Post-Master’s DNP Leadership Admissions

​​Application Deadline

August 1st
for Fall Admission

December 1st
for Spring Admission

Admission Criteria

• Master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program (In special circumstances, non-nursing master’s degrees from accredited programs will be evaluated case-by-case.)
• GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Current unencumbered RN license. A NJ or Compact State RN license will be required after acceptance to the program and within the first semester of study. Students are required to maintain current licensure throughout the program.

• Personal and Goal statements ‐ Applicants are expected to submit a concise essay (no more than 2 pages) addressing the following:
  • How have your personal qualities and experiences influenced your career choice and how will they contribute to attaining this degree?
  • Discuss your reasons for choosing this specialty in relation to your career goals. How will this degree impact your care of the population you expect to serve after graduation?
• Two letters of reference that speak to the candidate’s skills, abilities and experiences that support their success in this program. Personal and/or character references from friends and family are not accepted.
  • One must be from someone in a leadership role. The reference does not have to be from within nursing or midwifery, however this is preferred
  • Ideally, one reference should be a current or former professor in an academic setting
• Resume/CV
• Official transcript(s) of all prior college work
• Specialty certificates preferred
• Fully submitted online application including paid application fee
• Virtual interview required for all qualified applicants

*Please note that GRE testing is not required.

Application Tips

• Applicants can view their most current admissions status through the online application system.
• The online application contains an admissions checklist which must be completed in order to be considered for admission to the program.
• Applicants are required to submit admission documents through the online application system (the applicant checklist).
• Applicants are required to submit official transcripts for all previous college work.
  • Electronic transcripts (recommended) can be sent to transcripts_nursing@gradadm.rutgers.edu
  • Paper transcripts can be sent to Office of Admissions & Recruitment – School of Nursing, 65 Bergen St. (Room 601), Newark, NJ 07107
• For Rutgers Graduates Only: The School of Nursing Admissions Office will automatically obtain your Rutgers academic transcript after you submit your online application. You do not need to provide it yourself. However, you must still submit transcripts from any non-Rutgers schools you attended.

Once the admissions process begins, applicants with fully completed applications (all supporting documentation received) generally receive their admissions decision within 2-3 weeks.

International Applicants

In addition to the criteria and requirements above, you must submit an official review of your transcript by either World Education Services or CGFNS International, Inc., as well as your IELTS results. 

Even if you hold a master’s-level degree from the U.S. or another English-speaking country, you are still required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. Your scores must be current within two years of the semester you’re applying for, and you must have at minimum the following scores:

• Paper-based TOEFL: 550
• Computer-based TOEFL: 213
• IBT internet-based TOEFL: 22 in writing, 23 in speaking, 21 in reading, and 17 in listening

Learn more about your application process.

Licensure & Clinical Compliance for Nursing Programs