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UIC - University of Illinois at ChicagoCollege of Nursing
 
   
   
 

PhD: Admission Criteria

Selection is based on your academic background, research interests, and availability of suitable faculty expertise for mentorship. Requirements include:

1. Students applying to the post-master's option must have a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program or a BSN from a CCNE or NLN accredited program and a master’s degree outside of nursing (may require additional course work individualized to background education). Students applying to the post-baccalaureate option must have a BSN from a CCNE or NLN accredited program.

2. Minimum GPA of 3.00/4.00. GPA for PhD students is computed on all coursework after the first baccalaureate degree. GPA for Post-Baccalaureate PhD students is computed on the last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of the baccalaureate degree.

3. License to practice as a professional nurse in at least one political jurisdiction.

4. GRE (Graduate Record Examination)General Test Scores. The GRE is (automatically) waived for applicants with a 3.25/4.00 cumulative GPA in their most recently completed (baccalaureate or graduate) degree. Applicants with less than a 3.25/4.00 in their most recent degree are required to submit official GRE scores by the application deadline.

  • There is no formal request or application for the GRE waiver. Applicants who do not have a 3.25/4.00 GPA from their most recently completed degree should plan to submit GRE scores.
  • The cumulative GPA is based on all course work completed for the most recently completed degree and will not be recalculated (see official transcript for final GPA). Courses completed after the most recent awarded degree cannot be used toward qualifying for the GRE waiver.
  • No preference will be given during the application review process to applicants who qualify for the GRE waiver and have submitted (or plan to submit) GRE scores.

Please visit www.gre.org for more information on the GRE exam. 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.

5. 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.

6. Interview with a graduate faculty member.