Application Review Policy
Applicant records will not be reviewed until necessary documentation and official transcripts have been received. Applicants are expected to return to their own application's private web page to see status updates and progress in recording necessary materials. Remember that certain specialty areas are highly competitive, and available space in these areas may be quickly exhausted following the Feb. 1st priority deadline.
| Note: the next annual cycle of applications is expected to become available after July 8, 2013. |
Submission Deadlines
Review of completed application packets and admission decisions begins in February. Applicants who are complete, other factors being equal, are most likely to have success applying to their first-choice specialty areas.
Early Deadline - Nov. 1st
Applicants requiring early review because of special funding deadlines (e.g., members of the military) should submit their applications no later than November 1st for expedited processing.
Priority Deadline - Feb. 1st 
February 1st is the priority due date for filing applications (including all supporting materials) for the Master of Science program.
Applicants seeking admission to (for example) the Family NP, Adult NP, Acute Care NP, Midwifery, or Pediatrics specialty areas should make a particular effort to meet the priority deadline, as demand for these specialty options far exceeds available capacity. It is likely that many or all of these specialty areas will be the ones which exhaust available space immediately after the regular (Feb.) deadline.
Note: New applications will be accepted after February 1st only by those specialties which still have available space. Availability and capacity will differ between specialty areas, and will fluctuate from one year to the next.
Do not assume that your preferred specialty area will remain available to applications which are still unfinished/incomplete as of February, March, April, etc. You are encouraged to consult the application instructions page on this web site or email Nursing Student Affairs (info@nursing.ucsf.edu) to find out more late availability information for your specialty of choice.
Final Deadline
For those specialty areas ONLY which still have available space remaining, the last and final date to submit an application (completed and locked on-line application form, all transcripts, all letters of reference, etc.) is June 1st for all applicants).
Deadline Date Enforcement
From year to year, some deadline dates (e.g., Feb. 1st) may fall on a weekend. In these cases, the deadlines are enforced on the following regular working day.
Transcripts
Two official original transcripts must be sent directly to Nursing Student Affairs (see address below) from each college, university, and nursing school attended. Be sure to fully identify in your application each post-secondary (after high school) institution which you have attended.
Transcripts must be endorsed by the proper authority ("certified") and final college transcripts should include a statement of good standing or honorable dismissal from the last college attended. A preliminary transcript should show coursework in progress. If necessary and/or appropriate, a transcript may be individually downloaded as a PDF from a password-protected web site, should this be the policy of your institution.
In lieu of official transcripts, unofficial transcript copies may be submitted directly by the applicant solely for the purpose of screening convenience. These unofficial copies MUST be in transcript format and layout. Those who elect to submit unofficial transcript copies should be prepared to quickly follow-up with official transcripts as our screening process continues.
Caution: Submission of official transcripts is mandatory for all admitted students. There are no exceptions to this policy. Any tentative admission decision based on unofficial transcripts must be fully VERIFIED by exact matching to official transcripts. If discrepancies are found, that admission decision will be voided/cancelled.
Non-English Transcripts
Non-English transcripts must be translated into English by a certified translator. Non-US transcripts must be submitted for evaluation, as follows.
Non-U.S. Transcript Evaluations
The School of Nursing requires all applicants who have completed degrees and/or coursework outside of the United States to submit their transcripts for validation and evaluation before they may be considered for admission.
Applicants may send their transcripts and credentials to any evaluation agency which requires submission of original transcripts and/or certificates directly from the education institution to the evaluation agency. The purpose of the evaluation is to verify that your degree/coursework is the equivalent to that of a US Bachelor or Master's degree.
Evaluation agencies provide a variety of services. Be sure to request an evaluation that provides the following:
- Lists all subjects/courses completed at the post-secondary level
- Provides a U.S. semester credit and grade equivalent for each course
- Provides a U.S. grade point average (GPA) for the Bachelor's degree or its equivalent on a 4.0 scale, and
- Designates the level (upper or lower) of each undergraduate course
In our experience, World Education Services (http://www.wes.org; 415-677-9378; 212-966-6311; info@wes.org) provides the information we need in a format that is useful for the admissions decision.
However, applicants may choose to use any agency which meets the criteria above and can perform an evaluation meeting the four points mentioned above.
Recommendations (Letters of Reference)
A minimum of four recommendations (reference letters) are required. Infrequently, additional recommendations are requested; a maximum of five applicant-nominated recommenders are allowed.
