UIC College of Nursing | Prospective Students

Master's (MS) & Post-Master's: Admission Criteria

The following criteria must be met for admission to the master's and post-master's programs:

1. Baccalaureate degree with an upper-division major in nursing from a CCNE or NLN accredited program OR a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in a field other than nursing plus an RN license. Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in another field must complete three transitional courses at the beginning of their program.

2. Minimum GPA of 3.00/4.00. GPA is computed on the last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of the first baccalaureate degree.

3. License to practice as a professional nurse in at least one political jurisdiction. Although an Illinois license is not required for admission many specialties do require an Illinois license to facilitate clinical placements.

4. Introductory courses in statistics and in research or their equivalent to be completed prior to starting the MS program. (Most applicants will have met this requirement with their BSN program)

5. GRE (Graduate Record Examination). GRE scores must be taken within five years of the term you are applying form. Scores older than five years will not be accepted and the GRE exam must be retaken. The GRE is waived for applicants with a 3.25/4.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of their degree. The GRE is not required for post-master's students. Applicants for the MS/MPH and MS/Health Informatics joint-degree programs are required to take the GRE regardless of GPA. Applicants to the MS/MBA joint-degree program are required to take the GMAT. The GMAT is accepted in lieu of the GRE for these students.

Interested in taking a GRE prep course? The following organizations offer courses on the UIC campus: Kaplan GRE Prep Course and Getter Better Scores, Inc.

6. Work experience: Although there are no formal work requirements in order to apply for the MS program, relevant work experience does make a stronger application. More competitive specialties take work experience into account when reviewing applications.

7. Interview with a graduate faculty member in the selected specialty area. Qualified applicants will be contacted by faculty to set up an interview time. Not all applicants will be chosen for interview.

Background Check and Drug Testing

All master's and post-master's students will be required to have a background check upon admission. Drug testing may also be required at anytime throughout the program. If the results of either requirement indicate that the student was not truthful on the initial application to the College of Nursing or would not be eligible for placement at the College's practicum agencies, the student's admission will be rescinded. Students may be required to repeat either requirement should the practicum agency require more frequent testing. If at anytime during the period of enrollment, the student's background check or drug test results preclude placement in a practicum agency, the student will be required to withdraw from the program. At time of application for licensure students will be required to submit fingerprinting and be reviewed for eligibility by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

Additional Information:

International Applicants:
TOEFL is required for applicants whose native language is other than English with a minimum score of 550 (paper based) or 213 (computer based). For the TOEFL ibt scores, the minimums are Writing-21, Speaking-20, Listening-17, Reading-19 and total score-80. Please note that TOEFL scores over two years old are invalid. For the official IELTS, a minimum total score of 6.5 is required, with sub-section minimums of Listening-6, Writing-6, Reading-6 and Speaking-6.

For postsecondary coursework completed at an institution outside the United States, applicants must request a Full Education Course-by-Course Report evaluation of foreign credit from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

For licenses in a political jurisdiction other than one of the United States, applicants must also request the Validation of Registration/License Report from CGFNS. Contact CGFNS: 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-2651, 215.222.8454, www.cgfns.org, or e-mail at info@cgfns.org.

Upon being recommended for admission, evidence of financial support for the first year is also required.

Visit the Office of Admissions and Records' International Admission Requirements website for further details about the information above.

Joint-degree Applicants:
Students applying to the MS in Nursing/MBA, MS in Nursing/MPH or MS in Nursing/MS in Health Informatics joint degree programs need to meet the admission criteria for each program. We are able to share information (i.e. letters or recommendation, test scores, etc.) but a formal application must be submitted to both colleges for consideration. Further information on admission to the other programs can be found here: