Master of Science in Nursing Admissions
Your Guide Through the MSN Application Process and Beyond
By considering the Master of Science in Nursing program in Duke University’s School of Nursing, you’ve already made a huge investment in your future. The Office of Admissions is your gateway to completing your MSN application, understanding MSN requirements, and carving your path to your dream nursing career.
Our Master of Science in Nursing admissions staff have a combined 20 years of experience working with students and helping them achieve their academic and professional goals.
Office of Admissions General Inquiries:
Email: SONAdmissions@dm.duke.edu
Phone: 877-415-3853
Physical Address: 307 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710
Mailing Address: DUMC 3322, Durham, NC 27710
For technical assistance with your application, email SONApplication@dm.duke.edu.
We offer DROP-iN Chat for virtual Q+A Sessions along with PROGRAM INFORMATION SESSIONS for application help.
Stay updated on important dates and events. Opt-In to receive text messages and emails about the MSN program.
Master of Science in Nursing MSN Application Deadline
Application information for the MSN, BSN-DNP, and PGC Programs is below. We offer personalized MSN application counseling and a dedicated admissions officer to support you as you begin your journey through the MSN program — from inquiry to enrollment. If you are interested in earning your nurses master’s degree, contact your admissions officer with any questions about which term will be best for you:
- Applications completed between Sept. and Dec. 1 receive priority consideration for the next available Fall term.
- Applications completed after Dec. 1 are reviewed on a space-available basis.
- Applications completed between Jan. and May 1 receive priority consideration for the next available Spring term.
- Applications completed after May 1 are reviewed on a space-available basis.
A Holistic MSN Application Process
In Duke University’s School of Nursing, we recognize and embrace the unique experiences of each MS program student. That’s why we maintain holistic MSN admissions procedures that consider your life experience alongside your academic performance, such as grades and test scores.
During the Master of Science in Nursing application review process, we look at a range of factors — including academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success in both the nurses master’s degree program and your professional career after graduation.
MSN Requirements
To help you excel in the Master of Science in Nursing program, we require that you have at least one year of nursing experience before starting the acute care MSN application process.
Please note: Some MSN programs have additional experience requirements.
- Prerequisite: To meet MSN requirements, you must have earned a grade of C or better in General Statistics or Introductory Statistics. A three-credit course is required. AP Statistics also counts if you achieved a score of 3 or better.
- Transcripts: Provide all post-secondary transcripts from every school where college credit was earned, not just degree-granting institutions.
- Recommendations: Using our secure, personalized MSN application form, you must have three professional recommendations that attest to your academic ability, professional competency, and personal character. These recommendations must be submitted electronically by each individual during the MSN application process. If you are a nurse practitioner applicant, you must submit at least one letter from a provider (MD, DO, PA, NP) in the major in which you are applying.
- Personal Statement: Three comprehensive written essays are required with your Master of Science in Nursing application. Use the text boxes in the Personal Statements section of your MSN application. Text responses have a character limit of 2,000. All prompts are required to be answered.
- Resume/CV: You must upload your resume and/or CV alongside your MSN program application.
- Official GRE Scores: The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is not included in our MSN requirements.
- GPA: Preferential admissions consideration for the Master of Science in Nursing will be given to applicants with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
- Degree: As part of our graduate requirements, you must have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or earned an associate degree in nursing from an accredited school in addition to a bachelor’s degree in any field.
- Licensure: To be eligible for admission into the Master of Science in Nursing program, you must hold current licensure as a registered nurse in the state in which you plan to practice.
Additional Master of Science in Nursing Program Admission Requirements
Each of our Master of Science in Nursing programs has specific admissions requirements in addition to the MSN application materials listed above:
If you are applying for admission to the ABSN, Master of Science in Nursing, DNP, or certificate programs, please review our Requirements for International Applicants.
- Post-Graduate Certificate
- Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program – ANCC PMH Nurse Generalist Certification is recommended prior to applying to the Master of Science in Nursing program.
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - At least 12 months of full-time, independent acute-care nursing experience by the application priority deadline, and a current nursing role caring for the acute-care population.
Master of Science in Nursing Applicants With International Credits
If you are applying for admission to the ABSN, Master of Science in Nursing, DNP, or certificate programs, please review our Requirements for International Applicants.
Duke University’s Annual Clery Security Report as Mandated by Federal Statute 20 USC § 1092
The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report include institutional policies concerning campus safety and security, as well as statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Duke University property and on public property adjacent to campus and fires that have occurred in residence halls. MSN program applicants can obtain a copy of the Clery Security Report by contacting the Duke Police Department at (919) 684-4602 or writing to 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708, or by accessing The Annual Clery Security Report.
