practica will be completed
  • GRE scores, no more than five years old (Effective spring 2019, GRE scores will only be required for post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing applicants)
  • Résumé or curriculum vitae that demonstrates professional experience in nursing
  • Essay (300 words) describing professional goals and reasons for seeking the professional practice doctorate
  • Three letters of reference from health care professionals or academic faculty who can speak to the applicant's professional and academic abilities
  • Pre-admission interview

English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 560 TOEFL score (83 on the Internet-based version), minimum 78 MELAB score, minimum 6.5 IELTS score or minimum 55 PTE score.

International applicants must also meet other minimum requirements, such as visa eligibility and documentation of financial resources. Please refer to the International Graduate Application Guide.

Students selected for admission to the nursing program must meet the College of Nursing's Clinical Compliance Policy.

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Conditional admission

Applicants who do not meet the minimum University and/or program requirements may be considered for conditional admission. Admission in such cases will depend heavily on other indices of the student’s ability to handle graduate-level work. These might include strong performance on standardized tests, GPA in the major and/or other experiences that are clearly indicative of strong academic ability.

Deferred admission

Admitted students are expected to enroll in and attend courses during the term for which they were admitted.  As a courtesy, the Division of Graduate Studies allows admitted students to defer the term of enrollment to another term within one calendar year from the term of admission. Initial enrollment beyond one year is not permitted. To defer enrollment to a later term, domestic applicants should contact the Division of Graduate Studies and international applicants should contact the Office of Global Education

Students who have not enrolled in or attended courses within one calendar year of admission will need to submit a new application and pay a new application fee if they wish to attend courses.

Change of Application Term section

Applications and application materials are valid for one year only. Applicants may change the term of their application to a later term within one calendar year from the date the completed online application form was submitted. To be considered for admission during a different term, domestic applicants should contact the Division of Graduate Studies and international applicants should contact the Office of Global Education  to request an application term change and receive instructions on next steps.

It is important to note that some programs admit only one term per year. Refer to individual the programs website or University Catalog for the term(s) during which the program will consider admission.

Applicants interested in admission after one year will need to submit a new application and pay a new application fee.

Guide to Graduate Education

For more information about Kent State University’s admission policies please review the Guide to Graduate Education.

Guide to Graduate Education

1. Upon admission to the D.N.P. degree, students who hold only a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited bachelor's degree in nursing will be admitted also to the M.S.N. degree. This will allow students to complete M.S.N. coursework and enroll in some D.N.P. coursework after successfully completing their first two full-time semesters of graduate study. Students must first complete M.S.N. coursework, earn the M.S.N. degree and obtain APRN national certification before they can continue with D.N.P. coursework and earn the D.N.P. degree.
2. Students with a master's degree must submit proof of current, national certification as an advanced practice registered nurse within their first semester or prior to beginning their practicum hours, whichever comes first.