The information on this page applies to the BSN to DNP Nurse Practitioner option at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston.
Applications for our BSN to DNP Nurse Practitioner track are processed through Nursing Centralized Application System (NCAS). The NCAS application fee of $80 is subject to change.
Please note: Students who need an F-1 visa are not eligible for admission due to the amount of content delivered online. The Department of Homeland Security does not allow our DNP or MSN programs to issue F-1 visas. Additionally, students admitted to Cizik School of Nursing must personally reside in the state of Texas before the first day of class.
Step 1: What you will need to apply
These items must be submitted through NCAS:
- Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution you have attended
- A professional curriculum vitae or résumé
- A 300-word, typed essay stating your area of practice interest, career goals, and reason for desiring doctoral study.
- The name and email address of one academic/professional reference
- International applicants must submit an official copy of their TOEFL score results. TOEFL scores can be no more than two years old. A minimum score of 550 is required on the paper exam, 213 on the computer exam, and 87 on the internet-based exam.
- If you have previous college coursework outside the U.S., you must submit official transcripts from all foreign institutions attended and course-by-course evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or Western Educational Services (WES).
Minimum Admission Requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited program.
- A BSN GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- A completed basic statistics course with a 2.0 or better.
- Evidence of a current unencumbered Texas registered nurse licensure.
- One year of professional RN experience as determined by track:
- Family Nurse Practitioner: One year of clinical experience as an RN
- Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: One year of clinical experience as an RN
- Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: One year of ICU experience as an RN
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: One year of experience as a psychiatric RN
Step 2: Apply through NCAS
Before you apply: Make sure you have selected the program and track that will meet your educational and future career goals. Applications are not transferable between programs or terms. Application fees are nonrefundable and are nontransferable.
Applications for the BSN to DNP Nurse Practitioner option are reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. However, applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline.
Once an application is received via NCAS, you will be assigned a seven-digit application ID and granted access to applyUTH, where you can track the status of your application.
Step 3: Admission Decisions
After submission, the application and all supporting materials posted on NCAS will be reviewed by the Cizik School of Nursing Student Affairs Office. Files marked as verified will be forwarded to the faculty for review.
Cizik School of Nursing’s admission policy describes multiple factors taken into consideration in the admissions process. These admission factors are not assigned a specific weight or point value. Cizik School of Nursing considers the totality of each application and considers each of these factors.
Selected students will be invited for an interview, and writing samples may be required at the time of interview. Faculty will make admission decisions following the interview. Applications then may be accepted, denied, or waitlisted.
Notification
If you are admitted, you will receive an email and a letter in the mail. If you are denied, you will receive a letter in the mail.
Please see the applications deadline page for approximate notification dates for prospective students who submit their applications by the deadline.
Step 4: Pre-enrollment requirements for accepted students
If admitted, enrollment is contingent upon successful completion of immunization screening, immigration status clearance, documentation of Texas nursing license, and clearance of the mandatory criminal background checks and drug screening.
If admission is offered, the full year of RN experience must be completed before the start of the first semester.
Your American Heart Association Basic Life Support (AHA-BLS) for the Health Care Provider certification must be current before any clinical placement. You may choose to take the AHA-BLS through Cizik School of Nursing’s Simulation and Clinical Performance Laboratory.
Get all the details in our New Student Guide.
Essential Skills in Nursing
Nurses must be able to demonstrate cognitive skills in critical thinking and logical/analytical thinking. Nurses must also have psychomotor skills, including fine motor dexterity, physical strength, coordination, and proper body mechanics. Observational skills are also required, such as the ability to hear within the normal decibel range, the ability to read English in regular to extra-fine print, and the ability to palpate/auscultate. Students must be able to demonstrate these skills, with or without reasonable accommodation. See HOOP 101, Disability Accommodation.
Other Graduate Programs
Depending on your goals and your level of education, you may choose one of our other programs or pathways. Please see:
- The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) admission criteria page if you are interested in the MSN option for our Family Nurse Practitioner track.
- Our DNP (post-master's entry) admission criteria if you have an MSN and would like earn a DNP.
- The admission criteria for our nondegree post-graduate completion programs if you have an MSN or DNP and would like to expand your knowledge and seek certification in a different nurse practitioner specialty.
- The Nurse Anesthesia section if you would like to become a nurse anesthetist.
