MSN Admissions Criteria

Admission to the Master of Science in Nursing degree is a selective process.

In the selection process for applicants, program faculty will consider years of registered nurse experience, professional experience relevant to the specific MSN concentration and evidence of scholarship and involvement in the nursing profession as indicated on the applicant's résumé, along with GPA and intent for full-time study.

• Bachelor's and/or graduate degree from an accredited registered nursing program.
  • Applicants with an RN license and a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field will be considered based on faculty review of a portfolio submitted with the application.
• Minimum 3.000 undergraduate/graduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale.
  • Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered for conditional admission according to the University's Graduate Student Admission Policy.
• Completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a minimum C grade.
• Active, unrestricted registered nurse license in the state in which clinical coursework will be completed.
• Résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Essay (2-3 pages) describing reasons for seeking the master's degree in the identified specialty and professional goals.
• Three letters of reference from a health care professional or academic faculty who can speak to the applicant's professional and academic abilities.
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
  • Minimum 560 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
  • Minimum 83 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
  • Minimum 78 MELAB score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • 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.

The MSN/MBA program requires applicants to complete the GMAT or GRE.

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