You’re only a few steps away from taking your education and career to the next level with a graduate degree in nursing. The AU School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and a post-graduate nursing certificate.
If you’re starting the graduate nursing program with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, your application and supplemental materials are due March 15 for an August start date. If pursuing a post-graduate Doctor of Nursing Practice or post-graduate nursing certificate, your application and supplemental materials are due September 15 for a January start date.
Here are the six simple steps to apply:
1. Get organized.
Make sure you meet the minimum requirements for the program you’re interested in completing.
Minimum requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in nursing or higher from a nationally accredited nursing program with a minimum grade point average of 3.2 from most recent nursing degree program (if most recent nursing degree is an RN-BSN completion program that GPA will be averaged with Associate Degree in Nursing GPA).
- Active and unencumbered RN license by application deadline
- MSN to DNP Advanced Practice applicants also need an active and unencumbered APRN license or plan to obtain an APRN license within the first 12 credit hours of the program. Failure to secure an APRN license prior to completing the first 12 credit hours will result in program dismissal.
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate program applicants also need to have current Family Nurse Practitioner certification
2. Apply online.
Complete your online application and pay the $40 application fee.
3. Send transcripts.
Send a copy of your official transcripts from all previous college-level education to Anderson University. This can be done by email at dataentry@andersonuniversity.edu or mail Attn: Data Entry, Anderson University, 316 Boulevard, Anderson, SC 29621.
4. Apply for financial aid.
Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to find out if you are eligible for low-interest federal student loans. The priority deadline to complete the FAFSA each year is March 1. Contact the AU Financial Aid Office at finaid@andersonuniversity.edu or (864) 231-2070 if you have questions about the financial aid process.
5. Submit two letters of recommendation.
The preference for letters of recommendation is one academic and one professional, depending on what is most relevant to your experience. Once you have selected who you would like your references to be, and you have completed the application, you will be directed on the Application Status portal to enter the contact information for your references. They will then fill out an online form that will be directly submitted to AU. You will receive an email notification once a recommendation has been received.
6. Tell us about yourself.
Personal Statement
Upon completion of your application, you will be directed to the Application Status portal where you may upload your personal statement. We’re looking for 500 words or less on why you desire to pursue this degree.
If applying to a nurse practitioner program, we strongly encourage you to shadow a provider within that field and write about that experience. If you work with nurse practitioners and feel you have a handle on the profession you can write from that knowledge as well.
If pursuing a post-master’s degree DNP, please outline a possible quality improvement study you might conduct for your scholarly work while completing your course of study. You may provide a PICO (Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) question.
Also, regardless of the program to which you’re applying, the personal statement is your chance to provide any other information that you’d like the selection committee to know about you.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Your CV or resume can be uploaded on the Application Status page.
Possible Interview
Virtual interview may be requested prior to acceptance.
Still Have Questions?
If you need assistance during the admission process or have further questions, contact our Enrollment Team at (864) 231-5510 or enrollmentteam@andersonuniversity.edu.
Next Steps
Upon acceptance (usually by May for Fall semester and October for Spring semester) you must submit an Enrollment Confirmation form and a deposit of $600 to secure your place in the program. The deposit will be applied to your first semester’s tuition.