Admission & Aid

At the Connell School, we educate exceptional nurse leaders—critical thinkers and compassionate practitioners committed to serving others in our communities and around the world.

Backed by our legacy of academic excellence, supportive community, and extensive clinical experiences combined with the unparalleled career opportunities available in Boston and beyond, we provide an ideal place to acquire the knowledge and skills you need to maximize your potential—and your impact.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in applying to the William F. Connell School of Nursing. No matter where you are in your journey, the Connell School will expand your possibilities and transform you into the exceptional nursing professional you seek to become.

The information on this page will assist you in navigating the graduate admissions process. We look forward to reviewing your application in its entirety. For students interested in applying to our bachelor’s program, all undergraduate applications are handled by the Office of Undergraduate Admission. 
 

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Application Deadlines

Program	Application Deadline
Post-Baccalaureate DNP — Nurse Pracitioner Specialties	Fall enrollment — March 15 Spring enrollment — September 30. *Please note: family specialty is fall enrollment only
Post-Master’s DNP	Fall enrollment — March 15 Spring enrollment — September 30
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist DNP	Summer enrollment — October 15
Direct Entry DNP	Summer enrollment — November 15
Direct Entry Master’s	Summer enrollment — November 15
RN to DNP	Fall enrollment — March 15 Spring enrollment — September 30. *Please note: family specialty is fall enrollment only
RN to MS Nursing Generalist	Fall enrollment — March 15 (full-time students must apply for fall enrollment) Spring enrollment — September 30
Ph.D.	January 15
Non Degree	Rolling admissions

Admission Evaluation Criteria

Read more about our undergraduate admission evaluation criteria

Application Requirements

Read more about our undergraduate admission evaluation criteria

The undergraduate admission process at Boston College is highly selective. In selecting students, the University Admission Committee adopts a holistic review of applications for admission, ensuring that all aspects of candidates’ applications are carefully considered. While academic preparation is the most important factor considered, admission decisions are made by assessing a wide range of criteria including but not limited to: academic performance, the rigor of applicants’ secondary school or college coursework, performance on standardized tests, writing ability, leadership, recommendations, potential for future success, co-curricular involvement, work experience, and when appropriate, the ability to succeed despite facing significant obstacles or hardships.  Students are required to submit the “Common Application” with a writing supplement, standardized test scores, and an official high/secondary school transcript.

While there are no minimum cut-offs for undergraduate admission consideration, the typical enrolled student profile includes grades in the range of A/A-, high school class rank comfortably within the Top 10%, and standardized test scores ranging between 1380-1500 on the SAT or 32-34 on the ACT. For international students who do not speak English as their primary language, the recommended minimum English language proficiency scores are 100 on the TOEFL and 7.5 on the IELTS.

Boston College does not set its level of selectivity; the size and quality of the applicant pool does. Therefore, decisions are only made after all applications in each round of the applicant pool have been fully evaluated. This ensures that decisions are equitable and consistent within the context of our highly competitive needs blind applicant pool.

For the entering class of 2023 overall, just 27% of more than 35,000 applicants were admitted to the University. Admission selectivity varies between each of the four undergraduate divisions: Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education & Human Development and the Connell School of Nursing.  The Connell School of Nursing (CSON) is the most selective, admitting just 23% of Connell School applicants this year. 

The faculty of Connell School of Nursing have developed technical standards competency domains that they believe to be necessary for participation and success in clinical education with or without reasonable accommodations.  The Director of Undergraduate Admissions, the Office of Admissions Nursing liaison, and the Dean of the Connell School of Nursing are in frequent communication to ensure that the academic quality and preparation of incoming students meets the Faculty’s expectations and standards.

Program Eligibility

• A bachelor or master’s degree from a nationally accredited nursing program*
• An undergraduate grade point average of B or better
• A completed course in statistics (AP credits cannot be accepted)
• A current RN license to practice nursing
  
  
  * Note: CSON does not require a GRE score for students applying to the Post-Bacc DNP and Post-Master’s DNP programs

Required Application Materials

Please be advised that applicants are accepted with a projected clinical semester of fall 2019 or later on a space available basis. Please contact the Graduate Programs Office at csongrad@bc.edu or 617-552-4928 if you require additional information.

1. Online application form
2. $40 application fee (due upon submission of online application)
3. Official Transcripts of all prior postsecondary academic work (including at Boston College). Please note that all transcripts must be official and mailed directly from the institution to the Connell School of Nursing. You must ensure that the name on your transcript exactly matches the name on your application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the Graduate Office (617-552-4928) if an academic transcript has been submitted under a different last name.
4. Two letters of recommendation:
   • A recent employer/supervisor who speaks to your level of professional practice.
   • A professor or instructor who assesses your potential for graduate study and performance in your desired area of study
   • Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically. When you register your reference writers through the application system, they will immediately receive an email with the link to the electronic reference form. As such, we suggest that you contact your references prior to registering them through the online application.
   • References will have the option to upload a supporting letter in Word or PDF format.
   • If you would like your references to receive the electronic form before you have completed the online application, you may go directly to the “Recommendations” link on the application and register your references before filling out the rest of the form.
   • You can log back into your application to check which letters have been received, as well as to send reminder emails to your references.
5. Goal statement that articulates academic and career goals
6. Résumé or curriculum vitae (two page maximum)
7. A copy of your current RN license

Additional Requirements for International Students

• Official transcript(s) evaluation (by the Commission on Graduate Foreign Nursing Schools or World Education Services) from all post-secondary institutions at which you have studied
• NCLEX-RN Examination results/RN licensure
• TOEFL – Evidence of English Proficiency (TOEFL). Official TOEFL scores are required for students whose native language is other than English. The following scores indicate minimum score requirements: 100 on the TOEFL iBT (internet-based test); 7.5 on the IELTS Band (academic); 600 or greater on the paper-based test; or 250 on the CBT test (computer-based test). Please request that your scores be sent to the William F. Connell Graduate School of Nursing by using our institutional code 3062 in the designated areas. Student copies or photocopies of TOEFL are not accepted.
  • You can get application forms and information about testing dates for the TOEFL from many U.S. consolates, USIA centers, and TOELF centers overseas by writing to: TOEFL Registration, CN 6152, Princeton, New Jersey 08541 USA, or www.toefl.org.
  • The TOEFL score is not required if you meet both of the following criteria:  You are a citizen of the United States,  Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean AND your native language is English.