Admissions

Application Deadline: 

Summer Start: Application opens on November 15- closes on March 1

Fall Start:  Application will open on January 1- closes May 1


Application

The University of Louisville (UofL) School of Nursing participates in Nursing’s Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS), which collects and processes application documents and verifies transcripts. We receive your application information from NursingCAS and use it to make our admission decisions. 

You do not need to submit any of your supporting documents to the University of Louisville.

All required items must be uploaded to, and transcripts verified by, NursingCAS. The transcript verification process can take several weeks after receipt of transcript, so please plan accordingly. 

NursingCAS provides detailed instructions on their website. Review information under the “Prepare to Apply” tab. The system provides you with updates on your progression as you work through the application and allows you to check your status online to track the receipt of your application, transcripts and references.

Questions on how to upload required documents or questions regarding receipt of transcripts should be directed to NursingCAS and not to the School of Nursing.

Questions regarding admission requirements should be directed to nursserv@louisville.edu.

Admission Requirements

A holistic review process is used when considering applications for admission to the PhD Program in Nursing. The holistic review considers multiple criteria for admission, including: the applicant’s professional career goals, academic capabilities, GPA, work experience, leadership, and community engagement, and incorporates the use of an admission rubric for consistency. Please note, the GRE is not required for admission consideration for this program.

  • A completed NursingCAS application
    • Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate college coursework. An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is recommended for BSN-PhD and a graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale is recommended for MSN-PhD and DNP-PhD. 
    • International students for whom English is not their primary language must show English language proficiency via the TOEFL examination, IELTS examination or, Duolingo examination. For Duolingo, only scores with sub scores will be accepted, and tests must have been taken after January 1, 2020. Minimum acceptable scores are: 105 for Duolingo; 80 for TOEFL; 6.5 for IELTS. Scores should be sent to directly NursingCAS by the testing agency. International students who have earned a bachelor’s degree, or higher, from a regionally-accredited institution in the United States are exempt from the testing requirement. 
    • Three professional letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential for a scholarly career. Recommendations should be from: former faculty members, current or immediate past employer, or other nursing/health professionals. At least two references must be from nurses. Recommendations must have been written within the last year.
    • A current curriculum vitae or resume. Please include a list of publications, if applicable. 
    • An unencumbered nursing license. International students need to be licensed as registered nurses in their country of origin, if licensure is available. If direct patient care activities are provided, Kentucky RN licensure must be obtained prior to December in the first year of study.
    • A personal statement describing career goals, area(s) of expertise, research interest(s), and reasons for pursuing doctoral studies. Maximum three pages in 12-point font. 
  • An interview with School of Nursing faculty is required.
  • A pre-admission Certified Background Check For international applicants the pre-admission background check requirement is satisfied during the visa application process.
  • Payment of a supplemental UofL Graduate School application fee in the amount of $40.00. No additional documents are required. Once you submit your NursingCAS application you will receive an email from UofL Graduate Admissions with instructions on how to pay the fee. You should receive the email within 48 hours of submitting your NursingCAS application. Payment of this fee is required in order to be considered for admission. 

Please upload application documents to NursingCAS rather than UofL. All test scores should be reported to NursingCAS directly by the testing agency.

*Please note that all nursing students are required to have background checks. As a result, the Kentucky Board of Nursing requires nursing students to report all misdemeanors and felonies to them. Carefully read the guidelines on the Kentucky Board of Nursing website.

PhD Tuition & Program Costs

School of Nursing Costs
PhD

Background Check

$59; at point of application to SON

Books

Cost varies

Cardinal Card (Student ID)

Free issuance. $15 Replacement cost.

Drug Screening

$37

Immunizations

Visit Campus Health website for individual costs.

Major Medical Health Insurance

Visit Campus Health website for individual costs. May waive with proof of insurance.

Parking Permit

Required for UofL campus parking. Costs vary.

Student Health Fee

$52.50 per semester, Campus Health Services

Financial Aid

Full-time students can apply for fellowships and assistantships to support their doctoral studies. Fellowships provide tuition, a stipend and health insurance for one to two years without a work requirement. Assistantships provide tuition, a stipend and health insurance in exchange for a 20 hour per week work requirement as a graduate research or teaching assistant. Fellowships and assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis.

Applicants must consider a number of factors when considering how to pay for graduate school. The following resources will help in the process.