Accreditation and State Authorization
In addition to maintaining national educational and nursing accreditation, each state’s higher education and nursing governance boards may set unique requirements for online or distance-based clinical Master of Science in Nursing programs that lead to licensure in their state. Please note that these requirements only apply if you are a prospective online or distance-based clinical MSN program student. If you are a non-clinical MSN program student, state authorization requirements do not apply to the Duke University School of Nursing application. If you are a prospective clinical MSN student, view Accreditation and State Authorization to learn the status of your state regarding the potential for obtaining a nursing license.
Technical Standards
All Duke University School of Nursing Students should review the technical standards required of them.
Students With Disabilities
Duke University encourages persons with disabilities to join our MSN programs and participate in campus activities. If you anticipate needing any accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, don’t hesitate to contact the Duke Student Disability Access Office before your participation or visit.
AI-Based Tools
Generative AI tools can be helpful for brainstorming, refining ideas, or proofreading your written responses — but all application materials must reflect your own words and original thinking. School of Nursing applicants should not submit any content generated entirely by AI or copied from sources they did not create in their application.
Our holistic admissions process seeks to understand each applicant’s unique experiences and potential contributions, so maintaining authenticity and originality is essential. Please note that you will be required to certify that all information submitted in the application is your own work, factually true, and honestly presented.
Completing Your MSN Application
Ready to apply? Here’s what you’ll need to complete your MSN application:
To Complete Your Master of Science in Nursing Application
- Answer all required questions and submit the MSN application form.
- Pay the application fee.
- Upload final versions of all MSN requirements. NOTE: Once uploaded, they cannot be changed.
- Send electronic recommendation forms using our secure portal.
- An unofficial copy of all post-secondary educational transcripts can be uploaded to your self-service portal only for the review process. An official copy of all post-secondary educational transcripts will be required for enrollment and can be either mailed or sent electronically to SON-DOCUMENTS@dm.duke.edu or in a sealed envelope to:
Duke School of Nursing
Office of Admissions
DUMC 3322
307 Trent Drive
Durham, NC 27710
When your MSN program application is complete, it will be submitted and held for review by the program’s admission committee. If any information is missing or MSN requirements have not been met, your application will not be considered.
Frequently Asked Questions - General
Box 102400
307 Trent Drive
Durham, NC 27710
As a rule, the School of Nursing does not permit deferrals for the Master of Science in Nursing program unless there are extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control that would prevent them from enrolling in the term they were admitted.
If you are concerned about your ability to start the semester admitted, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services.
Post-Graduate Certificate and MSN Program FAQs
It typically takes 10 to 15 days for a score to reflect in the Duke system once the testing agency releases it.
We recommend, but do not require, that applicants to PGC and Master of Science in Nursing programs have at least one year of nursing experience before applying.
- Applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia program are required to have at least one year of acute care RN experience.
- All Neonatal Nurse Practitioner applicants need two years of clinical experience before starting clinical courses.
- Applicants for the Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program must have at least one year of acute care pediatric nursing experience.
- Applicants for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program must have at least one year of acute care nursing experience.
Each Master of Science in Nursing applicant and Duke University School of Nursing student is unique, but there are some features that many successful students share. Successful candidates achieve high academic excellence and show aptitude for demanding coursework in the MSN program. Additionally, successful MSN program candidates can clearly articulate the role for which they are applying and understand the daily responsibilities and prominent issues for the field.
The MSN Program Admissions Committee reviews each application, including the personal statement. We consider each student’s potential success in a PGC or MSN program that requires critical thinking skills and the ability to form logical arguments in writing.
The admissions committee also considers the applicant’s potential for leadership positions and advancing practice, service, research, or teaching in their chosen field.
Duke University and Duke University School of Nursing respect and appreciate diversity in all its forms. Your personal statement provides an opportunity to share, if you wish, a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better.
We recognize that individuals have a variety of work and educational experiences and personal circumstances.
We require three professional letters of reference. The letters of reference should address your academic ability, as well as your skills, character, and accomplishments in nursing.
Applicants who are accepted into the MSN program typically have at least one reference letter from a professor or teacher and one reference letter from a work supervisor. If you are applying to a Nurse Practitioner program, at least one of your references should be from a medical provider (MD, DO. NP, PA).
Individuals providing letters of reference should have had recent (within the last five years) educational or professional relationships with the student. Letters from current work supervisors are particularly helpful to the MSN Program Admissions Committee.
Letters of reference from individuals with the degree/credential from the program the applicant is applying for can be used to demonstrate that the applicant understands the role they are seeking, which is an essential admissions consideration.
If you are a board-certified nurse practitioner who is actively practicing in a population outside your certification and have been practicing full-time for at least one year, you may qualify for our Certification Alignment Postgraduate Certificate program.
This is a competency-based program that recognizes expertise in your practice area and applies it to the course of study. This program supports and expands the nurse practitioner scope of practice.
Please email SONAdmission@dm.duke.edu to collaborate with faculty and confirm your eligibility as a certificate alignment postgraduate applicant.