Recommenders should be selected as follows: [a] two most recent employers, preferably nurses; [b] a school of nursing, if you are a graduate within the past five years, and preferably from a professor who can assess your clinical performance and judgment in the area in which you wish to study; and [c] one or two individuals, not relatives, who are well acquainted with your professional preparation and experience.
Each recommender is asked to address the following areas, as appropriate: [1] relationships with team members such as nurses, physicians, and others; [2] professional nursing ability, including application of theory, independent judgment where appropriate, and quality of patient care; [3] communication skills; [4] leadership skills; and [5] responsibility and initiative. An overall rating from zero to ten is also requested.
Nomination of Recommenders
As part of completing the on-line (web) application, the names, affiliations, and email addresses of each of the four recommenders are provided by the applicant.
Each identified recommender receives at least one email (repeated if necessary) asking for their written recommendation. This email specifies a private web site for that recommender, to be used to submit/upload their recommendation and/or reference letter in PDF format.
With this system, applicants can verify when each of their specified recommenders has actually responded and which recommenders may still require a follow-up email request.
This email/web oriented system has simplified and speeded the process of collecting references/recommendations and allows for applicants and recommenders to avoid the delays and uncertainties of the previous postal-based process.
Goal Statement
Your goal statement is an important part of your application. It should be about two double-spaced, typewritten pages in length, and should include the following information:
- Your understanding of the nursing profession
- Reasons for seeking advanced specialty preparation as part of a nursing program
- Reasons for choosing the specific specialty area to which you are applying
- What you believe your previous academic and life experience will bring to the nursing profession
- Your goals upon completion of the program
- Any additional information you believe relevant to the admissions decision.
Please be as clear and precise as possible.
Do not forget to include your full legal name at the top of your goal statement and to number each page.
After composing the text of your goal statement, you must save the document in PDF format on your hard drive for uploading to the UCSF applications web site. Allow sufficient time prior to the deadline to finish composing your goal statement, then save it in PDF format, and complete the upload/transfer process; allowing for the possibility of technical issues or internet service disruptions in the last few days before the deadline.
A well-written goal statement is an essential component of a competitive application.
Work/Volunteer History
A CV/Résumé and a complete record of your relevant experience is required, in both paid and volunteer positions.
Screening/Evaluation Process
Screening for admission into the Master of Science program occurs at two separate units. The School of Nursing Master's Admission Screening Committee screens completed applications for admission into the School and particular specialty. Application review includes the following considerations: applicant's academic and professional (nursing) qualifications; congruence of applicant's educational goal with specialty selected; institutionalresources, including student admission allocation by specialty; and application strength as compared to other applicants. Applicants from underrepresented communities are similarly reviewed but with consideration of the profession's need for such persons with graduate preparation.
A roster of accepted applicants and alternates for acceptance is established. The Committee forwards recommendations to the UCSF Graduate Division.
The Graduate Division officially notifies applicants of admission decisions. The Dean of the Graduate Division reviews applicants for acceptance to graduate status. Evaluation is based on scholastic qualifications and formal preparation for advanced academic study.
The Graduate Division of the University of California San Francisco requires an undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 for admission to graduate standing. A personal interview is optional for most specialties and may be initiated by the faculty or the applicant.
After Acceptance:
Immunizations, Background Check
It is imperative that incoming students notify UCSF of their current and correct contact information during the months and weeks leading up to their first (September) enrollment. Many pre-enrollment steps must be accomplished through the mail in the last weeks of summer.
Accepted applicants must, prior to enrollment, verify their status for certain communicable diseases, e.g., tuberculosis, hepatitis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, etc. Visit Student Health & Counseling Services at http://studenthealth.ucsf.edu on the web for more information on pre-enrollment requirements.
Admitted students must complete, prior to their first clinical experience, a Criminal Background Check. Details will be provided after acceptance.
Admitted International students must complete additional steps once they arrive in the area. Detailed information and instructions will be sent from the Director of International Academic Services.
Contact Information
Contact the UCSF Nursing Student Affairs Office for any questions or for help in submitting your application.
Nursing Student Affairs
2 Koret Way, #N-319X
UCSF Box 0602
San Francisco, CA 94143-0602
Email: info@nursing.ucsf.edu
Telephone: (415) 476-1435 Fax: (415) 476-9707
On-Line Application System
Once you are ready to begin your on-line application process, visit the following web site: https://gdapply.ucsf.edu
Non-Discrimination Policy Statement
Please see http://registrar.ucsf.edu/student-records/nondisc
Return to Masters Program Overview Page: http://nursing.ucsf.edu/programs/master-science-ms-program