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The application process for our MSN program is simple. You can apply at any time for an upcoming open term, if the deadline has not passed. Review the general information and requirements detailed below prior to submitting your application.

Application Deadlines

TermApplication Deadline
Fall July 1 
Spring December 1
  1. Application Form

    You may submit your application online.

  2. Official transcripts

    Applicants must submit official transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work. Your transcript must show an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited program. Certified copies of transcripts are acceptable. If you have attended Loyola University Chicago, you do not need to request transcripts. 

  3. Two Letters of Recommendation

    Applicants must submit two (and only two) recommendations from nurses with a master's degree or higher. If possible, at least one recommendation should be from a nursing professor. These recommendations should be one page in length, detail the reasons why you would be a good fit for the track, and explain why you will be successful in a graduate nursing program. Please note: Recommenders MUST include their academic credentials in the signature line of their letter of recommendation.

    Electronic submission of the recommendation letters is preferred. Providing your recommender's email address within the online application will immediately prompt a personalized, private link by which the recommender can submit a letter on your behalf. Recommenders may also choose to submit letters to us by email at gradapp@luc.edu or via mail at the address listed below. Letters must be sent directly by the recommender. If letters are sent via mail by the applicant, they must arrive in their original unopened envelope sealed by the recommender. Opened letters or copies submitted by the applicant are not considered official.  

    Loyola University Chicago
    Graduate & Professional Enrollment Management
    820 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1200
    Chicago, IL 60611

  4. A Personal Statement

    Please double-space your statement and respond to the following prompts:
    - Explain your rationale for choosing to pursue an MSN.
    - Why is Loyola's MSN program a good fit with your interests?
    - How has your previous work experience and professional interests prepared you to be successful in the Loyola MSN program?
    - Describe how your future goals align with earning and MSN degree.  

  5. Grade Point Average (GPA)
    A minimum undergraduate nursing GPA of 3.0 is required. While we do consider all applications, a GPA below 3.0 may be reason to decline an application or provide acceptance under strict probation.
  6. Current curriculum vitae or resume
  7. Current Nursing License
    Students, including international students, must hold a current state license and be eligible for endorsement in Illinois.
  8. Special Note about Experience
    If you are applying to an APRN track, the amount and types of RN experience that you have weighs into the admission decision.

    If you are applying to the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track, preference is given to RN clinical work experience across the lifespan. If you are applying to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) track or the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) track, recent experience as a RN in the ICU is required. All Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care CNS students are required to obtain CCRN certification prior to the start of clinical.
  9. Clinical Experience Requirement
    2,000 hours of clinical nursing experience is required prior to beginning the first practicum in the APRN track to which you are applying.
You may also be required to submit:
  1. Transcript evaluation. You must submit an official transcript evaluation for all postsecondary schooling outside of the U.S. (except study abroad coursework), regardless of the language of the instruction or transcript. We accept evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. The evaluation report must show that your non-U.S. education is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's in nursing degree or a U.S. master's in nursing degree, contingent upon application requirements, to be considered for admission. 

    Please request a General Evaluation with Grade Average and send the have the official report to: 

    Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
    Graduate & Professional Enrollment Management 
    820 N. Michigan Ave., suite 1200 
    Chicago, IL 60611 

    We must receive the report directly from the evaluating organization. Copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents. Applicants enrolled in a program should request the evaluation during the last term of enrollment or after graduation. 

    For more information, please visit International Admission. 

  2. English language test requirement. An official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score report is required for international applicants whose native language is not English. For the TOEFL, a score of at least 79 on the Internet-based or 550 on the written-based test is required. For the IELTS, a minimum score of 6.5 is required. We must receive test scores directly from the testing service; copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents. 

    This language test requirement is waived for individuals who have completed a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree program or those who are citizens of or have completed a bachelor's degree at a recognized institution at which the language of instruction is English in these countries: Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.

    Programs may offer a waiver for the language requirement under certain conditions. Contact the program director or enrollment advisor for more information.

  3. Background Check. While not required for admission, you need to complete a criminal background check before you can begin your clinical practicums. The results of your background check may impact our ability to place you in a clinical practicum.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management at 312.915.8900 or gradinfo@luc.edu.