International Graduate Applicants
Individuals who live outside of the U.S. are welcome to apply to our PhD in Nursing Research and Accelerated Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing programs, both offered on campus. Our other graduate programs are offered mostly online and, therefore, do not qualify individuals to be granted a student visa. Additional information on student visa, health insurance, transcripts and more is provided below.
Please note: UC College of Nursing cannot advise on matters regarding international student eligibility and other unique situations. Please direct questions related to international student eligibility to the UC International Services and UC Graduate Admissions offices.
International applicants are responsible for ensuring that their visa status meets program requirements and that online course requirements adhere to sponsored funding requirements. For additional information, visit the UC International Student Admissions website.
International students are required to have health insurance. Visit the UC Office of the Bursar’s Student Health Insurance site for current information.
International applicants (except Canadian applicants with transcripts in English) must have their transcripts translated and certified by the World Education Service (WES) or another NACES member. Please start this process at least three months before the transcript arrival deadline to ensure that the documents arrive at NursingCAS on time. View NursingCAS International transcript instructions.
Official proof of English proficiency is required of all applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who were educated in a country where the official national language is not English. Read full requirements and a list of nations that qualify for a waiver on our English Language Proficiency Requirement page. Applicants must meet the requirement set by the university to be eligible for acceptance. Health care requires a high level of communication, so the College of Nursing recommends higher scores.
- Internet-based TOEFL
- University requirement: 80 or higher
- College of Nursing recommended score: 100 or higher
- Paper and at-home TOEFL are also accepted
- TOEFL Essentials and My Best Test scores are not accepted
Advanced practice nursing board exams in the U.S. set strict requirements on course content that are needed for a test taker to qualify for their respective exam. Because graduate nursing courses are not standardized internationally, most individuals with international master's and doctorate degrees should expect to retake any courses from their previous graduate coursework that do not meet these strict criteria.
Even if your international courses will not qualify you for the exam, the College of Nursing likely has a path for you! Email nursingbearcats@uc.edu with details about your international graduate nursing education. Include the following information:
- Program or specialty you are seeking at the University of Cincinnati
- Country where you completed the degree(s) or course(s)
- Name of the course(s)
- Number of credits
- If available, a (translated) syllabi for the course(s)
Official transcript & syllabus evaluations are not able to be completed until AFTER acceptance.