Certificate Programs

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The application process for our Post-Graduate Certificate and Oncology Certificate programs is simple. You can apply at any time for an upcoming open term, if the deadline has not passed. Review the general information and requirements detailed below prior to submitting your application.

Application Deadlines

Term	Application Deadline	Term Start Date
Fall	July 1	Late August
Spring	December 1	Mid-January

1. Application Form You may submit your application online.
2. Official transcripts Applicants must submit official transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work. Certified copies of transcripts are acceptable. If you have attended Loyola University Chicago, you do not need to request
   transcripts.
   
   If applying to a Post-Graduate Certificate program, your transcript must show that you have completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice.  
   
   If applying to the Oncology Certificate program, your transcript must indicate the completion of at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
3. Current Illinois Nursing License Students, including international students, must hold a current license from a U.S. state and be eligible for endorsement in Illinois. 
4. A Personal Statement Your statement should be double-spaced and should respond to the following topics:
   
   Provide a statement describing how your work experiences and professional interests have prepared you to be successful in the program to which you have applied. Make sure to comment on the population (family, mental health, adult, etc.) and/or speciality (emergency, oncology, substance use disorder).
   
   Discuss how completing the program you have selected will help you meet your professional goals.
   
   If you are applying to a Nurse Practitioner program, describe how you see yourself working specifically in the advanced practice nurse practitioner role. 
5. Current curriculum vitae or resume
6. Special Note about Experience If you are applying to a Nurse Practitioner program, the amount and types of your RN experience weighs into the admission decision. If you are applying to the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program, preference is given to RN clinical work experience across patients' lifespan. If you are applying to the FNP with Emergency Nurse Subspecialty program, recent experience as a RN in the Emergency Department is required.  All FNP with Emergency Nurse Subspecialty students are required to obtain their CEN certification prior to the start of their clinical practicum.  
    
   If you are applying to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) program, recent experience as an RN in the ICU is required. All Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) students are required to obtain CCRN certification prior to the start of clinical.

You may also be required to submit:

1. 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. We accept evaluations from Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or 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 send the have the official report to: 
   
   Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
   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.
   
   
2. 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 6.5 is required. We must receive test scores directly from the testing service; copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents. 
   
   This language test 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. 
   
3. Background Check. While not required for admission, you need to complete a criminal background check before you can begin your clinical practicums. The results of your background check may impact our ability to place you in a clinical practicum. Programs may offer a waiver for the language requirement under certain conditions. Contact the program director or enrollment advisor for more information.

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