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This entry-option is for current high school seniors only.  If you have taken advanced placement/college credit courses in high school, you may still apply for this admission option.

To be considered, students first must complete the admission application to The University of New Mexico.  Applicants should declare Nursing as their intended major at the time of application to UNM.  Next, the applicant should apply to the College of Nursing through NursingCAS, the common application system for nursing programs at accredited institutions. 

• To be considered for the Direct-Entry admission option, you must be accepted into the University of New Mexico and meet the following criteria:

  • Have completed high school Math, Biology or Chemistry courses.
  • Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.5.
  • Complete the NursingCAS Freshman Direct-Entry Option application, including all required essays and materials by the specified due date.
  • Submit official high school transcripts; if any college credits were completed while in high school also submit official transcripts from each institution attended at the time of application.
  • Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and accessing of standardized tests, the UNM College of Nursing will waive the SAT/ACT requirement for 2021 applicants and offer “test-optional” admission.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation with at least one from a high school teacher (preferably science or math teacher) and one from a high school counselor or administrator who can speak to your contributions in classrooms, interactions with students, teachers, and/or administrators, and dedication to your educational experience. These will be submitted through NursingCAS as part of the College of Nursing admission process.
  • Intend to be admitted as a full-time student enrolled in pre-nursing courses in Fall, Spring, and Summer terms prior to beginning the required nursing curriculum.
• Send official college transcripts from all institutions you attended directly to NursingCAS.
• Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit your application and transcripts to UNM Undergraduate Admissions. If accepted into the College of Nursing, you must be admitted to UNM before you start the nursing program.

• Complete the following courses or their University of New Mexico determined equivalent prior to applying with at least 2.75 grade point average on a scale of 4.0: 
  • ENGL 1110: English Composition I
  • ENGL 1120: English Composition II
  • BIO 1140: Biology for Health Sciences Lecture
  • BIO 1140L: Biology for Health Sciences Lab
  • CHEM 1120: Introduction to Chemistry Lecture/Lab
  • PSYCH 1110: Introduction to Psychology
  • NUTR 2110: Human Nutrition
  • NURS 224: Lifespan Growth and Development
• Complete the following courses or their University of New Mexico determined equivalent while applying but before starting Nursing Level 1:
  • MATH 1350: Introduction to Statistics
  • BIO 2305: Microbiology for Health Sciences Lecture/Lab
  • BIO 2210: Anatomy and Physiology I (Lab recommended, but not required)
  • NURS 239: Pathophysiology I
• Complete the HESI A2 entrance exam, scoring a minimum of 75% overall and a 75% on each of the following subtests. Results of the exam are good for one (1) year:
  • Math
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary and General Knowledge
• Submit the Following to NursingCAS by the deadline:
  • Official Transcripts from all institutions you have attended

• Complete Full Transcript Entry by the deadline.

• • Essay Responses (Please answer the following questions with a maximum of 500 words each and upload your responses in three separate documents under the "Writing Sample" section)
    • Describe the significance of a leadership experience or award/honor you have received that has contributed greatly to your personal and/or academic growth.
    • UNM has a tagline of "Each of Us Defines All of Us". Working with people from different backgrounds or cultures can be complex. Can you tell us about a time when you were challenged to adapt to people from different backgrounds or cultures from your own? What did you do to resolve the situation? 
    • What attracts you to a career in nursing and what are some of your key areas of strength in managing the challenges and opportunities in this profession?
  • 2 Professional Letters of Recommendation
  • HESI A2 test scores, no older than 12 months at the time of application submission
  • A current resume

• New Mexico residents will be given a preference.
• Submit your completed NursingCAS application by the posted deadline.
• Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit your application and transcripts to UNM Undergraduate Admissions. If accepted into the College of Nursing, you must be admitted to UNM before you start the nursing program.

