Application Information and Process

The 2026 application will be available December 01, 2024. 

Admissions will be rolling from February 01, 2025 – September 01, 2025.

Applications are submitted via NursingCAS, the centralized application service for nursing. Visit the Programs List page to add the University of Connecticut and complete the steps to fill out your application. Instructions and support are available to applicants. Start your application several months before a deadline date to allow time for references and transcripts to be submitted.

Please keep in mind, an applicant who is accepted into the accelerated CEIN/BS program can only defer admission one time. 

Information about the Application Process

Applicants to the UConn Accelerated Certificate of Entry in Nursing Bachelor of Science program (CEIN/BS) are individually and holistically reviewed by the CEIN Admissions Committee. We seek individuals committed to our mission, values, and philosophy. A holistic review allows our admissions committee to consider multiple factors, including experiences and unique qualities such as work history, military service, cross-cultural experiences that exemplify diversity, equity, and inclusion, and participation in community service or volunteer activities. This holistic approach values academics and individual experiences to prepare nurses for successful scholarship and foster inter-professional practice. We believe these tangible and intangible factors are essential to success in the nursing program. The UConn School of Nursing is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the excellence it facilitates. Our application process seeks to create progressive, conscientious nurses well-equipped to care for our diverse communities.

 

Foreign born or foreign-educated students

Admission to the CEIN program is based on a holistic approach and does not take into consideration an applicant's citizenship or immigration status.

Notwithstanding citizenship or immigration status, any applicant whose native language is not English may be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.

The following categories of applicants are not required to provide test scores showing English proficiency:

  1. Permanent residents of the United States who attended English speaking U.S. schools prior to or beginning in the 9th grade.
  2. International applicants whose primary language is English*. *A primary language is defined as a language used to communicate since childhood. Applicants born in or educated in the following countries are automatically waived from this requirement: Australia, Canada (except Quebec Province), New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom.
  3. International applicants who have received a degree from an international post-secondary institution whose language of instruction for the entire degree was English. Official documentation must be submitted from the institution’s Registrar’s office stating that the medium of instruction for the degree received was English.
  4. International applicants who have completed one year or more of full-time coursework at a post-secondary institution in the United States (30 credits undergraduate work or 18 credits graduate level work). The total amount of academic work completed must be officially graded by the registrar of that institution and result in a cumulative GPA value of 3.0 or higher. Other than the specific categories expressed above, all foreign-born applicants must provide evidence of English-langue proficiency by furnishing copies of English=language proficiency tests taken within two years of the date of the application. An official copy of the scores and documentation should be sent to: cein@uconn.edu

UConn accepts the following English-language proficiency tests:

  1. TOEFL iBT

A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is required if born or educated outside of the United States of America (USA). Please refer to this website for more information: https://admissions.uconn.edu/apply/international/first-year/

Please note that the UConn School of Nursing does not accept Duolingo. Applicants must have a score of 92 or higher on the TOEFL.

    1. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

    A minimum overall band score of 8 is required, with a minimum of 7 for each section.

    1. Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts

    A NACES accredited agency must evaluate all foreign transcripts to determine United States equivalencies for degrees and diplomas earned abroad. For more information, visit https://www.naces.org/about

    Veterans Administration (VA) Education Benefits
    The CEIN program is approved for VA education benefits, retroactive to January 2010.

     

    Application Deadlines

    •  The 2026 cohort application will be available in Nursing CAS on December 01, 2024.
    • Applications that are complete and verified in the CAS system are reviewed on a rolling basis by the accelerated CEIN/BS Admissions Committee. Verification by Nursing CAS typically takes 2-3 weeks.
    • An official transcript showing degree conferral is required before the application can be reviewed by the faculty committee. Holding a bachelor’s degree is required before applying to a second degree program.
    • Applicants are responsible for checking in the Nursing CAS system that all transcripts and references have been received.
    • Applicants can take 2 prerequisite courses in the Summer of 2025 but can take no more than 1 prerequisite course in the Fall 2025 semester. Proof of enrollment in these classes MUST be uploaded to your application. Proof of enrollment can be a picture of your registration, a Bursar's receipt, or a transcript showing the course name, semester, and your name. All prerequisite courses MUST be completed and official transcripts submitted by December 31, 2025 in order to begin the program in January 2026.

