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The application process for the PhD in Nursing program throughout the year, with Fall semester beginning in late August. Before beginning your application, please contact Lee Schmidt, PhD, RN, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program, to discuss your proposed area of research interest.

Review the general information and requirements prior to submitting your application.

Application Deadlines

Term Application Deadline 
Fall July 1

Requirements

  1. Application Form

    You may submit your application and materials online.

  2. Official transcripts
    Applicants must submit official transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work. Certified copies of transcripts are acceptable; faxed copies of transcripts are not considered official. If you previously attended Loyola University Chicago, you do not need to request transcripts. 

    If applying for the post-MSN option, your transcript must show that you have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and have completed or are in the process of completing a Master of Science in Nursing. 

    If applying for the BSN-to-PhD option, your transcript must show that you have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 
    1. Three Letters of Recommendation

      Please submit three letters of recommendation. Letters should be solicited from individuals who hold a doctoral degree. At least one letter of recommendation should come from a PhD prepared nurse. Letters of recommendation should address your abilities and potential to be successful in a PhD in Nursing program. Contact Lee Schmidt, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing program if you have questions about the required letters 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

    2. Admission Essay
      The admission essay includes a series of prompts that will address your short and long term career goals, and how a PhD in Nursing degree from Loyola University Chicago fits with those goals, your readiness to pursue rigorous graduate studies, and your research topic area and research interests in that area. 
    3. Current curriculum vitae or resume
    4. Current Nursing License
      Students must hold a current license from a U.S. state. International students must hold the equivalent license from their country. 
    You may also be required to submit:
    1. 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 6.0 is required. The minimum acceptable score on the PTE exam is 53. We must receive test scores directly from the testing service; copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents. 

      This 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.

    2. 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. PhD candidates must submit an evaluation from 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 have the official report sent to: 

      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.
    3. Background Check
      While not required for admission, you’ll also need to complete a criminal background check before you can begin your clinical practicums. Please be aware the results of your background check may impact our ability to place you in a clinical setting.

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

    If you have questions about any specific application requirements, please contact Lee Schmidt, PhD, RN, Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing program, lschm3@luc.edu.