• New Mexico residents will be given a preference.
• Achieve at least 2.75 grade point average (GPA) on a scale of 4.0 in the following prerequisite courses: English Composition I, English Composition II, Biology for Health Sciences lecture and lab, Introduction to Chemistry lecture and lab, Introduction to Psychology, Human Nutrition, Lifespan Growth and Development.
• Successful completion of prerequisites in courses prior to starting Nursing Level 1: Introduction to Statistics, Microbiology for Health Sciences lecture and lab, Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology I.
• Complete your community college's nursing program application.
• Send official college transcripts from all institutions you attended directly to NursingCAS.
• Complete the specific entrance exam required by your community college.
  • Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both CNM's AASN and UNM's BSN Dual Option.
  • San Juan College (SJC)/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both SJC's ADN and UNM's BSN Dual Option.
  • Santa Fe Community College (SFCC)/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both SFCC's ASN and UNM's BSN Dual Option.
  • The University of New Mexico - Gallup/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both UNM Gallup's ADN and UNM's BSN Dual Option.
  • The University of New Mexico - Taos/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both UNM Taos' ADN and UNM's BSN Dual Option.
  • The University of New Mexico - Valencia/UNM
    • Meet the criteria for both UNM Valencia's ADN and UNM's Dual Option.
• Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit your application and transcripts to UNM Undergraduate Admissions. If accepted into the College of Nursing, you must be admitted to UNM before your start the nursing program.

Selections from qualified applicants are based on the HESI A2 composite score, GPA in required classes, and other factors. HESI A2 information can be found here. Applicants are selected on the entrance exam composite score, GPA in required classes, and other factors.

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent. 
• Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
• Completed the following courses or their equivalent prior to acceptance.
  • BIO 1140: Biology for Health Sciences Lecture
  • BIO 1140L: Biology for Health Sciences Lab
  • BIO 2210: Anatomy and Physiology I
  • BIO 2305: Microbiology for Health Sciences Lecture/Lab
  • BIOL 2225 & 2225L Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture/Lab
  • CHEM 1120: Introduction to Chemistry Lecture/Lab
  • MATH 1350: Introduction to Statistics
  • NURS 239: Pathophysiology I
  • PSYCH 1110: Introduction to Psychology
  • NURS 240: Pathophysiology II*
  • NURS 224: Lifespan Growth & Development*
  • NUTR 2110 Human Nutrition*

* Applicants who have not completed NURS 240 Pathophysiology II, NUTR 2110 Human Nutrition, and/or NURS 224 Lifespan Growth and Development, or an equivalent course prior to submitting their application may be considered on a case-by-case basis. These courses may be taken during the first semester of the program depending on the student’s course load. 

Please contact our Admissions & Recruitment Office with questions at hsc-con-admissions@salud.unm.edu or by telephone at (505) 272-4721. 

• Submit the Following to NursingCAS by the deadline:
  • Official Transcripts from all institutions you have attended.  Full course entry must be completed by the application deadline.
  • Two Essay Responses:
    • Describe how you will build upon your experience as second-degree student to ensure your success in our competitive and compressed program of studies to become a bachelor’s prepared nurse. Why do you wish to have a career in nursing and what are some of your key areas of strength in managing the challenges and opportunities? Please consider when answering this question that the program of studies is compressed in 16 months and time management is critical. (750 words max)

• UNM has a tagline of "Each of Us Defines All of Us". Please tell us what diversity and inclusion means to you? (250 words max)

• • 2 Professional Letters of Recommendation
  • A current resume
• New Mexico residents will be given a preference.
• Submit your completed NursingCAS application by the posted deadline.
• Apply to UNM main campus Undergraduate Admissions. Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit your application and transcripts to UNM Undergraduate Admissions. If accepted into the College of Nursing, you must be admitted to UNM before you start the nursing program.

• Achieve at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on all college-level coursework.
• Completion of English 1120 (or its equivalent).
• Have at least 26 hours of transferable coursework.
  • An official transcript evaluation will be conducted only after a complete application, including transcripts, has been submitted and processed.
• Have a valid RN license or be eligible for an RN license in any U.S. state.
• Recent graduates must obtain RN license with 14 weeks of acceptance.