    Cost

    • NursingCAS charges a $60 fee to use the service to apply to the accelerated CEIN/BS program. Also, the School of Nursing will require a separate, additional application fee of $75 that needs to be processed before your application can be reviewed. Please click here to pay your $75 CEIN/BS application fee online.
    • The $75 application fee to the UConn School of Nursing will be waived for qualified applicants who submit their applications by March 1, 2025. Early applications will receive priority review with a decision by the end of March 2025.
    • Information about the Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 semester fees is available on the Bursar's Office website. Information about the Fall 2025 semester will be posted when it is available. Please note the fees listed on the Bursar's website does not include uniforms, equipment, transportation, university fees, and books.
    • A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is due upon acceptance into the accelerated CEIN/BS program. This deposit will be applied to the first semester's payment. This Nursing Program Deposit Instructions document explains how to pay your $1,000 Nursing Program Deposit.

    Supporting Documents

    Note: After requesting transcripts and reference letters be sent to NursingCAS, you must check to make sure they were properly posted to your application. Missing documents will delay your application.

    1. Official transcripts from all high school or later college-level institutions of higher learning showing evidence of prior degrees, and other courses completed must be emailed directly to NursingCAS for processing. Electronic transcripts sent via Parchment or Credential Solutions only are also acceptable. See more transcript instructions. NursingCAS will automatically reject applications that do not contain all required transcripts.
    2. Current curriculum vitae/resume – upload via the Program Materials section under the Documents tab.

    Instruction statement

    The CEIN application consists of several short response questions and two essay questions designed to help us get to know you. This is your opportunity to share experiences and personal strengths such as integrity, empathy, compassion, commitment, and resilience that you feel may contribute to the nursing profession.

    Describe any academic challenges you may have faced on your path towards your decision to pursue a career in nursing.

    ALL applicants must be prepared for the rigor of this accelerated program.

    Please answer the following question:

     Describe the personal qualities and strategies you will use to contribute to your success in an accelerated program. If you have experienced any academic challenges, please explain those challenges and state your plan for success. (350- word minimum).

    Please select one of the following questions as your second essay question. This is an opportunity to highlight the personal strengths and experiences that UConn School of Nursing believes are critical to success (e.g., integrity, empathy, compassion, commitment, and resilience) (350 word minimum)

    1. Describe a person, incident, or experience in your life that prepared you most to become a nurse who will care for a diverse population of patients.
    2. Tell us about a significant challenge you've faced or any obstacles that you encountered. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

    3. All students can contribute to the creation of a diverse and inclusive environment. Whether by a personal attribute, characteristics, culture, experience, or behavior, please tell us how you believe you will          contribute to the diversity of the University of Connecticut school of nursing.

    4. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

    Reference Letters

    Obtain two letters of reference from a person (can be an employer or class instructor but no relatives or personal friends) that can write to your:

    • Professionalism
    • Communication skills (verbal & written)
    • Leadership
    • Accountability
    • Organization
    • Time management
    • Self-motivation

     

    Scoring Rubric

    Essay Rubric

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    Guidance on the use of AI

    We realize tools like ChatGPT, and other AI-based assistance programs have value, and could provide some benefits. For example, AI-based programs may help generate ideas for your admission application essay and be useful as you consider how to construct your resume in the activities portion. In addition, they can be a helpful collaborator, particularly when you do not have access to other assistance to help complete your application.

    However, your ultimate submission should be your own. As with all other sources, do not copy and paste content you did not create directly into your application. If you choose to utilize AI-based assistance while working on your writing submissions for UConn, we encourage you to take the same approach when collaborating with people - use it to brainstorm, edit, and refine your ideas. You should approach and consider any interaction with an AI-based assistance tool as a learning experience that may help you generate ideas, provide alternative phrasing options, and organize your thoughts. Remember, your unique and authentic writing style is extremely valuable as we consider your application for admission consideration to UConn.

    Two CEIN graduates take a selfie after their graduation ceremony.