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Deadlines

  • ABSN applications are due at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Oct. 15, 2023 to begin study spring or autumn quarter 2024. You may apply to both quarters but must submit a separate but identical application for each.
  • DNP applications are due at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Oct. 15, 2023 to begin study autumn quarter 2025.

ABSN and DNP application checklist

Follow this checklist to make sure you have everything you need to submit a complete application for admission:

  1. Check your eligibility
  2. Order transcripts
  3. Designate your recommenders
  4. Complete the ABSN application
  5. Complete the UW Post-baccalaureate application
  6. Complete the DNP application

1. Check your eligibility

ABSN application

To apply to the ABSN program, you must have:

  • A baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field, OR sufficient time to complete a bachelor’s degree in time to start the program
  • A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.8 for all completed college-level coursework
  • At the time you submit your application, at least three of the Natural Sciences (NSc) prerequisite courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for those courses
  • A minimum grade of 3.0 (“B”) in each ABSN prerequisite course, including all Natural Sciences courses, Lifespan Growth & Development, and Statistics
  • At the time you submit your application, completion of a minimum 100 hours of paid or volunteer health care experience in one setting within a three-month span, completed within 12 months prior to applying
  • A clear understanding of the Registered Nurse (RN) role
  • Proof of English language proficiency

If you do not meet the minimum requirements above, you should not submit an ABSN application at this time.

DNP application

You are eligible to apply to the DNP if you have:

  • An in-process or earned bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing from a nursing program that is accredited by a national accrediting body, recognized by the US Department of Education (e.g., CCNE, NLN, ACEN). A nursing degree must be completed prior to beginning your program of study.
  • A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits
  • Completion of a graded, for-credit basic course in descriptive and inferential statistics (three credits/one quarter):
    • Autumn 2023 start: completed between January 2018 and September 2023
    • Autumn 2024 start: completed between January 2019 and September 2024
    • Meet the Essential Behaviors for DNP students
  • Have an active, unrestricted Washington state RN license by the time you begin your program of study
    • If you hold an ARNP license, that must also be active and unrestricted in Washington state
    • International applicants must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license at the time of application; if you hold an ARNP license, that must also be an active, unrestricted U.S. license
  • If your native language is not English, proof of proficiency in English (including spoken English)

2. Order your official transcripts

You must submit an official transcript from every school you have attended – including the University of Washington – even if credits from one school appear on the transcript of another. Only official transcripts will be accepted.

You must first request your transcript, either delivered to you  in digital or paper format:

  • Official paper transcripts: Scan or take a high-resolution photo of each transcript, including the reverse side.
  • Official digital transcripts: Digital transcripts can be uploaded directly as a PDF document, or be opened by you, saved as a PDF, and then uploaded as a PDF document.

You will scan or take a high-resolution photo of each transcript, including the reverse side.

Transcripts must be in PDF format. Screenshots (including photos of monitors), JPEG, PNG, or other image formats are not accepted.

The School of Nursing will not accept transcripts sent directly to our office; they must be received by you and uploaded as part of your application.

3. Designate your recommenders

You will submit one (1) letter of recommendation for your ABSN application and three (3) for your DNP application.

Family members or close, personal friends are not eligible to write your letter of recommendation.

You recommenders will submit their letters directly to your online application. You may wish to make time to sit down and discuss these letters with them. Arrange for your letter of recommendation well in advance of the application deadline.

Additional letters of recommendation will not be considered.

ABSN application

An ideal candidate to write your letter of recommendation is someone who has worked with you (e.g., in a work, volunteer, or academic experience) and knows you well enough to speak to your professional qualities and potential as a future nurse.

Ensure that your recommender will complete and submit this letter prior to the application deadline. Recommendations will not be accepted after the deadline.

For applicants who are applying to both spring and autumn ABSN start dates: You will be completing two separate but identical applications and will request that your recommender submit two (2) identical recommendations for each application. We suggest that your recommender draft and save responses in a word processor document to paste into both recommendation forms.