• Check to see if the program is offered to residents in your state prior to applying. 
• Submit your completed application to The University of New Mexico by visiting www.unm.edu/apply.
  • $25 Application Fee
  • Official Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities
  • Valid RN License
• All transcripts should be mailed to:

• Official electronic transcripts can be sent to the following email address: apply@unm.edu

Please note transcripts may take 1-2 weeks to process.

• Must have one of the following prior degrees:
  • A Master of Science in Nursing degree (MSN) from a nursing program accredited by either NLN or CCNE.
  • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree prior to entering the PhD program.
  • A BSN and a Master's degree in another field will be considered on an individual basis.
• A grade point average of at least 3.0. Preference is given to students with 3.5 or higher.
• A graduate-level statistics course within the previous 3 years with a grade of B or better by the date of admission.
•  
• A valid RN license in any U.S. state, territory, or foreign country.
• Submit to NursingCAS
  • The application form and fee
  • Letter of intent discussing the applicant’s (1) goals for undertaking the PhD program (2) area of research interest, and (3) identified faculty member matching the applicant’s area of research interest with an explanation of the potential faculty match (letter limit of 2 pages, double-spaced);
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A current resume or CV
  • Official transcripts from all institutions you attended
  •  
  • Submission of a writing sample that demonstrates evidence of scholarly ability and the potential for scholarly growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, a thesis, a published or unpublished scholarly paper, or written creative work.
• Optional: GRE completed within the previous three years.
• Personal interview for select candidates.

• Applicants must have either a master's degree in nursing or a BSN and master's degree in related fields, (MBA, MPA, MPH, MSA).
• Recommended three years in progressive nursing management or leadership practice management or equivalent as determined by the applications committee.
• Submission of a two- to three-page scholarly document. Describe an example of a specific health care administration problem that you would like to see changed (preferably your scholarly project idea) or a first-authored publication. This must be written using APA.
  • Must have arranged practice site(s) for residency and capstone courses to meet all clinical clearances and liability requirements of the site(s) by end of the first term of enrollment.
• At least a 3.0-grade point average (GPA) at the master's level (3.5+ GPA preferred).
• Current RN license; if you are an advanced practice nurse or certified in a nursing specialty, a copy of your advanced practice license or certification must be submitted.
• A signed commitment to enroll in the program of studies course sequencing, based on semesters, and attend the DNP residency held in the summer term of each year.
• Personal interview for select applicants.
• Submit to NursingCAS
  • The application form and fee
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A current resume or CV
  • Official transcripts from all institutions you attended

All concentrations applying to the post-bachelor’s DNP program must complete the below admission requirements.  This includes the following concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nursing Administrative Leadership.

• • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university; or
    • RN's with baccalaureate degrees in non-nursing fields are also considered on an individual basis
      • Admitted applicants are required to complete courses within our RN to BSN program in order to meet AACN BSN Essentials per the UNM College of Nursing Policy prior to beginning graduate coursework. 
        • NURS 405: Genetic Literacy Across the Lifespan
        • NURS 407: Care of Vulnerable Populations
        • NURS 410: Foundations of Leading Change and Advancing Health
  • Competitive applicants typically have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. 
    • Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis and will be asked to provide a supplemental statement explaining their GPA.
  • Current unencumbered New Mexico RN license, or eligible for NM licensure, which must be obtained within the first term of the program.
  • One year or more of work experience in nursing or a relevant field prior to starting the program.
  • Submit the following to NursingCAS
    • Application form and fee
    • Three Essay Responses
    • Three letters of recommendation
    • A current resume or curriculum vita
    • Official transcripts from all institutions attended
  Submit a supplemental application for admission to The University of New Mexico.  Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit an application and official transcripts to UNM Graduate Admissions.

