Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) Admission and Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner Certificates Admission
Please note that this does not include the Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certificate admission process or requirements.
Students are admitted to this program twice per year.
Application Deadline for Fall Admission: May 1st
- Admittance for Family Nurse Practitioner: New Castle, and Brandywine.
- All applicants who are admitted are expected to enroll in the Fall Term of the year of their admission, with classes beginning in August.
Application Deadline for Spring Admission: September 1st
- Admittance for Family Nurse Practitioner: New Castle
- All applicants who are admitted are expected to enroll in the Spring Term of the year of their admission, with classes beginning in January.
Admission Requirements
For consideration and admission to the Family Nurse Practitioner program, applicants must submit:
- A Completed Graduate Application
A $35 non-refundable application fee is required. Submit materials by May 1st for fall admission consideration and September 1st for spring admission consideration.
- Self-reporting Nursing Science Grades*
*The Self-reporting Nursing Science grades are recorded on the application for graduate admission.
The Family Nurse Practitioner program reviews all science courses as part of the admission criteria. If you took science courses that were not part of the transcript provided for your R.N. or BSN degree please self-report the science course grade. Upon acceptance you will be required to provide the official transcript reflecting the grade provided. If there is any discrepancy in the self-reported grading information your acceptance into the family nurse practitioner program will be retracted.
- Official Transcripts, reflecting the following:
- Graduation from a nationally accredited bachelors of science in nursing (BSN) program.
- Graduation from a nationally accredited MSN program (Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner Certificates only).
- Completion of an undergraduate health assessment course, with a grade of “C” or better, or an equivalent continuing education course (Nurse Practitioner concentrations only).
- Current students and/or previous applicants may not need to re-submit transcripts. Please check your myWilmU to verify missing documents.
- Transcripts required upon acceptance showing science grades.
Wilmington University
Office of Admissions
320 N Dupont Highway
New Castle, DE 19720
Any transcripts from institutions outside of the United States require an official course-by-course evaluation by a NACES.org approved agency.
- A Current Resume
Please upload a current resume in either a word document or PDF in your Admissions Portal
- A Current Unrestricted R.N. License
Please upload a current unrestricted R.N. License as a PDF in your Admissions Portal
- A Written Statement of Goals
Thoroughly complete your Statement of Goals by answering one of the two Thought Questions below. Please submit your Statement of Goals in either a word document or PDF in your Admissions Portal.
Your answers must be typed and double-spaced. Both the content of your answers and your ability to write are being evaluated, so proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling are important.
Please respond to only one of the following questions in a separate document. The response requires a minimum of two full double-spaced pages (8 ½ x 11) typed.
I. State thoughtfully why you want to further your nursing career as a nurse practitioner in primary care. Identify your personal and professional goals related to this decision.
II. Discuss how your nursing experiences lead to your desire to become a nurse practitioner. Identify what impact you can make on the quality of patient care in the role of a nurse practitioner.
Since we do not require standardized test scores as a criteria for admissions, your responses to these questions will weigh significantly in the initial screening process. Responses must meet the minimum of 2 pages to be considered. Please give careful attention to the quality of the content, writing mechanics, and organization of thought.
International students must provide results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) that meet the current minimum score requirements.
TOEFL and IELTS Minimum Score Requirements:
TOEFL Test
- Minimum overall score: 46
- Minimum individual test score: 12
IELTS Test
- Minimum overall score: 5.5
- Minimum individual test score: 5.5
International student must complete all admission requirements before being accepted to Wilmington University. Please review the international admissions requirements.
Admissions Process Stages
The review process takes approximately two months past the deadline date. After the files are turned over to the College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences the admissions team is no longer involved. The Family Nurse Practitioner program has a two-stage admissions process.
Stage 1: Review of Application Materials
- Undergraduate academic record from the official transcript. You must submit transcripts from all colleges you attended. (3.0 GPA or higher is desired; however, applicants will be considered for those with GPA 2.75 or higher)
- Relevant professional and educational experience documented on the resume
- Statement of goals as expressed on the thought questions
Applicants who successfully meet the screening criteria in Stage 1 are invited to interviews in Stage 2.
Stage 2: Individual Interviews
- All admissions materials must be complete and submitted by the application deadline for an applicant to be considered for an admissions interview per the stage one criteria. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom and may require an applicant to be available for up to 2-3 hours. The applicant must be available on the scheduled interview day. If unable to attend the interview, those applicants will be considered for the next scheduled intake of students. The individual interviews offer the opportunity to evaluate the applicant’s interpersonal skills and personal potential to become an effective nurse practitioner.
- All information is confidential. Information requested on race and sex is gathered to enable Wilmington University to comply with its Equal Opportunity obligations and will not be used to discriminate against individuals.
- The NP Program Admissions Committee reviews all application materials and interview information to determine a candidate’s fit for the program based on academic readiness, personal maturity, and career goals. Decisions of the committee are final.