Admissions and aid – Doctor of Nursing Practice — Family Nurse Practitioner Degree Program

• Current unencumbered registered nurse (R.N.) licensure
  • International applicants must have U.S. licensure or be eligible for the NCLEX
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
  • The School of Nursing evaluates applicants with a master’s degree from an accredited college or university on a case-by-case basis, provided applicants have shown previous course equivalence to waive out of the first quarter of graduate courses in the DNP-FNP
• A minimum bachelor's-degree GPA of 3.0
• Completion of all prerequisite courses (see prerequisite section below for more details)
• A minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA in all science prerequisite coursework is required
• Statement of purpose, personal history and diversity statement and future interest or goals submitted through the UC Davis Graduate Studies Application
• The application process may require an interview
• TOEFL (international graduates only) scores for international applicants and those whose native language is not English.
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts from each institution attended*

*Transcripts must reflect the bachelor’s degree awarded, including date awarded and major(s). For those who are recent graduates, it may take several weeks to months for new degrees to be reflected on official transcripts.

Online applications are processed through UC Davis Graduate Studies, which coordinates UC Davis graduate degree programs. All applicants must submit a completed UC Davis Graduate Studies application and meet UC Davis requirements for graduate admissions.

Admissions decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Meeting some or all of these criteria does not guarantee admission, but merely eligibility. Admission is competitive.

An offer of acceptance is based on the premise that all data submitted in application materials (including but not limited to UC Davis Graduate Studies and criminal background check applications) are true and accurate. Should there be misrepresentation in or a violation of any of the terms of the application process, the university reserves the right to rescind the offer of acceptance at any time, or, disqualify the student at any time during their education.

All prerequisites are required at the college level from an accredited school and must be included on the submitted transcript during the application process. Each prerequisite is expected to be one full course, either a quarter or a semester, and a minimum of three units, depending on the location where it was completed. Completion of prerequisite coursework online is acceptable if it is from an accredited academic institution. Advanced Placement scores awarded in high school do NOT fulfill prerequisites. All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better.

If an applicant has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or Entry-Level Master’s Prelicensure Nursing Degree from an accredited university (such as the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing), all pre-requisite courses may be waived. 

If an applicant has an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) with a bachelor’s degree in another field, they must complete all the prerequisite courses listed below.

Science prerequisite courses

• One course in human anatomy with lab*
• One course in human physiology with lab*
  • o Or human anatomy and physiology series: Part I and Part II with lab*
• One course in organic or biochemistry with lab
• One course in microbiology or bacteriology with lab

Other prerequisite courses

• One course in English composition
• Two courses in social sciences. Ideal courses provide exposure to human or organizational behavior — such as psychology, sociology, ethnic studies, women's studies or cultural anthropology.
  • Social science courses may be completed in two different subject areas or within the same subject area.

*It is desired that the human anatomy and human physiology prerequisite courses be completed within the past five years of when you plan to apply. Competitive applicants should self-assess their strengths. If it has been a number of years since courses were completed, applicants may want to consider retaking them. Applicants may complete a combined human anatomy and human physiology series course. Series courses are offered in two parts and are completed over the course of two quarters or two semesters. Series courses must be completed in full and must include a lab component. If the applicant only completes one part of the series course, they must additionally complete a course in either human anatomy or human physiology to fulfill the requirement. Mammalian or animal will not fulfill this requirement.

Visit the DNP-FNP FAQ page for additional details about program requirements and prerequisites. 

Information about financial support and aid for this program can be found on our central Financial Support page