   

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university; or
  • Graduates from non-accredited programs (NLN or CCNE) will be considered on an individual basis; or
  • RN's with baccalaureate degrees in non-nursing fields are also considered on an individual basis
    • Admitted applicants are required to complete the following courses within our RN to BSN program
      • NURS 405: Genetic Literacy Across the Lifespan
      • NURS 407: Care of Vulnerable Populations
      • NURS 410: Foundations of Leading Change and Advancing Health
    • Find out more about our policy and the requirements here: Applicants Not Holding a BSN Upon Application to Graduate Programs.
    • For questions about our policies, application requirements and your application, please contact our admissions team: hsc-con-admissions@salud.unm.edu.
• Minimum grade point average baccalaureate work of B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0) or better.
  • Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis and will be asked to provide a supplemental statement explaining their GPA.
• Current New Mexico RN license, or eligible for NM licensure, which must be obtained within the first term enrolled.
• Recommended 2 years of experience as a registered nurse.
• An interview is required as part of the admissions process.
• Submit the following to NursingCAS
  • Application form
  • Three Essay Responses
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A current resume of curriculum vita
  • Official transcripts from all institutions you attended 
• Be eligible for graduate admissions to UNM. Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit an application and official transcripts to UNM Graduate Admissions.

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university; or
  • Graduates from non-accredited programs (NLN or CCNE) will be considered on an individual basis; or
  • RN's with baccalaureate degrees in non-nursing fields are also considered on an individual basis
    • Admitted applicants are required to complete the following courses within our RN to BSN program
      • NURS 405: Genetic Literacy Across the Lifespan
      • NURS 407: Care of Vulnerable Populations
      • NURS 410: Foundations of Leading Change and Advancing Health
    • Find out more about our policy and the requirements here: Applicants Not Holding a BSN Upon Application to Graduate Programs.
    • For questions about our policies, application requirements and your application, please contact our admissions team: hsc-con-admissions@salud.unm.edu.
• Minimum grade point average for baccalaureate work of B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0) or better.
  • Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis and will be asked to provide a supplemental statement explaining their GPA.
• Current New Mexico RN license, or eligible for NM licensure, which must be obtained within the first term enrolled.
• Recommended 1 year of experience as a registered nurse.
• An interview is required as part of the admissions process.
• Letter of intent: we seek applicants who have a passion for this profession. Our mission is to educate midwives for work with rural or underserved populations. Please discuss your "midwifery path." How would YOU meet our mission?
• Submit the following to NursingCAS
  • Application form
  • Three Essay Responses
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A current resume or curriculum vita
  • Official transcripts from all institutions you attended
• Be eligible for graduate admissions to UNM. Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit an application and transcripts to UNM Graduate Admissions.

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university; or
  • Graduates from non-accredited programs (NLN or CCNE) will be considered on an individual basis; or
  • RN's with baccalaureate degrees in non-nursing fields are also considered on an individual basis
    • Admitted applicants are required to complete the following courses within our RN to BSN program
      • NURS 405: Genetic Literacy Across the Lifespan
      • NURS 407: Care of Vulnerable Populations
      • NURS 410: Foundations of Leading Change and Advancing Health
    • Find out more about our policy and the requirements here: Applicants Not Holding a BSN Upon Application to Graduate Programs.
    • For questions about our policies, application requirements and your application, please contact our admissions team: hsc-con-admissions@salud.unm.edu.
• Minimum grade point average for baccalaureate work of B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0) or better.
  • Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis and will be asked to provide a supplemental statement explaining their GPA.
• Current New Mexico RN license, or eligible for NM licensure, which must be obtained within the first term enrolled.
• Recommended 1 year of experience as a registered nurse.
• An interview is required as part of the admissions process
• Submit the following to NursingCAS
  • Application form
  • Three Essay Responses
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A current resume of curriculum vita
  • Official transcripts from all institutions you attended
• Be eligible for graduate admissions to UNM. Visit www.unm.edu/apply to submit an application and official transcripts to UNM Graduate Admissions.