DNP application

You must have three letters of recommendation:

  1. One academic, from a nursing class instructor or professor, clinical instructor or preceptor (if you have been out of school for a long time, consider choosing an academic recommender who is a professional in their work environment, understands the rigors of an academic nursing graduate program, and can recommend the applicant’s potential to succeed in one)
  2. One clinical, from a current clinical supervisor at your work, clinical instructor, or clinical preceptor who supervised you during your hands-on healthcare experience, and either practices in the role you seek (e.g., clinical nurse specialist, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, population health nurse) or works with those in the role sought (RN, PA, MD/DO), and has knowledge regarding role performance requirements
  3. One academic, clinical, or community recommendation

Guidelines:

  1. Recommendations should be current, have had contact with you during the last five years, and be able to speak to your ability to complete doctoral-level education.
  2. Additional letters of recommendation will not be considered.
  3. At least one letter of recommendation should be written by someone who has supervised you during your hands-on healthcare experience. Their letter should specifically speak to your ability to function in your chosen role (e.g., NP, CNS, NM, etc.). Ideally, this person would be an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (ARNP). If they are not an ARNP, they could also be an RN with exposure to the advanced practice role, a Physician Assistant, or Medical Doctor.
  4. Family members or friends are NOT eligible to write letters of recommendation.

You will want to brief your recommenders ahead of time to discuss the questions they will respond to.

4. Complete the ABSN application

If you are eligible to apply, go to the online application portal to create your account and complete your online application.

Begin your ABSN application

5. Complete the UW Post-baccalaureate application

Admissions decisions are emailed to applicants in mid-December.

To start the ABSN program, admitted applicants must submit a post-baccalaureate to the University of Washington.

Admitted applicants will then apply for spring or fall quarter to the UW Seattle campus as a post-baccalaureate applicant. You should submit an application for each intended start date for which you apply:

  • Spring quarter start: The spring start post-baccalaureate application opens November 1 with a deadline of December 15. ABSN applicants who applied for a spring quarter start will be sent information on how to complete and submit this application on November 1.
  • Autumn quarter start: The autumn start post-baccalaureate application opens December 15 with a deadline of February 15.

Visit https://admit.washington.edu/apply/postbac/ for more information.

6. Complete the DNP application

We anticipate that applications for DNP Nurse-Midwifery 2024 will launch in late September 2023.

As we finalize the Graduate School application, please review the checklist below for the required application pieces. All application materials must be submitted by the posted deadline:

  1. Complete and submit our online application
    • Apply via the UW Grad School (coming soon)
    • Pay a non-refundable application fee
  2. Order transcripts from each college or university you have ever attended
    • We accept unofficial transcripts, but you must submit official transcripts if you are admitted and enroll in the DNP program
    • If you earned a degree from a school, that degree must appear on the transcript with the date it was conferred
    • If you earned a degree from a school outside of the United States, upload an official transcript translated to English and include a detailed credential/transcript evaluation
  3. Resume
  4. 2024 admissions essays (prompts are subject to change) — 500 words maximum per essay

    1. Indicate the track for which you are applying. Please explain why you are interested in this particular role.
    2. Describe significant experiences that have contributed to your interest in pursuing a clinical doctorate (the Doctor of Nursing Practice – DNP degree) at the University of Washington (UW). Specify outcomes you wish to gain from graduate/doctoral study above and beyond preparation for a specific role (e.g., clinical nurse specialist, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, population health nurse) discussed in Essay #1.
    3. Dr. Grant, President of the American Nurses Association, states that inequities in the United States are “the most important moral challenge of the 21st century” (ANA 2020 New Releases[JHT1]). The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 emphasizes the roles of nurses in advancing health equity in the United States (The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity: Reports Highlights Podcast Episode 2: Health Equity (24:12). Multiple forms of systemic oppression (e.g., structural racism, sexism, classism, or nativism) create inequitable access to and distribution of resources needed to attain optimal health among groups. What do you view as your role and responsibilities as a health care provider and as a member of the nursing profession in addressing systemic inequity in the US or worldwide? Please support your statements and perspectives with scholarly or credible resources/references, preferably within the last 5 years.
    4. Briefly describe a situation in which a team you were or are on did not work effectively to meet the healthcare outcome(s) of a patient/client, group, or population served. Reflect on what you as a team member have done differently and describe an alternative approach.
  5. Optional statement
    • You may use an optional statement to explain if you think your transcripts, resume, or admissions essay responses do not accurately reflect your abilities and preparedness for the DNP program, if you have breaks in education or employment, or if you wish to share instances where you achieved academic merit despite significant obstacles, if you are a first-generation graduate student, or if your academics, scholarship, and research promote cultural diversity
  6. Statistics course information
  7. Nurse licensure information (if applicable)
  8. Three letters of recommendation
  9. Proof of English proficiency if English is not your first language